The Wisconsin Legislature delivered a rare bipartisan victory Tuesday by advancing legislation designed to stabilize funding for WisconsinEye, the state’s public affairs network that broadcasts legislative activity.
The Assembly Committee on State Affairs unanimously approved Assembly Bill 974, which would provide ongoing state support to WisconsinEye after the network was forced to temporarily shut down from Dec. 15, 2025, to Feb. 2, 2026 due to declining private donations. During that period, Wisconsin became the only state without consistent public access to recordings of legislative proceedings.
WisconsinEye provides live and archived coverage of committee hearings, press conferences, and floor sessions at the state Capitol. Until now, it relied entirely on private donations. A funding shortfall left the organization unable to operate, prompting lawmakers to negotiate a long-term solution.
The bill emerged after weeks of talks between Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine — a rare show of cooperation in a chamber often marked by partisan division.
“I also just want to highlight that there was good bipartisan work that went into this bill,” Neubauer said. “We know that restoring transparency and public access needs to happen, and I appreciate Speaker Vos and his staff for engaging with me and my team on this. It’s an important sign of how important public access is to the state of Wisconsin.”
Under last year’s budget, $9.75 million was set aside for WisconsinEye, but the funds were inaccessible unless the network raised matching private donations — a goal officials said was unrealistic. A GoFundMe campaign launched in January raised just $58,783 by early February, far short of what was needed. (RELATED: Top Wisconsin Liberal Donor Mentioned in Epstein Files 2,000+ Times)
AB 974 would instead provide WisconsinEye with an annual grant equal to the interest earned on the $9.75 million. Neubauer explained that the network would still need to raise significant private funds.
“If we assume a rate of return of about 4-7% on the endowment, WisconsinEye will still have to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year,” Neubauer said. “Let’s say they bring about $600,000 from the endowment each year, they would need to raise about $350,000.”
In return, WisconsinEye must keep its content free and accessible, submit annual reports to lawmakers, and accept board appointments from legislative leaders.
“These are common-sense requirements that will make sure Wisconsinites have strong access to the Capitol for years to come,” Neubauer said.
Board chair Mark O’Connell told lawmakers that the crisis stemmed from major donors withdrawing support but said new donors are prepared to help if the bill becomes law.
“Today, we are back on the air,” O’Connell said. “Why? Because the leadership in this body had told us ‘we need you back on the air.’”
AB 974 now heads to the full Assembly, followed by consideration in the Senate and potential approval by Gov. Tony Evers. (RELATED: ACA Enrollments Plummet in Wisconsin as Subsidies Expire)
