SB 931 allows student identification cards issued by accredited Wisconsin universities, colleges, or technical colleges to be used as valid voter ID. The bill requires these cards to include the cardholder's signature, date of issuance, and an expiration date no later than two years after issuance. If a card is expired, voters must prove current student enrollment at the time of voting. This applies to all University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, which must issue qualifying IDs by August 1, 2026.
SB 933 requires social media platforms serving users in this state to display a clear mental health warning each time a user accesses the platform. The warning must note potential negative mental health effects and provide access to crisis resources like the 988 suicide hotline. Platforms cannot hide the warning, make it less visible, or disable it except under specified conditions. Violations could result in fines up to $5,000 per incident or lawsuits by affected users seeking damages or injunctions.
SB 1084 allows the natural resources board to sell state-owned lands adjacent to or within one mile of commercial egg farms. This sale is intended to prevent the spread of avian flu by creating buffer zones around these facilities. The bill directly affects state lands under the Department of Natural Resources' jurisdiction and commercial egg farms located near them. It creates a new statutory provision (23.15(1m)) to authorize these sales without overriding existing land management rules.
AB 1013 updates Wisconsin's licensing rules for massage therapy and bodywork therapy businesses. It creates clear definitions for business types (like mobile services, out-call appointments, and sole practitioner operations) and allows reduced license fees for sole practitioners. The bill also establishes a "responsible manager" role for businesses and clarifies that fingerprinting is generally prohibited for licensing, except in specific cases. These changes aim to modernize the regulatory framework for massage therapy providers and their establishments.
SB 974 creates a program to reimburse community paramedics and community emergency medical services practitioners (or their employers) for tuition and materials costs paid toward state-approved training programs required for licensure. It directly affects individuals seeking initial certification as community paramedics (under §256.205) or community EMS practitioners (under §256.21), and their employers who covered these costs. To qualify, applicants must complete approved training and receive department approval, with employers needing to verify their employees met these requirements. The reimbursement requires a formal application to the board using a prescribed form.
SB 1004 ratifies the Interstate Massage Compact (IMpact), enabling licensed massage therapists to practice across state lines in participating states without needing separate licenses. It creates an interstate commission and defines key terms like "multistate license" (allowing therapists to practice in compact states) and "authorization to practice" (for license holders from other compact states). The bill also updates licensing rules to prevent employment discrimination based on certain criminal convictions when granting multistate licenses and adjusts fingerprinting requirements for credentialing. This directly affects licensed massage therapists, the state credentialing board, and healthcare providers seeking cross-state practice opportunities.
SB 1080 removes state-imposed limits on how cities and counties can regulate short-term rentals (like Airbnb) of residential properties. It repeals specific sections of law that previously restricted local governments from setting their own rules about the number of days a residential dwelling can be rented out annually. This change directly affects local governments (cities, towns, counties), property owners who rent short-term, and renters by allowing communities to develop their own regulatory frameworks without state caps. The bill focuses on updating statutory language to eliminate existing restrictions, not creating new programs or financial impacts.
SB 1083 expands the existing indoor smoking ban to include electronic delivery devices (like e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-hookahs) used for vaping nicotine, cannabis, or other substances. The bill defines "electronic delivery device" broadly to cover all such products except FDA-approved nicotine products. It also amends the definition of "smoking" to explicitly include using activated vaping devices in indoor public spaces. This affects businesses operating in indoor areas (e.g., restaurants, offices) and individuals using these devices indoors, bringing them under the same indoor ban rules that currently apply to traditional tobacco products.
SB 1081 bans vaping on all public and private school property, including playgrounds, athletic fields, and other areas regularly used by students. It defines "vaping" as inhaling vapor from any electronic smoking device (like e-cigarettes or vape pens) and covers all school grounds owned, rented, or controlled by school boards, charter schools, or private schools. The law prohibits vaping but allows schools or local governments to adopt stricter rules if desired. This directly affects students, staff, and visitors on school property across all public and private K-12 institutions in the state.
SB 1082 allocates $2 million for a public health campaign to prevent youth tobacco and e-cigarette use, along with grants to local organizations providing youth vaping prevention and cessation services. The bill creates a new funding mechanism under the Department of Health, requiring annual reports to the legislature detailing grant recipients and purposes starting in 2027. It directly affects youth (by targeting prevention) and community organizations working on vaping issues (through grant funding). The key change is increasing the Department of Health's existing appropriation by $2 million for these specific public health efforts.
AB 1050 repeals restrictions that previously limited local governments' ability to regulate short-term residential rentals (like Airbnb). It removes specific provisions that capped the number of days a property could be rented annually and eliminated other barriers to local rulemaking. This bill directly affects cities, towns, and counties (political subdivisions), allowing them to establish their own rules for short-term rentals without these state-imposed limits. The key change is enabling local governments to create comprehensive regulations for short-term rental operations without state-mandated restrictions.
SB 1003 updates licensing and regulation for massage therapy and bodywork therapy businesses. It creates new definitions for "mobile massage service" (using vehicles/mobile units) and "out-call service" (traveling to client locations), while clarifying that "sole practitioner" businesses have no employees or other providers. The bill also establishes reduced licensing fees for certain establishments under common ownership or operated by sole practitioners, and clarifies that fingerprinting is generally not required for licensure except in specific cases. This directly affects massage therapy businesses, practitioners, and their establishments by changing how they are licensed and regulated.
