Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1115: Relating to: the assignment of child support orders and arrears to the state when a child enters foster care and the role of the Department of Children and Families, county departments of human and social services, and juvenile courts in referring, collecting, and ordering child support. (FE)

This bill establishes a process for automatically assigning child support payments and past-due amounts to the state when a child enters foster care, ensuring funds go directly to support the child's care rather than remaining with local agencies. It requires county social services departments and juvenile courts to refer parents of children in foster care to state child support enforcement if the parents earn above 400% of the poverty line or receive adoption assistance. The legislation also mandates that courts determine child support liability for parents of children placed in residential facilities and clarifies that support orders automatically assign income sources like wages and pensions to the state for children receiving state aid.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1097: Relating to: authorizing a city, village, town, or county to establish a fair housing department to assist and educate residents and enforce local fair housing ordinances, providing a grant program, and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill authorizes cities, villages, towns, and counties to establish fair housing departments to educate residents about housing discrimination rights and enforce local fair housing ordinances. It creates a grant program that provides up to $10 million in state funding to help local governments set up these departments, with grants distributed across state regions to ensure equitable access. The legislation includes specific rules for grant applications, limits each region to receiving no more than 12.5 percent of available funds, and restricts grant usage to supporting fair housing department operations. The bill also establishes a sunset provision that prevents new grants from being awarded after June 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1174: Relating to: certain vacancies in public office.

This bill proposes to amend state statutes regarding when a public official loses their residency status. It would allow an incumbent to maintain their residency for up to 60 days even if they are experiencing homelessness. The change directly affects public office holders who might temporarily lose stable housing. The bill aims to clarify residency requirements without changing the core obligation to maintain a permanent residence. It is currently under consideration by the Committee on Local Government.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1194: Relating to: the sale of alcohol beverages by a municipality or county in a park.

This bill clarifies the rules for selling alcoholic beverages in public parks operated by counties or municipalities in Wisconsin. It specifies that such sales must be conducted by county or municipal officers or employees under rules or regulations approved by the governing body. The legislation also reinforces that municipalities cannot sell alcohol except under the specific conditions outlined for public parks and existing municipal stores. This change provides clearer legal authority for local governments to manage alcohol sales in their public spaces.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1008: Relating to: references to like-kin under the Wisconsin Shares program.

AB 1008 clarifies eligibility for Wisconsin's child care subsidy program (Wisconsin Shares) by expanding "relative" definitions to include "like-kin" caregivers. It allows non-relatives who provide care as family (e.g., close family friends) to qualify for subsidies if they meet specific criteria, such as having a court order and receiving payments under certain statutes. The bill also adjusts income calculations for eligibility, including court-ordered support payments exceeding $1,250 monthly. This directly affects caregivers of children under 13 (or 19 if disabled) who seek child care assistance through Wisconsin Shares.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1023: Relating to: funding for tribal child care training and technical assistance and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 1023 creates a dedicated $500,000 annual appropriation (for 2025-26 and 2026-27) specifically for training and technical assistance for tribal child care providers. The bill directs the Department of Children and Families to use this funding to contract with agencies or award grants aimed at improving the quality of child care services provided by tribal organizations. This funding is separate from other child care funding streams and must be used exclusively for these tribal provider support activities. The bill directly affects tribal child care programs in Wisconsin by providing a new, dedicated resource for their professional development and operational support.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1029: Relating to: imposing an estate tax. (FE)

AB 1029 creates Wisconsin's first state-level estate tax, applying to estates of Wisconsin residents and non-residents owning property within the state. It taxes the "Wisconsin taxable estate" (based on federal estate valuation rules, adjusted for Wisconsin-specific exclusions) at rates tied to federal tax exclusion amounts. The tax applies to transfers from decedents who were Wisconsin residents at death or to property with a "situs" (location) in Wisconsin, with specific exemptions for certain intangible property. This bill directly affects estates of Wisconsin residents and non-residents holding in-state assets, imposing tax where federal estate tax would not apply.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1028: Relating to: authorizing counties and municipalities to impose local income taxes on high-income taxpayers and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 1028 authorizes Wisconsin counties and municipalities to impose a local income tax on the portion of a resident's Wisconsin taxable income exceeding $1 million for single filers, $500,000 for separately filing married individuals, or $1 million for jointly filing married couples. Localities must adopt the tax via a referendum and apply it only to taxpayers who reside, own property, or work in the jurisdiction for at least 30 days annually. The state Department of Revenue would administer the tax, with 1.75% of collected revenue funding administrative costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 999: Relating to: collective bargaining for employees of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority.

AB 999 clarifies that employees of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (UWHCA) are covered under collective bargaining agreements. The bill amends specific statutes (including 40.02, 40.05, and 111.02) to explicitly include UWHCA employees in provisions governing union dues, sick leave conversion, and bargaining unit structures. This ensures UWHCA staff have the same collective bargaining rights as other state employees covered under Chapter 111. The changes directly affect UWHCA employees by integrating them into existing labor frameworks without creating new rights. The bill focuses on administrative alignment within current state labor laws.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AR 12: Relating to: observing February 28, 2026, as Rare Disease Day in Wisconsin.

Assembly Resolution 12 designates February 28, 2026, as Rare Disease Day in Wisconsin to raise awareness about rare diseases, which affect millions of Americans including Wisconsin residents. The resolution acknowledges challenges like delayed diagnosis and limited treatment access for conditions impacting fewer than 200,000 people. It aligns with a national observance organized by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and serves as a symbolic gesture without creating new laws or funding.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 950: Relating to: eliminating personal conviction exemption from immunizations.

SB 950 eliminates the option for parents or guardians to exempt children from school or childcare immunization requirements based on "personal conviction." It directly affects students, parents, and schools by restricting waivers to only health or religious reasons. The bill amends statutes to remove "personal conviction" from acceptable exemption grounds, requiring schools to inform families about the limited waiver options. This changes current practice by ending non-medical, non-religious exemptions for immunizations in educational settings. The bill is currently pending in the Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 939: Relating to: artificial intelligence systems that simulate humanlike relationships with children and providing a penalty.

SB 939 prohibits operators of "companion chatbots" (AI systems designed to simulate ongoing, personalized relationships with users) from making these tools available to children under 18 without specific safety measures. It requires such chatbots to avoid encouraging self-harm, replacing professional mental health care, promoting illegal activity, sharing explicit content, prioritizing validation over safety, or optimizing engagement beyond safety features. Operators face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation per day, and affected children or their guardians may sue for damages. The law exempts customer service bots, internal business tools, and research systems, and includes a 2027 implementation deadline.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✗ Technology

Bill results