Home › Wisconsin › Bills

Bills

Wisconsin Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 12,159 Active 7 In committee 9,574 Passed 998 Signed 1,132 Failed 8,245

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 1045: Relating to: legalizing the possession of cannabis; medical cannabis; expunging or adjusting past convictions for marijuana-related crimes; regulating the production, processing, transportation, testing, and sale of cannabis; granting rule-making authority; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; making an appropriation; and providing a penalty. (FE)

SB 1045 legalizes recreational cannabis possession for adults, establishes a new Division of Cannabis Regulation within the Department of Agriculture, and creates a Cannabis Conviction Review Unit to expunge or adjust past marijuana-related convictions. It allocates $30 million annually for cannabis regulation operations, funds a medical cannabis registry program with $5 million per year, and creates new tax revenue streams for enforcement and research. The bill repeals outdated marijuana laws, regulates cannabis production and sales through licensing, and sets up a system for individuals to seek conviction expungement. These changes directly affect all Wisconsin residents, particularly those with prior cannabis convictions, and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the state's cannabis industry.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1130: Relating to: a premium assistance individual income tax credit and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill creates a new state tax credit to help Wisconsin residents pay for health insurance premiums. It allows individuals who purchase qualified health plans to claim a credit on their state income tax return for the amount they would have received under federal premium assistance rules between 2021 and 2025. The credit is available only to full-year state residents who file their own tax returns and cannot be claimed if the taxpayer already qualifies for similar federal assistance. The legislation also authorizes state funds to pay any portion of the credit that exceeds the taxpayer's state tax liability.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1144: Relating to: filling vacancies on a county board. (FE)

This bill updates Wisconsin state law to clarify how vacancies on county boards should be filled. It requires the board chairperson to publish a public notice inviting applications when a vacancy occurs, with the appointment made no earlier than 14 days after the notice is issued. The bill also establishes specific rules for when special elections may be ordered to fill vacancies, depending on the timing of the vacancy relative to the end of the term. These changes affect county board members, their chairs, and the residents of supervisory districts who may apply for or be appointed to fill vacant positions.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1108: Relating to: broadband line extension grants and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill establishes a new grant program to help residents of unserved areas pay for the costs of extending broadband service lines to their properties, with each grant capped at $4,000. It appropriates $1.75 million for 2025-26 and $3.5 million for 2026-27 to fund these grants through the Public Service Commission. The program prioritizes applications for primary residences and requires applicants to participate in federal affordable connectivity programs, while prohibiting grants that subsidize telecommunications provider expenses or customer monthly bills. Additionally, the bill amends existing broadband expansion grant criteria to ensure projects focus on designated unserved areas and require applicants to explain how their proposed projects will increase broadband access.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1151: Relating to: securitization of retiring power plants. (FE)

This bill amends Wisconsin statutes to clarify how retiring power plants fueled by nonrenewable energy sources are classified for environmental control cost calculations. It explicitly includes the unrecovered value of retired property and associated demolition costs when utilities determine financial obligations for environmental compliance. The changes apply to energy utilities managing facilities that use nonrenewable combustible energy resources and aim to ensure these costs are properly accounted for in regulatory asset valuations. The legislation does not mandate retirement of any plants but adjusts how existing financial reporting rules treat decommissioning expenses.

Topics ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1145: Relating to: state payments for municipal services and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill establishes a funding mechanism for municipalities to receive payments from the state for services they provide to state facilities and University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority properties. It requires state agencies to make full payments at established rates for municipal services such as water, sewer, electrical, and waste disposal, with funds drawn from state appropriations for facility operations. The legislation also mandates that the state department assess program costs to cover these payments and prorate funding if the annual appropriation is insufficient. This bill directly affects municipalities providing services to state facilities and the state agencies that operate those facilities, with provisions taking effect in 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 1061: Relating to: legalizing the possession of cannabis; medical cannabis; expunging or adjusting past convictions for marijuana-related crimes; regulating the production, processing, transportation, testing, and sale of cannabis; granting rule-making authority; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; making an appropriation; and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 1061 legalizes recreational cannabis possession and establishes a regulatory framework for cannabis production, sales, and medical use in Wisconsin. It directly affects individuals with past marijuana-related convictions (by creating a review unit to expunge these records), cannabis businesses (through new licensing and regulations), and state agencies (by creating a Division of Cannabis Regulation under the Department of Agriculture). Key provisions include allocating $30 million annually for regulatory operations, establishing medical cannabis registry fees, creating a $5 million fund for conviction reviews, and repealing outdated marijuana criminal penalties. The bill also introduces new taxes on cannabis sales to fund these programs and public health research.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 822: Relating to: administration of town road improvements under the local roads improvement program. (FE)

AB 822 modifies Wisconsin's local roads improvement program for town road projects. It exempts projects under $65,000 from requiring registered engineer certification, sets a minimum 10-year design life for funded improvements (requiring professional review for shorter assessments), and prevents counties from contracting with towns for road work they've already estimated. The bill creates new deadlines for towns to submit applications to county facilitators and establishes committees to review funding requests. These changes directly affect towns seeking road funding, counties managing projects, and county highway commissioners handling contracts.

Topics ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 24, 2026

AB 82: Relating to: exempting certain conveyances between grandparents and grandchildren from the real estate transfer fee. (FE)

AB 82 exempts property transfers between grandparents and grandchildren from the real estate transfer fee when done for nominal or no consideration. This change directly affects families transferring homes or land between these relatives, removing a standard fee that typically applies to such transactions. The bill amends statute 77.25(8) to explicitly include "grandparent and grandchild" in the list of exempt relationships, alongside other family transfers like parent-child. It does not alter other fee requirements or create new obligations. The bill was recently laid on the table after committee review.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1133: Relating to: local regulation of landlords and tenants.

This bill would allow Wisconsin local governments to create rules requiring landlords to offer tenants a good faith renewal of their leases unless there is a valid reason not to do so. It also permits municipalities to set standards for lease renewals, limit when landlords can show properties to new tenants, and establish penalties for violations that could include relocation assistance. The bill would make these local rules mandatory and prevent landlords from waiving them in lease agreements. However, the bill failed to pass in the Senate on March 23, 2026, so it is not currently in effect.

Topics ✓ Housing

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1197: Relating to: the definition of tenant at will.

This bill proposes to amend the legal definition of a "tenant at will" in the state's statutes. It would clarify that a tenant at will is someone who occupies a property with the landlord's permission but does not have a valid lease and does not make periodic rent payments. The bill also specifies that individuals holding property under a purchase contract or employment agreement are excluded from this definition. This change would affect how landlords and tenants are classified in housing situations without formal leases.

Topics ✓ Housing

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1123: Relating to: designating manoomin as the Wisconsin state native grain.

This bill designates manoomin as the official state native grain of Wisconsin by adding a new section to the state statutes. It requires the Wisconsin Blue Book to include information about manoomin alongside other official state symbols like the state song and tree. The legislation does not change any laws or regulations but serves as a symbolic designation to recognize the cultural significance of this grain.