In a Capitol where Republicans and a Democratic governor often can’t agree on much, Rep. Todd Novak keeps finding ways to get things done.
The Dodgeville Republican has built his career on working with anyone willing to solve a problem. That approach has delivered stronger rights for crime victims, lasting funding to keep kids safe at school, and a bipartisan push for clean water in southwest Wisconsin.
“Working across the aisle for common sense solutions is how I’ve always approached governing,” Novak said in January when he announced his campaign for a seventh term.
Novak faces Democrat Ben Gruber and American Solidarity candidate Nathan Tataje in the 51st Assembly District on Nov. 3, according to the Ballot Brief.
Getting Evers to Sign On for School Safety
After the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla., Novak authored the law, signed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker, creating Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety, with $100 million in grants to harden schools and a 24/7 anonymous tip line called Speak Up, Speak Out.
By 2023, the office’s expanded staff was running on federal pandemic money that was about to dry up. Novak went to work with both parties. He and Sen. Romaine Quinn wrote a bridge funding bill that passed the Assembly and Senate on overwhelmingly bipartisan votes, and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed it on March 27, 2024.
“I’m glad that we were able to reach a bipartisan consensus to fund these additional positions so the Office of School Safety can continue their current operations, help prevent school violence, and keep our kids safe,” Evers said at the time, according to the state Department of Justice, where Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul thanked Novak and Quinn by name as the bill’s authors.
Novak didn’t stop at a temporary fix. He said the 2025-27 state budget Evers signed included his provision funding 13 positions at the office, putting it on permanent footing.
“I consider this one of my signature legislative achievements,” Novak wrote in the Monroe Times. Later in the column, he added, “I’m proud of this work and even prouder to say that, thanks to our bipartisan collaboration, Wisconsin is taking real action to keep our kids safe at school.”
Writing Victims’ Rights Into the Constitution
Novak first introduced Marsy’s Law in 2017. Working with Sen. Van Wanggaard, he steered the crime victims’ rights amendment through the Legislature, which sent it to voters in May 2019.
The amendment drew support across the political spectrum. Novak’s office said it earned nearly 400 endorsements, including from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, Republican former Attorney General Brad Schimel, and sheriffs across southwest Wisconsin.
On April 7, 2020, voters approved it by roughly 75% to 25%, according to Ballotpedia. The amendment gives crime victims rights including the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to be present at criminal proceedings, to confer with the prosecutor, and to receive restitution.
“Since I first introduced this amendment in 2017, I have heard from victims across our state asking to be heard,” Novak said after the vote. “The rights now enshrined in our state constitution will ensure that they are not forgotten.”
Uniting Both Parties on Clean Water
When water quality problems emerged in southwest Wisconsin, Novak asked Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to create a bipartisan task force to study the problem, the Monroe Times reported. Vos named Novak chairman in 2019, and Novak teamed up with the Democratic vice chair, Rep. Katrina Shankland.
The panel held hearings across the state and produced a package of 13 bills. In February 2020, the Assembly passed them, most by unanimous votes, WisPolitics reported. They included Novak’s bill adding nearly $3 million for county soil and water conservation staff, which passed 97-0, and his bill funding a UW System freshwater collaborative, which also passed 97-0. A well testing bill led by Shankland, with Novak as a coauthor, passed 98-0.
Novak called water quality not a partisan issue but “a Wisconsin issue.”
“This is a start, this is not the end,” he said. “I would love to do more but we just didn’t get there.”
The state Senate did not take up the package before the session ended, but the votes showed Republicans and Democrats could stand together on water quality.
Winning Where Evers Wins
In 2018, Novak won his district even as Evers carried it, according to his biography. He has won six straight elections, including a 2024 race under new maps where he took 51.7% of the vote, Civic Media reported.
“The residents of the 51st Assembly District put their trust in me to address the problems and challenges we face,” Novak said in his campaign announcement. Later, he added, “I look forward to continuing my work for the district this session and taking that positive record to the voters during the campaign.”
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