This bill establishes rules for appointing town clerks and treasurers, requires towns to publish budget summaries and public hearing notices, and creates procedures for closing or removing roads. It directly affects local governments by changing administrative processes for financial transparency and infrastructure decisions. The bill modifies how municipalities handle appointments, budget communications, and highway discontinuance without altering tax rates or funding levels. It passed unanimously and is now law.
AB 273 amends Wisconsin statute 15.405(5g) to update the membership of the Controlled Substances Board. It adds the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection (or their designee), chairpersons of several medical boards (pharmacy, medical, physician assistant, dentistry, nursing), and two appointed experts (a psychiatrist and pharmacologist) serving 3-year terms. The bill does not change the board's duties but specifies who serves on it. This directly affects the composition of the board, which reviews controlled substances regulations. The change is procedural, focusing on board structure rather than policy.
AB 123 defines "driving miles" as the actual road distance between locations and requires parents with court-ordered physical placement to seek court permission before relocating more than 100 driving miles from the other parent. If parents already live more than 100 miles apart, relocation only requires 60 days' written notice (including new address and move date) instead of a court motion. The bill allows parents to agree on relocation through a stipulation, which the court may incorporate into an order unless it deems the change not in the child's best interest. This directly affects parents in Wisconsin family court cases involving child custody and relocation disputes.
AB 271 allows commercial motor vehicles operating in Wisconsin (intrastate commerce) to use camera monitor systems instead of traditional mirrors, provided the systems meet federal safety standards. The bill specifically permits systems exempted under federal regulations (49 CFR 393.80) or approved as mirror alternatives in federal safety standards. This change directly affects commercial truck and bus operators by removing a requirement for physical mirrors when using federally compliant camera systems. The law aligns Wisconsin statute with existing federal approvals, without creating new safety standards.
This bill clarifies Wisconsin's rules for out-of-state all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs). It requires that vehicles registered outside Wisconsin must meet Wisconsin's specific definitions to operate on public trails or highways. If an out-of-state vehicle is classified as an ATV or UTV under Wisconsin law but doesn't meet the state's definition, Wisconsin will not issue trail passes for it, and operating it on trails or highways is prohibited. The law directly affects owners of ATVs/UTVs registered in other states who wish to use Wisconsin's public trails or roads. It ensures Wisconsin's vehicle definitions override out-of-state registrations for enforcement purposes.
AB 153 requires parents in child support or maintenance cases to notify the child support agency within 10 business days of changes to their address, job, or significant income (like bonuses). It also creates new rules allowing parents to redact personal information (like social security numbers or home addresses) from documents shared with the agency, while clarifying that income changes alone don’t automatically adjust support payments. The bill specifically defines "shared-placement parents" and exempts them from some notification requirements if the other parent isn’t a shared-placement parent. This affects all Wisconsin parents receiving or paying child support/maintenance and the county child support agencies managing these cases.
AB 388 creates a one-time grant program to fund Rogers Behavioral Health for constructing an integrated mental health facility in Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley region. The facility will provide inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services for adolescents and adults. To receive the grant, Rogers must submit detailed certification plans for each service type (e.g., inpatient, residential) and report annually on facility operations and Medical Assistance patient access. The bill establishes specific requirements for facility certification under state health codes and mandates annual reporting to the Department of Health Services.
AB 74 requires Wisconsin public, private, and charter schools to notify parents or guardians within 24 hours if they receive a report alleging specific misconduct: sexual misconduct by a staff member, a convicted sex offender working with children, or a sex offender photographing a minor without consent. Schools must deliver notice by phone or in person, with deadlines of 5 p.m. the same day (if reported before school ends) or noon the next day. The law excludes reports involving the student’s parent or guardian and applies to all schools covered under Wisconsin education statutes. This is a direct notification requirement, not an investigation mandate.
AB 302 amends Wisconsin statute 347.25(3) to allow funeral procession vehicles to use flashing amber or purple lights exclusively during processions. The law permits the lead vehicle in a procession to display such lights, or requires all vehicles in the procession to have them if any vehicle uses them. This change directly affects funeral homes, drivers, and vehicles participating in formal funeral processions by standardizing permissible lighting for visibility and safety during these events.
AB 265 strengthens Wisconsin's penalties for human trafficking by requiring minimum prison terms: 15 years for child trafficking and 10 years for general human trafficking convictions. It creates new felony charges for individuals who profit from trafficking (Class D C felony) or receive compensation from commercial sex acts or debt bondage (Class F E felony). The bill directly affects convicted traffickers, their financial beneficiaries, and those who facilitate trafficking through recruitment or harboring of children for commercial sex. These sentencing changes apply to offenses committed after the bill's effective date.
AB 456 updates Wisconsin's real estate laws for residential transactions involving properties with one to four dwelling units. It requires real estate licensees to obtain written consent from property owners before sharing listing details with other agents or advertising properties online. The bill also mandates that owners must actively opt-in to public marketing (via a signed disclosure form) rather than having to opt-out, and prohibits licensees from accepting third-party fees without all parties' written agreement. These changes directly affect real estate agents and property owners in residential sales or leasing. The bill passed both chambers in November 2025 and is awaiting the governor's signature.
AB 409 makes it illegal to pass a stopped vehicle on or near a highway without exercising caution, creating a new traffic violation. It directly affects drivers who pass stopped vehicles, such as those involved in accidents or breakdowns, particularly near emergency or maintenance crews. The key provision establishes a specific penalty (fines or citations) for violating this rule, aiming to improve safety in highway stoppages. This bill updates traffic regulations to address unsafe passing behavior near stationary vehicles.
