MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday afternoon, March 27, he's acted on a series of bills, including 16 vetoes he issued.

Among the most notable vetoes were Evers' rejection of a bill that would've required the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) to comply with the state's open records laws. 

The WIAA is a private entity, so lawmakers cannot directly control how the association operates. Lawmakers tried to pressure the WIAA by banning school districts from joining an interscholastic sports association unless that association agreed to adhere to open records laws.

In his veto message, Evers noted the Legislature has exempted itself from some of Wisconsin's open records laws. The governor indicated he's satisfied by the amount of information the WIAA currently makes publicly available.

Evers also vetoed a bill that would've clarified employers are allowed to consider a pending non-criminal charge when hiring or firing someone, so long as those charges are "substantially related to their job."

State Rep. Cindi Duchow (R-Oconomowoc) and State Sen. Van Wanggaard slammed the decision in releases Friday. Wanggaard said the bill was based on a state Supreme Court decision last year involving a case where two brothers were accused of stealing from their employers, the Oconomowoc School District.

“This is how crazy Democrats have gotten," Wanggaard said. "Democrats are literally saying you can’t fire an employee if the police find that they’ve stolen from you!”

Evers wrote the bill could set a dangerous new precedent, opening the door to scenarios where more people lose their jobs on the basis of unproven accusations. 

"This flies in the face of the presumption of innocence and due process that Wisconsinites and Americans expect and deserve," Evers wrote.

Several other vetoes on criminal justice, new school and university requirements

Evers also vetoed a bill that would've enacted harsher sentences for people convicted of selling drugs near homeless shelters.

The governor also rejected landlord-friendly legislation that would've no longer automatically voided leases that included prohibited provisions. Instead, the bill would've given tenants the option of severing the illegal parts and continuing with the rest.

Evers vetoed a bill that would've required school districts to get a new certification from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) before pursuing a referendum.

Evers wrote he believed the bill was an attempt by Republican lawmakers to dissuade school districts from pursuing referendums.

The issue of school funding is at the core of an ongoing impasse between Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature over how to use the state's $2.5 billion surplus.

"I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to creating additional barriers to school districts initiating a referendum," Evers wrote. "Wisconsin already restricts the dates and frequency of when a school district may place a referendum on the ballot."

Evers also rejected a bill that would've allowed private schools in the School Choice program to hire short-term substitute teachers who don't have a bachelor's degree.

The governor also vetoed a bill seeking to ban University of Wisconsin campuses from entering research agreements with universities in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela or Qatar.

Evers signs bills on antisemitism, mental health

Evers also signed 27 bills on Friday. One new law defines antisemitism as it relates to discrimination claims.

The new law requires local governments and state agencies to weigh antisemitism discrimination as defined by International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance.

The governor also signed a bill that expands the list of mental health providers qualified to perform examinations that determine whether someone is deemed competent to refuse medication or treatment.

The bill also allows qualified psychiatric advanced practice registered nurses to conduct mental competency exams, an expansion aimed at addressing current backlogs.

Many of the other bills Evers signed related to technical changes, deleting outdated or obsolete language in the codes for numerous state agencies.