Who says the politicians at the state Capitol can’t cooperate?

OK, we have said that — many times — and for good reason. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-run Legislature can’t agree on how to use a $3 billion surplus. Evers set a record for vetoes. During the pandemic, the two sides didn’t meet for six months, not even electronically, to seek consensus on public health rules.

So let’s give credit for some agreement in recent days. Evers has signed dozens of bipartisan bills into law — some of them significant — as the two-year legislative session wraps up.

The governor signed a bill March 5 to expand the state’s child tax credit to help more Wisconsin families afford child care, and to keep more providers in business. The average eligible parent or guardian — more than 100,000 of them across the state — will save $656, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Evers last fall unilaterally extended about half of the federal aid that Wisconsin child care providers were receiving during the pandemic. That undoubtedly helped some providers stay in business. The tax credit expansion will now put money directly in the pockets of parents to pay for care.

Congratulations to the governor and Legislature for getting this done.

They also agreed this month to boost the construction of charging stations for increasingly popular and cleaner-running electric vehicles. Sales of EVs grew 47% last year, despite high interest rates, and now claim 7% of the market. Sales were slower in the first quarter of this year — partly because some drivers worry about having easy access to chargers on longer trips, analysts say.

The measure Evers signed March 20 addresses that head-on by unlocking $78 million in federal funds for chargers along state highways and interstates. The bipartisan legislation also will make it easier for gas stations and grocery stores to operate charging stations. According to state Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson, EV drivers will soon be within 25 miles of a charger while traveling on 85% of the state’s highway system.

EVs are key to moving Wisconsin off its heavy reliance on oil and gas. They’re also quiet and fun to drive, with better acceleration than gas-guzzlers.

Full speed ahead.

The governor on April 4 signed bipartisan legislation allowing tax-free savings accounts for people with disabilities in Wisconsin. Our state was one of only four without such a program. Known as ABLE accounts, which stands for “achieving a better life experience,” these saving plans let individuals and families set aside money for disability-related expenses such as education, housing and transportation — without jeopardizing Medicaid benefits or Supplemental Security Income.

That will support independence and quality of life.

The ABLE bill was one of several the State Journal editorial board prioritized last fall, including state support to renovate American Family Field in Milwaukee. That got done, too, and the Milwaukee Brewers started their season 4-0, pulling people together for fun while improving the economy of Cream City and the state.

Let’s go, Brewers!

The governor recently signed legislation creating grants for flood planning, so fewer homes and businesses are vulnerable. He finalized disclosure rules for political ads, so “deepfake” images and videos generated by artificial intelligence must include disclaimers. Cooperation between the executive and legislative branches produced easier and less expensive ways to buy hearing aids without a prescription.

Not everything the two partisan sides agreed to in recent weeks will be good for Wisconsin. The governor signed excessive restrictions on police video. Law enforcement agencies will now be able to charge exorbitant fees for the release of body-cam footage. Police will even be able to ask frequent requesters to disclose if they are seeking police video for “financial gain,” which could trigger a $10,000 fine.

The bill includes vague language and hasn’t been properly vetted. Rushing it into law is irresponsible and will undermine public trust in law enforcement.

The state Senate shamefully failed to let local election clerks process absentee ballots on the Mondays before elections. Doing so would have allowed election workers to avoid having to process such ballots late on election night, which former President Donald Trump has falsely suggested was devious.

This fall, Trump should blame GOP state senators in Wisconsin for late batches of absentee ballots. We won’t hold our breath for that.

Another proposal to address gun deaths failed to clear both houses of the Legislature despite near-unanimous endorsements by key legislative committees.

Yet some important things got done this spring. Our state leaders showed that cooperation at the statehouse is still possible.

–Wisconsin State Journal, Madison