Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 563: Relating to: qualifying investments for purposes of claiming the early stage seed investment and angel investment credits. (FE)

SB 563 clarifies what qualifies as an investment for Wisconsin's early stage seed and angel investment tax credits. It defines "investment" to include equity purchases, convertible notes, simple agreements for future equity, and other expenditures approved by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). This change directly affects individual investors and businesses seeking these tax credits by expanding eligible investment types beyond traditional equity. The bill takes effect for 2025 tax years and aims to streamline eligibility under existing credit programs.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 640: Relating to: tuition and fee remission or grants for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college, or a private nonprofit institution of higher education; and the University of Wisconsin System nonresident tuition exemption for certain veterans. (FE)

SB 640 modifies Wisconsin's tuition and fee exemption policies for veterans and their families. It reduces the required residency period from five to three consecutive years for veterans' spouses or children to qualify for tuition remission at University of Wisconsin System schools, technical colleges, or private nonprofit institutions. The bill also adjusts residency requirements for veterans themselves seeking nonresident tuition exemptions. These changes apply to veterans who served honorably, or whose families meet specific residency and service-connected disability criteria. The policy aims to make existing benefits more accessible by lowering residency barriers.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SJR 109: Relating to: recognizing October 26 in 2025 and 2026, as Intersex Awareness Day in Wisconsin.

SJR 109 is a symbolic resolution recognizing October 26, 2025, and 2026, as Intersex Awareness Day in Wisconsin. It commemorates the first public demonstration by intersex people in the U.S. on October 26, 1996, and aims to raise awareness about intersex individuals - those born with variations in sex characteristics - and the challenges they face, including stigma and unnecessary medical procedures. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely a formal acknowledgment by the Wisconsin Legislature to honor the intersex community. This recognition aligns with national observances but has no direct legal effect on residents or government actions.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 500: Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law. (FE)

SB 500 amends Wisconsin's unemployment insurance law to make it easier for workers who quit jobs to qualify for benefits. It extends the timeframe for employees to voluntarily terminate work without losing benefits from 30 days to 10 weeks after starting a job. The bill also revises the definition of "suitable work" for weeks 7-11 of unemployment, requiring wages to be above the lowest quartile for similar jobs in the area, rather than requiring relevant experience or training. These changes directly affect unemployed workers who leave jobs due to unsuitable work conditions.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 607: Relating to: housing and homelessness; emergency rental assistance program; indigent civil legal services; workforce development; community action agencies; poverty reports; mental health; economic security; reimbursement for nonemergency medical transportation services; urban mass transit aid; lead exposure and abatement services; lead service line replacement; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; granting rule-making authority; and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 607 creates new programs and modifies existing ones to address housing, homelessness, and related services in Wisconsin. It establishes a lead service line replacement program for water systems, creates an annual review process for homelessness services, and funds emergency rental assistance for households earning under 80% of county median income. The bill allocates $43 million for indigent civil legal services, $5 million for emergency rental assistance (2026-27), and $2.5 million for housing grants. These provisions directly affect low-income residents, homeless individuals, and service providers by expanding access to housing support, legal aid, and water infrastructure improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 634: Relating to: the age for marriage and eliminating spousal exceptions for certain sex crimes against children.

SB 634 eliminates a legal exception that previously allowed spouses to avoid prosecution for sexual crimes against minor spouses. It amends statutes (948.09 and 948.093) to remove language stating that sexual assault laws do not apply when the victim is the defendant’s spouse, making it a crime for a spouse to engage in sexual activity with a minor regardless of marriage age. This change directly affects minors who married as children and their spouses, ensuring such acts can now be prosecuted under standard sexual assault laws. The bill also adds a new provision (767.185) allowing minors under 18 to file for divorce.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 196: Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law. (FE)

Senate Bill 196 proposes various changes to unemployment insurance law, primarily affecting individuals receiving benefits and employers. It allows employers to report to the state unemployment department if an individual declines job interviews or offers, or fails to respond to or attend them. The bill also tightens work search requirements for benefit recipients, specifying that actions like declining a job interview may mean a claimant did not conduct a reasonable job search. Furthermore, it mandates the department to recover overpaid benefits from claimants who fail to meet work search requirements or whose security credentials are misused due to their actions.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 653: Relating to: imposing certain prohibitions on foreign influence at University of Wisconsin System institutions. (FE)

SB 653 prohibits University of Wisconsin System institutions from accepting foreign grants, entering academic partnerships, or signing research agreements with entities from countries designated as "foreign adversaries" (including China, Russia, and Qatar) without board approval. It requires security reviews by federal law enforcement for any proposed partnerships and bans institutions from using educational software from "prohibited business entities" (like Chinese state-owned companies). The bill also bans accepting gifts or cultural exchange payments from such foreign entities and mandates annual reports to the legislature on all existing partnerships with foreign adversaries. This directly affects UW System campuses, their boards, and researchers by restricting international collaborations and requiring new security protocols.

Topics ✗ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 637: Relating to: a sales and use tax exemption and an income and franchise tax credit for nuclear energy facilities. (FE)

SB 637 creates two tax credits for nuclear energy facilities in Wisconsin: an income/franchise tax credit (under §71.07) and a sales/use tax exemption (under §71.28). It directly affects electric public utilities, cooperatives, municipal electric companies, and qualified wholesale providers that operate nuclear facilities. The credits cover wages paid to full-time facility workers (requiring 2,080 annual hours at ≥150% federal minimum wage) and capital expenditures for facility construction, operation, or maintenance (excluding land purchases). The credits are transferable to other taxable entities and apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 591: Relating to: dual enrollment programs, creating the Council on Dual Enrollment, and transfer of postsecondary course credits. (FE)

SB 591 creates a Council on Dual Enrollment to oversee credit transfer policies, with members from universities, technical colleges, school districts, tribal colleges, and legislative leaders. It requires all public universities and technical colleges to make core general education credits earned through high school dual enrollment programs fully transferable by September 1, 2026. The bill also mandates agreements between public institutions (covering 72+ credits) and private colleges (covering 36+ credits) to ensure these credits satisfy general education requirements at receiving institutions. This directly affects high school students taking college courses, public and technical colleges, tribal colleges, and private colleges participating in dual enrollment programs.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 200: Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law. (FE)

Senate Bill 200 introduces various changes to unemployment insurance law, primarily focusing on fraud prevention and claimant support. It requires the department to implement identity verification measures for claimants and perform weekly comparisons against national databases to detect fraud or erroneous payments. The bill also mandates the creation of training materials for claimants and employers, and requires the department to maintain a call center with expanded hours during periods of high demand. Additionally, it extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting certain felony unemployment insurance fraud violations related to benefits paid on or before September 4, 2021.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 624: Relating to: applying for and returning absentee ballots; use of central counting locations; election night reporting; court determinations of incompetency and ineligibility to vote; preelection tests of electronic voting equipment, and providing a penalty. (FE)

SB 624 updates election procedures in several key areas. It requires election officials to notify voters within 3 business days if court rulings make them ineligible to vote, and to restore voting rights if courts later reverse such decisions. The bill mandates pre-election testing of voting machines with public notice, including tests for ballot errors like excess votes or multiple party selections. It also clarifies rules for handling absentee ballots, central counting locations, and ballot transport procedures. These changes directly affect voters, municipal clerks, and election officials managing ballot processing and equipment.

Bill results