Gov. Walker is revealing a few items he will include in his two-year budget for Wisconsin. He will release the full document on Feb. 3.
The proposals he released on Thursday include creating an alternative way for people to become licensed teachers. Instead of needing a degree, Walker's plan authorizes the Dept. of Public Instruction to develop a competency exam. He says it would be geared for people with work and "real life" experiences, who are interested in teaching.
A second budget item would require people applying for public assistance - to undergo a drug test. Those would include residents applying for BadgerCare (the state's Medicaid program), Foodshare (Wisconsin's 'food stamp' program) and for unemployment compensation. The governor says, if people fail the drug test, they could take part in a free program to help fight substance abuse, and the state would provide them with job training.
In addition, Walker will call for limits on how long people can receive public assistance.
The governor will also propose a tuition freeze at the state's technical colleges - but only for students enrolled in high-demand fields. The tech colleges would also find their state aid hinging on whether they meet certain training requirements.