MON AM News: Childcare subsidy program ending this week, further straining affordability; DOJ applauding Shopify’s move to ban e-cigarette sales

June 29, 2026

— With the state’s Child Care Bridge Payments program expiring this week, providers across Wisconsin are expected to raise rates, putting a further strain on parental budgets.

Rep. David Armstrong, R-Rice Lake, says the end of the program “is going to hurt.” He spoke Friday during a virtual panel organized by the Wisconsin Policy Forum focused on what’s ahead for the state’s childcare industry.

The Child Care Bridge Payments Program was established when the earlier Child Care Counts pandemic-era stabilization program was set to expire about a year ago, but is now ending June 30th with nothing to replace it. Panelists emphasized the impact of the program’s loss, both on childcare programs and the families that rely on them.

Jeff Pertl, secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, noted the Child Care Counts program helped reverse a downward trend in the number of childcare providers in the state.

“I think at every data point, we really see that this sort of foundational investment in providers stabilizes the market,” he said, adding “Counts really worked, and without it, we’re going to see fewer providers and higher prices.”

Those concerns were echoed by others on the panel, including Lisa Jensen, director of the Roots & Branches childcare program within the Frederic School District. With the loss of the program revenues, the childcare program is planning a “large increase” in rates of $20 per week, per child, she said.

“In our area, the median income is about $77,000 per household, so that will be an impact,” she said Friday. “There’s quite a shortage of daycare in the area, so I know that our daycare will remain full. But it is going to put families in situations where they’re going to not be able to afford daycare.”

Jensen added this will impact other industries in the area, noting the importance of childcare for workers.

Meanwhile, Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Howell said the county’s 32 licensed childcare centers have “really started to raise their rates” within the last three years. Based on outreach in recent months, they’re now expecting to raise their rates by a further 5-10%, she said.

The area had a childcare center close unexpectedly just a month ago, and two others say they’re not sure if they’ll be able to remain open with the program ending, Howell said.

“So we’re already stretched really thin, and it is really concerning about what the future of childcare might look like in Fond du Lac County,” she said.

Friday’s panel followed the release of the latest childcare market rate survey, showing 60% of childcare slots in Wisconsin are considered affordable. While that’s an improvement from 41% in 2025, it’s below the 75% federal and state affordability threshold.

The state Department of Children and Families last week warned the end of the childcare subsidy program would likely mean higher prices for families across the state.

— Attorney General Josh Kaul is applauding Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify for taking e-cigarettes and other vaping products off its website, following an earlier appeal from nearly two-dozen states including Wisconsin.

The state Department of Justice issued the release after the business banned the sale of these products on its platform, which Kaul says will make it more difficult for young people to obtain vaping products.

“We must continue working to help protect against the health consequences that can result from vaping,” he said in a statement.

DOJ says the move is a “direct response” to the letter sent in November 2025, which warned of the health risks and highly addictive nature of e-cigarettes, particularly for young people. It referenced “unlawful conduct” by companies using the Shopify platform to sell e-cigarettes, alleging this activity constituted an “unquestioned public health hazard.”

The letter called for a more comprehensive solution even after Shopify removed sellers that were identified as doing business on its platform illegally.

See the release.

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— The state DOJ announced a $275,000 settlement with Enbridge over an alleged violation of the state’s Spills Law tied to a leak in its Line 13 pipeline more than seven years ago.

Line 13 is used to transport diluent, a highly flammable mixture that is combined with heavy crude petroleum to make it thinner. In 2019, a valve component at a Line 13 valve station in Fort Atkinson failed, leading to a leak.

DOJ alleged Enbridge violated the Spills Law between April 26, 2019, and July 31, 2020, by failing to report the discharge to the Department of Natural Resources in a timely manner.

“Wisconsin’s Spills Law is a critical protection for our environment. Those who are responsible for the discharge of a hazardous substance must comply with its requirements,” AG Josh Kaul said in a statement.

Enbridge spokesperson Juli Kellner in an email to WisPolitics said the company is pleased with the settlement agreement, noting the faulty valve component was repaired in the spring of 2019.

“Ongoing monitoring continues to confirm product released remains confined to Enbridge owned property. Regular sampling has found no impact to nearby drinking water wells,” Kellner said. “Enbridge is committed to ongoing restoration of this site. We will work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as monitoring continues.”

The money Enbridge is required to pay will go toward forfeitures, surcharges, court costs and attorney fees.

See the release.

— In the latest GOP radio address, Sen. Jesse James thanks Wisconsin dairy professionals during Dairy Month.

“Our dairy professionals work tirelessly to provide high-quality dairy products for every Wisconsinite and the world,” the Thorp Republican says. “Did you know that Wisconsin’s dairy industry contributes over $50 billion to our state’s economy each year? On top of that, it employs over 120,000 Wisconsinites across the state. Wisconsin is ‘America’s Dairyland’ for a reason.”

James says Dairy Month is a great moment to recognize the dairy sector’s hard work.

“Whenever you enjoy a squeaky curd, drink a glass of milk or have some authentic Wisconsin Colby — originating in Colby, Wisconsin of the 23rd Senate District — don’t forget to thank the people who produced it,” James says.

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