Gov. Tony Evers signs executive orders raising gay pride flag, directing agencies to use gender-neutral language – Madison.com

Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday he is considering a full veto of the state budget after Republicans voted to authorize less than a tenth of the K-12 education funding he requested, a move that puts $1.5 billion in education funds at risk.

Also, at his administration’s third raising of the gay pride flag at the state Capitol, Evers signed a host of pro-LGBT executive orders and signaled he would veto a pair of Republican-authored bills that would ban transgender girls from K-12 and college girls’ sports.

Evers said he’s keeping a full veto of the GOP-authored state budget on the table if Republicans don’t provide enough funding to qualify for the federal education funds. 

The $128 million in K-12 funding Republicans have allocated in their budget proposal isn’t enough to qualify for the full $1.5 billion in education funds in the latest stimulus. In order to qualify, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the state would need to increase the funding from the current budget by at least $387 million over the next two years. 

“That’s too early to tell, but that is always an option,” Evers said. “That is on the table.”

Republicans have also allocated $350 million in their budget to the state’s rainy day fund that could potentially be directed toward education, but it’s guaranteed to be tapped. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education said that money won’t help qualify the state for federal education funds if it’s not directed toward K-12 education. 

“I’m asking them to invest more,” Evers said. “What the Republicans have put forward is not only inadequate, but even if they meet those federal guidelines, it’s an inadequate response.”

Two years ago during his first budget debate Evers left open the possibility of a full budget veto, which hasn’t happened since at least 1931. Ultimately he signed the bill with 78 partial vetoes.

For the third year in a row, Evers, flanked by Democratic lawmakers, advocates and LGBT kids, signed an executive order authorizing the gay pride flag to be raised above the state Capitol in June and allowing it to be flown at other state buildings and local government institutions across Wisconsin.

“In addition to celebrating the resiliency and joy of the LGBTQ community, Pride also offers an opportunity for us to reflect on how the state and our communities can be better allies,” Evers said in a statement. “These executive orders today recognize the work we have to do as a state to protect, support, and celebrate all LGBTQ Wisconsinites, especially our kids, and ensure our state is a safe, inclusive, and just place where every person has the resources and support to thrive.”

Besides authorizing the pride flag to be raised, Evers also signed two additional executive orders directing state agencies to use gender-neutral language in their external communications and blocking any future state or federal funding from being used for the discredited practice of conversion therapy for LGBT minors.

One of the orders will direct state agencies to use gender-neutral language whenever practicable in external documents, which includes not only using gender-neutral terms, but also drafting to eliminate the need for pronouns and omitting superfluous gendered words.

Evers said he’s not aware of any state or federal funds currently being directed toward the practice of conversation therapy for LGBT youth, but said the measure is preventative in nature. The executive order requires the Department of Health Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program; Department of Corrections; and Department of Children and Families to “expressly disallow” payment of state and federal funds allocated for conversion therapy for minors. 

Evers also indicated he would veto a pair of Republican bills that would ban transgender athletes from participating in girls and women’s sports at the K-12 and college levels. The bills received public hearings last week. 

“I can tell you one thing for sure,” Evers said. “As governor, I will veto any bill that’s going to negatively impact our kids, period. In fact these sorts of harmful bills and hateful policies are quote unquote solutions in search of problems that don’t exist. They’re based on some hypothetical stories about somebody else, someplace else, rather than the evidence right in front of us and the harm they can do to LGBTQ kids, neighbors and loved ones.”

Proponents of the bills say the measures, which mirror ones passed by a variety of other states, would help maintain women’s equality in sports carved out by 1972’s Title IX, which gives women athletes the right to equal opportunity in sports in educational institutions that receive federal funds.