SB 809 Wisconsin Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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

SB 809 modifies Wisconsin's Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Program, administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). It creates new rules allowing grants for non-public events (like exclusive conferences) only if they bring national exposure or boost economic growth, with strict limits: no more than 25% of annual funds can support such events, and they must avoid regularly scheduled or rotating events. The bill requires applicants to provide cost-benefit analyses of economic impacts before funding, mandates matching contributions from non-state sources, and adds annual reporting to the legislature. This directly affects event organizers seeking WEDC grants to attract major events to Wisconsin.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 2, 2026 Last action Mar 23, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
12
Key actions
0
Committee
0
Jan 2, 2026
Introduced
Introduced by Senators Testin, Dassler-Alfheim, Feyen, Keyeski, Ratcliff, Spreitzer and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Kurtz, Armstrong, Brill, Green, Kaufert, Kitchens, Mursau, Novak, Sinicki, Stubbs and Knodl
upper
7 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors