Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 140: Relating to: provisional social worker certificates and licenses.

SB 140 creates a provisional certification pathway for social workers who haven’t passed the national licensing exam. It allows individuals to obtain a temporary certificate (valid for 36 months) after applying, paying fees, and passing a state law exam, enabling them to practice under supervision while completing required training. The bill requires 37.5 hours of supervised practice (including 25 hours of in-person one-on-one supervision) within the first 2,000 hours of practice, with no renewal option for provisional status. This directly affects new social work professionals seeking licensure after failing the national exam, streamlining their transition to full certification upon completing supervision. The bill modifies existing statutes to establish these provisional requirements and their conversion to permanent credentials.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 360: Relating to: small law enforcement agency grant pilot program. (FE)

AB 360 creates a grant program to help small law enforcement agencies (those with 25 or fewer full-time officers) address staffing shortages. Agencies can apply for grants to cover costs of preparatory training for future officers and up to six months of on-the-job training for new recruits, provided they have high vacancy rates (20%+) or upcoming retirements. Recipients must commit to working at the agency for one year after training, and agencies may exclude new recruits from staffing maintenance requirements for six months. The program runs for 18 months after all funds are distributed, with repayment required if commitments aren't met.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 318: Relating to: small law enforcement agency grant pilot program. (FE)

SB 318 creates a temporary pilot program to provide training grants to small law enforcement agencies (those employing 25 or fewer full-time equivalent officers). Agencies qualify if they face imminent retirements, have 20%+ vacancies, or need to train new officers. Grants cover preparatory training for future officers and up to six months of on-the-job training costs for new recruits. Recipients must commit to working at the agency for one year after training, with repayment required if they leave early; the program ends 18 months after all funds are distributed.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 218: Relating to: limitations on ownership of real property in this state by foreign persons. (FE)

AB 218 limits foreign ownership of agricultural land in the state to 50 acres (down from 640 acres), affecting foreign corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and trusts with over 25% foreign ownership. It also prohibits foreign entities from owning real property within 10 miles of military installations, with limited exceptions for inheritances, treaty rights, or debt collection. The bill requires entities exceeding these limits to divest or forfeit land within 3 years, and mandates reporting for exceptions. These changes apply to land acquired after the bill’s effective date, not retroactively.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 164: Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law and federal Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment grants. (FE)

AB 164 standardizes terminology across Wisconsin's unemployment insurance system, replacing "unemployment insurance" with "reemployment assistance" in state laws to align with federal programs. It creates a new Division of Reemployment Assistance within the Department of Workforce Development and clarifies responsibilities for home care workers, requiring placement agencies to inform consumers about who pays federal social security taxes, state reemployment assistance contributions, and worker compensation insurance. The bill ensures home care consumers aren't unexpectedly liable for these costs if agencies fail to provide required notices, and establishes mechanisms for recovering costs from agencies when they do. These changes primarily affect home care workers, placement agencies, and state agencies administering unemployment benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 334: Relating to: requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

AB 334 requires state highway departments to include bicycle and pedestrian facilities in all new highway projects funded by state or federal money (such as those under statutes §20.395 or §20.866). The bill mandates this unless specific exceptions apply, such as if facility costs exceed 20% of the total project cost, if the location is too constrained, if there's no demonstrated need (e.g., low population/traffic), or if a community refuses to maintain the facilities. It grants the transportation secretary authority to review and approve such exceptions on a case-by-case basis. This directly affects state highway projects and transportation planning decisions across the state.

Topics ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 343: Relating to: requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

SB 343 requires state highway departments to include bike paths and pedestrian pathways in all new highway construction or reconstruction projects funded by state or federal money. It creates specific exceptions allowing projects to skip these features only if the cost exceeds 20% of the total project budget, if they would cause excessive harm in a tight space, if there's no community need, or if a local community refuses to maintain them. The bill directs the state transportation department to create rules defining these exceptions, with a requirement for a senior official to review cost-based exceptions. This policy directly affects state highway planning and project developers working with state or federal funds.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 390: Relating to: correction bill for 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 and making an appropriation.

SB 390 adds a $6 fee for new vehicle registration plates (excluding replacements) effective October 1, 2025, on top of existing registration fees. This affects all vehicle owners purchasing new plates, as the fee applies to all new plate issuances starting that date. The bill also increases a $2.6 million appropriation for Wisconsin's public protective services hearing protection program under section 85.65. These changes correct and clarify provisions in 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 related to vehicle registration fees.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 382: Relating to: requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty.

AB 382 requires health care providers to provide the same medical care to a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion as they would to any other newborn at that gestational age, including immediate hospital transport. It mandates reporting failures to comply with these requirements to law enforcement and imposes a Class H felony penalty for violations (excluding prosecution of the mother). The bill also allows affected individuals to sue for civil damages equal to three times the abortion cost plus emotional distress, while guaranteeing confidentiality for the woman involved and prohibiting contracts from being used as a defense in such lawsuits. This legislation directly affects abortion providers and hospitals performing such procedures, focusing on post-procedure medical obligations rather than restricting abortion access.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 267: Relating to: waiver of fees for admission to state parks on Earth Day. (FE)

AB 267 requires Wisconsin state parks to waive all daily admission fees (including any issuing fees) on April 22 each year, commemorating Earth Day and its founder, Gaylord Nelson. This policy directly affects all visitors to Wisconsin state parks on April 22, making entry free on that specific date. The bill creates a new statutory provision (27.01(9)(b)) that mandates this automatic fee waiver annually. It does not change existing fee structures outside of Earth Day or create new funding obligations.

passed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 384: Relating to: requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty.

SB 384 requires health care providers to provide the same standard of care and immediate hospital transport for any child born alive after an abortion or attempted abortion, as they would for any newborn of the same gestational age. Violating these requirements is a Class H felony, but the mother cannot be prosecuted for the incident. The bill also allows affected women to seek triple the cost of the abortion as civil damages, plus attorney fees, while protecting their identity through court confidentiality orders. It explicitly states the law does not create or recognize a right to abortion.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 17: Relating to: creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE)

AB 17 creates tax incentives to encourage business transitions to employee ownership. It provides a credit covering 70% of conversion costs (up to $100,000) for worker-owned cooperatives and 50% (up to $100,000) for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), plus a deduction for capital gains tax on business transfers to these models. The bill directly affects business owners in Wisconsin who convert their companies to employee ownership structures, requiring employee ownership to exceed 50% to qualify. It also establishes an education program to support these transitions, aiming to make such conversions more financially accessible.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results