MADISON, Wis.— With the state budget now in the hands of the Legislature's powerful Joint Finance Committee, the Republican co-chairs are giving us a better idea of what to expect in the coming months.

Nothing is set in stone, but it's looking pretty likely the two new leaders of the committee favor starting from scratch on this spending plan as they did with the governor's first budget proposal in 2019.

“I think we're clearly headed towards probably a similar approach to last time, and we'll make that final decision in the next few weeks,” State Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) said.

As far as specific proposals go, Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization are already off the table.

“It's a significant enough policy change that that topic needs to be debated in the, you know light of day on its own,” State Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) said.

Though Wisconsin has a surplus and the largest rainy day fund of all time, don't expect more spending because of it.

“We've worked hard to put us in the financial position that we're in,” Marklein said. “It's a whole lot easier to fund the needs of our constituents, you know the needs of our state government when we have the resources to do it.”

Though many of the governor's ideas were “dead on arrival” for Republicans, leaders do still expect to meet in the middle on several things.

“Our caucuses have supported broadband,” Born said. “I'm sure we will again. Will it be exactly the plan the governor put forward? Probably not, but we'll continue to support broadband. You know, the Assembly Republican caucus, especially last time, and the Senate joined us to get it into the budget, but we were really focused on the nursing homes and folks who are taking care of our most vulnerable.”

The public will still get to weigh-in on proposals at listening sessions held around the state, though how that will work amid the pandemic is still being figured out.