MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans want voters to curb the uniquely expansive partial veto powers that Wisconsin governors from both parties have enjoyed for nearly a century.
Wisconsin is the only state where governors can partially veto spending bills by striking words, numbers and punctuation to create new meaning or spending amounts. In most states, governors can only eliminate or reduce spending amounts.
Republican state lawmakers on Monday took the latest swing at reducing the veto powers, proposing a constitutional amendment that would eliminate a governor’s powers to delete words and rework sentences in bills that spend taxpayer money.