AB 813 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: the opportunity attraction and promotion program administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

AB 813 amends Wisconsin's Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Program, which provides grants through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), to allow funding for non-public events that attract national exposure or boost economic growth - such as private conferences or industry gatherings - under specific conditions. The bill creates a new provision (3)(cm) limiting such non-public event funding to 25% of annual program funds, requiring WEDC to prioritize events during tourist off-seasons or economic downturns, and banning funding for regularly scheduled events. It also mandates that applicants secure non-state matching funds equal to the grant amount and requires WEDC to submit annual reports detailing all funded projects and their projected economic impact. This directly affects event organizers and businesses applying for WEDC grants to attract major opportunities to Wisconsin.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Assembly Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Dec 23, 2025 Signed Apr 2, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
35
Key actions
7
Committee
5
Apr 2, 2026
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 175
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 4, Noes 1
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on calendar 2-10-2026 by Committee on Rules
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Report passage recommended by Committee on Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0
lower
Dec 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Kurtz, Armstrong, Brill, Green, Kaufert, Kitchens, Mursau, Novak, Sinicki, Stubbs and Knodl; cosponsored by Senators Testin, Dassler-Alfheim, Feyen, Keyeski, Ratcliff, Spreitzer and Tomczyk
lower
11 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors