Relating to: a state matching grant program for recipients of federal per diem payments and making an appropriation. (FE)
AB 596 creates a state matching grant program that allocates $950,000 to provide state funds matching federal per diem payments received by eligible non-state entities. It directly affects organizations or programs receiving federal per diem payments (such as those supporting veterans) by allowing them to access additional state funding. The bill establishes this program under the Veterans Affairs department budget, requiring the state to match federal payments without changing eligibility criteria or adding new requirements for recipients.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Assembly Passage
Nov 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Oct 27, 2025
Signed Apr 2, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Feb 11, 2026 · Assembly Nov 19, 2025
How they voted
33–1
Passed
Total votes 34
Feb 11, 2026
D
Democratic16
100% Yea
R
Republican18
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
44
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Amendments
5
Apr 2, 2026
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 153
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Amended
Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Introduced
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Smith, Wall, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer and Wirch
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Committee
Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0
upper
Nov 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 98, Noes 0
lower
Nov 19, 2025
Introduced
Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken
lower
Nov 19, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Sinicki
lower
Nov 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on calendar 11-19-2025 by Committee on Rules
lower
Nov 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
Nov 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage recommended by Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 12, Noes 0
lower
Nov 12, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Sinicki, Brown, McCarville and Tenorio
lower
Oct 27, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Franklin, Moses, Hurd, Summerfield, Armstrong, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Donovan, Goeben, Green, B. Jacobson, Kaufert, Knodl, O'Connor, Penterman, Snyder, Spiros, Tucker, Wichgers and Mursau;
cosponsored by Senators Wimberger, James, Quinn, Stafsholt and Tomczyk
lower
21 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Barbara Dittrich
RRepublican
P
Ben Franklin
RRepublican
P
Bob Donovan
RRepublican
P
Brent Jacobson
RRepublican
P
Chanz Green
RRepublican
P
Chuck Wichgers
RRepublican
P
Clint Moses
RRepublican
P
Dan Knodl
RRepublican
P
Dave Armstrong
RRepublican
P
Dean Kaufert
RRepublican
P
Duke Tucker
RRepublican
P
Elijah Behnke
RRepublican
P
Jeff Mursau
RRepublican
P
Jerry O'Connor
RRepublican
P
John Spiros
RRepublican
P
Joy Goeben
RRepublican
P
Karen Hurd
RRepublican
P
Lindee Brill
RRepublican
P
Pat Snyder
RRepublican
P
Rob Summerfield
RRepublican
P
Will Penterman
RRepublican
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