Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 481: Relating to: a condominium conversion reimbursement grant program. (FE)

SB 481 creates a new grant program to reimburse owners of multifamily housing for costs associated with converting their properties into condominiums. The program covers specific expenses like attorney fees, permitting fees, and other project-related costs, with a maximum reimbursement of $50,000 per property and a total fund limit of $10 million. Grants are funded through the existing Main Street Housing Rehabilitation Revolving Loan Fund, and recipients must report details including grant amounts, property locations, and project descriptions. This bill directly affects multifamily housing owners seeking to convert their properties, providing financial support for conversion costs while requiring transparency in grant allocation.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 519: Relating to: the operation of drones over school property and providing a penalty.

SB 519 prohibits unauthorized drone operation over school property, including public, private, and tribal schools, as defined in the bill. Exceptions allow drone use with school board authorization or for specific law enforcement purposes like search/rescue operations, locating escaped prisoners, or preventing imminent danger. Violations carry a $5,000 penalty, and law enforcement must seize drone footage related to violations for transfer to the appropriate agency. The bill directly affects drone operators near schools and clarifies enforcement procedures for such incidents.

Topics ✗ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 368: Relating to: prior authorization for coverage of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, chiropractic services, and other services under health plans.

AB 368 prevents health insurance plans from requiring prior authorization for the first 12 visits of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or chiropractic care per treatment episode. It also eliminates prior authorization for non-drug pain management (like therapy) for chronic pain patients during the first 90 days of treatment (up to twice weekly). Health plans must explain coverage denials in plain language, apply similar copays for these therapies as for primary care, and decide on reauthorization requests within 3 business days. This bill directly affects patients seeking these services, healthcare providers, and all health benefit plans or self-insured employer health plans in the state.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 337: Relating to: local grant writing and compliance assistance. (FE)

Based on the provided information, SB 337 relates to local grant writing and compliance assistance, as indicated by its title. However, the "Bill Text" provided only details amendments to specific dates within the bill, shifting some effective or relevant years. The full content explaining the bill's mechanisms, who it directly affects, or its concrete policy changes regarding grant writing and compliance assistance is not available in this excerpt.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 373: Relating to: prior authorization for coverage of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, chiropractic services, and other services under health plans.

SB 373 limits health insurance plans' use of prior authorization for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and chiropractic care. It prohibits requiring prior approval for the first 12 visits per condition (or 90 days for chronic pain management at up to twice weekly visits) and mandates equivalent copays to primary care. Insurance plans must explain coverage denials in plain language and decide on reauthorizations within 3 business days (or approval is automatic). This directly affects health insurance plans and patients seeking these specific therapies in the state.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 196: Relating to: rehired annuitants in the Wisconsin Retirement System. (FE)

This bill changes Wisconsin's retirement system rules for state retirees who return to work. It allows retirees who rejoin state employment (after a 75-day separation) to choose whether to keep their retirement annuity for up to 60 months, instead of having it automatically suspended. If they elect to keep the annuity, their new employer must pay equivalent retirement contributions to the system. The policy directly affects state retirees returning to jobs where they work at least two-thirds full-time, while ensuring retirement fund contributions remain intact.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 408: Relating to: designating the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin state microbe.

AB 408 designates the bacterium *Lactococcus lactis* as Wisconsin's official state microbe. This ceremonial bill has no regulatory or policy impact; it solely recognizes a specific microbe for symbolic representation. The bill passed committee recommendation with unanimous support and is now pending before the Rules committee. (Note: As a purely symbolic designation, it directly affects no individuals or entities through policy changes.)

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 296: Relating to: eliminating the 13-week limit on the garnishment of earnings of certain debtors.

AB 296 removes a 13-week waiting period that previously required employers (garnishees) to verify if they would owe wages within 13 weeks before processing wage garnishments. It directly affects debtors with ongoing wage garnishment orders and the employers handling those garnishments. The bill eliminates this waiting period, allowing garnishments to begin immediately upon employer notification. It also maintains existing priority rules, ensuring child support and restitution garnishments take precedence over other wage garnishments, with specific limits on the percentage of disposable earnings that can be garnished.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 525: Relating to: repeal of obsolete tax credits and tax provisions. (FE)

AB 525 repeals 138 outdated tax credit and tax provision sections in the state's tax code. This directly affects taxpayers and state tax administrators by removing obsolete rules that no longer serve their intended purpose. The bill targets specific sections, such as expired credits and redundant requirements, without creating new tax policies. This action simplifies the tax code by eliminating provisions that have been deemed obsolete.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 419: Relating to: a sales and use tax exemption for ski lifts. (FE)

AB 419 creates a sales and use tax exemption for ski lifts and related equipment used exclusively to operate them. The bill exempts the purchase price of ski lifts, machines, equipment, accessories, and parts specifically for ski lift operations from state sales and use taxes. This directly affects ski resort operators and businesses that buy or maintain ski lift infrastructure. The exemption applies to the equipment itself, not the lift services or user fees, and takes effect three months after publication. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on modifying tax law to remove this tax burden for qualifying equipment.

Topics ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 509: Relating to: alternative delivery of projects contracted by the Department of Transportation. (FE)

AB 509 updates Wisconsin's rules for highway project delivery by creating new definitions for alternative methods like "design-build" and excluding others. It establishes a $300 million annual funding limit for alternative delivery projects (adjusted yearly using the DOT's construction cost index), with a cap of six contracts per year. The bill specifically prohibits using "construction manager-general contractor" or "progressive design-build" methods in the pilot program. This directly affects the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, contractors bidding on highway projects, and state transportation budget allocations.

Topics ✗ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 439: Relating to: eligibility of a highway for an agricultural roads improvement program grant. (FE)

AB 439 modifies eligibility rules for a state grant program that funds improvements to agricultural roads. The bill adds a new requirement: a highway must have an engineering analysis by a licensed professional showing it cannot handle heavy agricultural traffic to qualify for the grant. This directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses that rely on these roads, as it expands the criteria beyond existing structural deficiencies or weight restrictions. The change aims to ensure roads serving farming operations receive targeted funding based on actual traffic capacity needs.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Bill results