On Friday, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed two Republican-backed bills: one to restrict foreign adversaries from purchasing Wisconsin farmland and another to streamline telehealth access for out-of-state providers.
In separate veto messages released alongside a broader announcement on 27 bills, the governor rejected Senate Bill 7 and Senate Bill 214, both of which had passed the Republican-controlled Legislature and were presented to him on March 18.
Senate Bill 7 would prohibit foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in Wisconsin. Introduced by Sens. Andre Jacque, Rachael Cabral-Guevara, and Steve Nass, and cosponsored by over a dozen Republican representatives, the bill passed with strong GOP support. Republicans have advanced similar measures nationwide, citing increased foreign holdings of U.S. agricultural land as raising significant national security concerns.
Evers’ veto leaves the current law unchanged, despite GOP claims that foreign adversaries threaten Wisconsin’s rural economy and food security.
Senate Bill 214 would establish a registration that would allow out-of-state health care providers to deliver telehealth services to Wisconsin patients without full in-state licensure. The bill aims to address provider shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas, by reducing barriers for qualified practitioners from other states.
Sponsored by Sens. Rob Stafsholt and Romaine Quinn and cosponsored by Republican representatives, the bill attracted bipartisan interest for expanding access at a time when many Wisconsinites struggle to find timely care.
Evers’ veto maintains stricter licensing requirements, which critics argue limit options and increase costs for patients.
These vetoes continue a pattern under Evers, who has rejected numerous Republican priorities in recent sessions. Both bills were enrolled last week as the Legislature concluded key work before potential override attempts, though Republicans lack a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
Supporters of the land sale restrictions cited similar measures in other states to counter Chinese influence. Telehealth advocates argued that the veto denies rural families access to faster virtual care.
On Friday, Evers acted on 27 bills, signing 12 into law and vetoing the rest. The full veto messages for SB 7 and SB 214 are available on the governor’s office website.
