WED AM News: Circulating bill would make changes to WEDC grant program; Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa files suit challenging Line 5 reroute permit

December 17, 2025

— Republican lawmakers are seeking to make changes to a WEDC grant program that they say would better support the state’s tourism industry.

Reps. Tony Kurtz of Wonewoc and David Armstrong of Rice Lake, along with Sen. Patrick Testin of Stevens Point, are circulating a co-sponsorship memo seeking support for LRB-3566/LRB-5743. The legislation is focused on the opportunity attraction and promotion program, run by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

“The changes in this bill aim to ensure this program is working effectively and getting money out the door in an efficient manner while promoting Wisconsin and growing our economy through our incredible tourism industry,” bill authors wrote.

The agency’s Opportunity Attraction Fund program has helped secure multiple major events in Wisconsin since being created in 2023, including the NFL Draft held earlier this year in Green Bay, authors note. Grant funding is meant to help bid against other states or organizations to bring an event or other opportunity to the state, or to support the actual hosting of such an event, according to the memo.

While the bill authors tout the program’s success, they say WEDC and the tourism industry writ large “have run into some bumps” with the program. They say it’s not working quickly enough to help during fast-paced bidding, noting some communities have ended up turning down awards because they came after bidding deadlines.

Under the legislation, the grant program would be eliminated entirely and replaced with a sponsorship structure, which authors say would speed up the entire process. Grants are subject to a more rigorous review taking up to eight weeks, the memo notes, while sponsorships have a “more expedited” review and approval process.

“Event opportunities often arise with little time to act and be competitive with other states bidding for the event,” authors wrote.

The bill would make a number of other changes to the program, including ending restrictions on where matching funds come from, allowing matching funds for sponsorship awards to be cash or in-kind contributions, and requiring WEDC to give special consideration for sponsoring events happening during the off-season or a “period of economic need” for Wisconsin.

Another provision would allow up to a fourth of the annual funding allocation to go toward events that aren’t open to the public, as long as they bring national exposure or contribute “substantially” to state or regional economic growth.

Sponsorship funds wouldn’t be provided for any events that are regularly scheduled or that rotate between different locations in the state, the memo notes. And instead of an existing requirement that applicants must provide estimates of economic impact and cost-benefit analysis, the bill would require WEDC to assess the economic benefits of the proposal before awarding a sponsorship.

Authors say the bill is a product of conversations with both WEDC and the tourism industry on how to ensure the program “functions properly and promptly” to attract opportunities to the state.

The co-sponsorship deadline is 3 p.m. tomorrow.

See the memo.

— The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to approve a permit for Enbridge to reroute its Line 5 oil pipeline in northern Wisconsin.

Enbridge is seeking to relocate a 12-mile segment of Line 5 and build a new 41-mile segment around the Bad River Band’s reservation after a federal judge in 2022 ruled Enbridge had illegally trespassed on the tribe’s land.

The tribe has argued the reroute will endanger waters, fish and wild rice beds that citizens rely on. Bad River Band Chairwoman Elizabeth Arbuckle in a statement said the tribe has endured the pipeline’s unlawful trespass for more than a decade.

“The reroute only makes matters worse,” Arbuckle said. “Enbridge’s history is full of accidents and oil spills. If that happens here, our Tribe and other communities in the Northwoods will suffer unacceptable consequences. From the Bad River to Lake Superior, our waters are the lifeblood of our Reservation. They have fed and nurtured our Tribe for hundreds of years. We will do everything in our power to protect them.”

The lawsuit argues the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to adequately address the environmental impacts of the reroute and to ensure maintenance and construction of the project won’t harm water quality.

Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner told WisPolitics the permit in question has not yet been signed by Enbridge or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She argued until the permit has been signed, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “has not engaged in a judicially reviewable final agency action.”

Kellner said Enbridge will intervene in the lawsuit.

“Enbridge’s permit applications are supported by thorough and extensive environmental analysis and modeling by leading third-party experts confirming project construction impacts will be temporary and isolated, with no adverse effect to water quality or wetlands,” Kellner said. “Line 5 is critical energy infrastructure serving 10 refineries and propane production facilities – providing raw materials to meet the everyday energy needs of millions of people in the Midwest and Great Lakes Region.”

The Wisconsin Jobs & Energy Coalition in a statement yesterday called the lawsuit “baseless.”

In a separate challenge, the Bad River Band is contesting the Department of Natural Resources’ approval of permits for the reroute. Groups challenging the permits are currently awaiting a decision from an administrative law judge.

— Wisconsin has joined a multi-state lawsuit against rideshare and delivery company Uber targeting “deceptive and unfair” practices allegedly used in selling its subscription services.

Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday announced Wisconsin and 21 other state or county law enforcement agencies have joined the lawsuit, which was previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission.

It alleges Uber used “negative option” marketing tactics as part of free trial subscriptions, meaning customers are automatically charged if they fail to cancel the service. The company also allegedly misled its customers about potential savings for subscribing to its Uber One service, and made it hard to cancel once already enrolled. And Uber also charged customers before billing dates, including those who were still in a free trial, per the release.

“Subscription services should have transparent terms,” Kaul said in a statement. “And when people want to cancel a subscription, doing so should be easy.”

The lawsuit is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California with a trial scheduled for February 2027, according to the state Department of Justice.

See the release.

— Alliant Energy announced the current president of its Wisconsin energy company, David de Leon, will retire in July after nearly four decades with the company.

Becky Valcq, the former chair of the state Public Service Commission, has been appointed to succeed de Leon in the role, according to yesterday’s announcement. She’s also been tapped to serve as vice president of energy delivery starting Jan. 5.

Valcq joined the company in 2024, and most recently worked as assistant vice president of regulatory affairs and data center services.

Alliant Energy President and CEO Lisa Barton applauded de Leon for his leadership and dedication in a statement on the transition. She also said the company’s board has “full confidence” in Valcq as she moves to the new role.

“Her deep experience, strategic perspective and unwavering commitment to our values make her uniquely equipped to lead during this pivotal period,” Barton said in a statement.

See the release.

— The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin is condemning legislation that would end the state’s personal conviction exemption for childhood vaccinations, arguing the move would undermine parental rights and medical freedom.

The party yesterday issued a release denouncing the bill from Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison, and Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee.

Reese Wood, chair of the LPWI, is urging every member of the state Legislature to oppose “this totalitarian proposal” and reaffirm the state’s respect for individual liberty and “family sovereignty.”

“Social progress comes when people have the authority to develop their own personal convictions and act in a way that upholds them,” Wood said in a statement.

Subeck earlier this month said ending the personal conviction vaccination waiver would help address “alarming” declines in vaccination rates. Her announcement noted the percentage of students in Wisconsin with a waiver for one or more vaccines has nearly doubled over the last two decades, reaching 6.7% in the latest school year.

“Especially at a time when our federal government is spreading misinformation and out-and-out lies about vaccines, we must take proactive steps to keep our communities safe and healthy,” she said in a statement on the bill.

Meanwhile, the LPWI argues the legislation would end “meaningful informed consent,” noting the state currently allows exemptions for medical, religious and personal conviction reasons.

The party says getting rid of the last of these would leave “only narrow medical and religious exemptions, putting what should be an individual’s decision in the hands of either a state-sanctioned expert or a faith-based collective.”

And it decries the bill for seeking to expand the state’s power over the human body while setting a “dangerous precedent” for other prohibitions going forward.

See the release.

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