TUE AM News: Circulating bill would set separate tax rate for some alternative tobacco products; Milwaukee-area June home sales up 13.7% over the year

July 15, 2025

— Legislation being circulated for cosponsorship in Wisconsin would establish a separate tax rate for some alternative tobacco products that are deemed a lower health risk than cigarettes.

Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, and Rep. Chanz Green, R-Grand View, recently sent a memo to other lawmakers seeking support for the bill.

They say standard cigarettes are the leading cause of “preventable disease and death” in the state, causing nearly 8,000 deaths annually and 30% of all cancer deaths in Wisconsin each year, based on figures from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Referencing the FDA and other public health authorites, the lawmakers note smokefree alternatives for nicotine are acknowledged to be “at the lower health risk end” compared to combustible cigarettes. In addition to vapes and nicotine pouches, the memo points to the FDA authorizing a heated tobacco product as “appropriate for the protection of public health” as a modified risk tobacco product.

Because these products heat the tobacco but don’t burn it, they have a “much lower risk profile” while replicating the experience of smoking a cigarette, according to the memo.

“Studies submitted to the FDA demonstrated that, while not risk-free, heated tobacco alternatives emit 90 to 95% fewer toxins compared to combustible cigarettes,” the lawmakers wrote.

Still, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids questions claims being made about heated tobacco products, with its website calling them the “tobacco industry’s newest way to keep people addicted to tobacco and attract new users” including young people. The anti-tobacco organization argues that while tobacco companies have marketed these new products as lower risk, the industry “has a long history of making false claims” about the health risks of its products.

Under the legislation, the state’s existing excise tax on cigarettes would apply to products that are defined as a roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or another substance other than tobacco that’s meant to be smoked by burning it. It would also create a separate, lower excise tax for the heated tobacco products.

“We can best support tobacco harm reduction by enacting risk-proportionate taxation, whereby the most harmful products are taxed at the highest rate and lower-risk alternatives are taxed at a much lower rate,” the lawmakers wrote.

The cosponsorship deadline is July 22 at 4 p.m.

See the memo.

— June home sales in the Milwaukee area rose by 13.7% over the year, which the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors calls a “sizable increase” but less impressive than it seems.

The group yesterday issued its report for last month, showing 1,840 homes were sold in the four-county metropolitan Milwaukee area, up from the 1,619 sales in June 2024. The increase bumped up the second-quarter sales figure by 1.6% compared to the same period of last year.

But the increase comes amid a “fairly anemic” market, GMAR notes, as sales in the region have fallen since mid-2022 when interest rates increased. While the group says last month’s total is “welcome,” it remains below the 2,230 sales seen in June 2022.

The market added 2,209 units in June, bringing the area’s total available numer to 4,443, the report shows. That equates to 3.2 months of inventory, just over half the level GMAR wants to see.

“In today’s market there are plenty of buyers, but they are chasing too few listings,” authors wrote, adding about 3,910 more units are needed for a more balanced market.

See more in the report.

— Shipping totals through the Port of Green Bay were still lagging behind last year in June, according to figures shared by port officials.

Last month, the northeastern Wisconsin port had 137,725 tons of material and raw goods pass through, above May’s total of 123,794. But year-to-date totals are 47% lower than at the same point of last year’s shipping season.

Port Director Dean Haen notes the port has “gained some momentum” with shipments of cement, limestone and petroleum last month, but says the season’s slow start continues to affect this year’s overall shipping volume.

“So far this season, we’ve seen lower volumes of key commodities due to surges in these materials at the end of last season, disrupted supply chain patterns and moderated demand,” he said in a statement.

A total of 15 ships visited the Port of Green Bay in June, up from May’s total of 10 ships. So far this year, 32 vessels have stopped in the port.

Looking ahead, Haen expects the port will see 1.75 million tons of cargo pass through by early next year — above last year’s total of just under 1.7 million tons.

See more in the release and find figures for previous years here.

— Exact Sciences says getting Medicare coverage for its Oncodetect test marks a “significant milestone” for the Madison-based business.

The diagnostics company recently announced its Oncodetect molecular residual disease test has received Medicaire coverage through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Molecular Diagnostic Services Program. It’s been approved for use in patients with certain forms of colorectal cancer in specified settings, the announcement shows.

The test tracks up to 200 circulating tumor DNA variants to identify signs of cancer recurrence for patients with solid tumors. By assessing levels of tumor DNA that has entered the patient’s bloodstream, the test can flag signs of recurrence “up to two years earlier than imaging alone,” the company says.

By getting the test covered in certain situations under Medicare, Exact Sciences says it can help expand colorectal cancer screening for the more than 3 million Americans that are eligible for testing.

Brian Baranick, executive vice president and general manager of precision oncology for the company, touted the clinical value of the test in a statement on the Medicare coverage inclusion.

“Gaining Medicare coverage for the Oncodetect test is a meaningful step forward in expanding access to earlier, more personalized insights for patients with colorectal cancer,” he said.

See the release.

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— U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil says it was “a bit of a strange analysis” when asked about the recent comments by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that Medicaid recipients could replace farmworkers who are in the country illegally.

“I think there’s a significant number of jobs that are available,” Steil told WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “The work requirement simply says you need to be even looking for work, volunteering 20 hours a week or working 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month. As you drive around communities here in Southeast Wisconsin, I think we see plenty of ‘Help Wanted’ signs. Again, it’s about getting people back into the workforce and then into good and better-paying jobs.”

Beyond that, Steil said he would not support any type of amnesty program for farmworkers.

“I think one, we need to secure the border,” he said. “I think President Trump has done a terrific job of that. I think this bill makes an additional investment to make sure we’re permanently securing the U.S.-Mexico border as we fix the broken illegal immigration system. I think that gives us an opportunity to fix the broken legal immigration system. … I do not believe there should be amnesty, but I think we have a true opportunity to fix the broken illegal immigration system now that we’re beginning to make real headway in the broken illegal immigration problem.”

See more from the show.

— The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau is urging vendors and others to watch out for scams related to fake events happening this summer, referencing “numerous reports” from those who’ve bought tickets from scammers.

The organization recently warned consumers and companies about the issue in a release, noting links being circulated on social media can include convincing pictures and other information for events that don’t exist.

One such report in the BBB Scam Tracker system highlighted a scam targeting artists and vendors using information for a real arts center to collect payment for a made-up event.

“The scam appears to involve soliciting artists and vendors through email and possibly other platforms, requesting payment for booth spaces under false pretenses,” the report says.

To avoid being tricked, the organization suggests doing independent research before making any payment, checking for contact information and being cautious about rates that seem too good to be true. The release also says paying with a credit card can be helpful as the charge can be disputed if it turns out to be a scam.

See more in the release.

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TOPICS

CONSTRUCTION

– Milwaukee Community Land Trust rehabilitates five affordable homes as part of city initiative

EDUCATION

– Wisconsin joins coalition to sue Trump over $6.8B withheld from education

FOOD & BEVERAGE

– Mexican restaurant planned at Waukesha’s Meadowbrook Marketplace

HEALTH CARE

– Wisconsin kids are struggling with mental health. Experts say state funding will help.