SB 940 limits state agencies' rule-making authority by requiring explicit and specific statutory permission for agencies to interpret or implement laws. It prohibits agencies from using policy statements, federal compliance plans, settlement agreements, or court orders as justification for creating rules. The bill also adds a new requirement that agencies must obtain approval from the governor and the relevant policy-making body before drafting new rules. This directly affects state agencies responsible for creating regulations, such as environmental or health departments, by tightening oversight of their regulatory actions.
SB 989 increases funding for the Department of Financial Institutions by $60 million for each of fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. This appropriation would allow the department to make payments to "Trump accounts" if future legislation expressly authorizes such payments. The bill does not itself authorize payments but creates budget authority for them should they be permitted by other laws. It directly affects the state agency responsible for financial oversight and any entities designated as "Trump accounts" under subsequent statutes. The funding change is purely procedural, with no immediate policy impact until authorized by separate legislation.
This bill requires health insurance plans to cover vaccines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children under 6 years old. If the CDC withdraws its recommendations, insurers must instead cover vaccines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics or American Academy of Family Physicians. It applies to all health insurance plans, including self-insured state/local government plans, covering dependent children. The law ensures continuous vaccine coverage regardless of changes to CDC guidelines.
SB 1050 requires school boards to pay teachers for time spent on nonclassroom duties, such as staff meetings, grading, or administrative tasks outside regular teaching hours. It directly affects public school teachers in Wisconsin school districts covered by collective bargaining agreements or employment contracts. The law prohibits school boards from mandating such nonclassroom work without providing compensation. This policy change applies to teachers when their current contracts expire or are renewed, starting from the effective date specified in the bill. The legislation aims to ensure fair payment for work outside standard classroom instruction.
SB 1056 modifies licensing rules for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in public schools. It requires the Department of Public Instruction to issue licenses to SLPs holding valid licenses from the Hearing and Speech Examining Board or a valid "compact privilege" (an interstate agreement), removing prior administrative barriers. This change directly affects SLPs seeking public school employment and streamlines their licensing process by recognizing existing credentials without requiring additional state-specific exams. The bill repeals outdated administrative rules (PI 34.026, PI 34.028, PI 34.0475) and updates the definition of qualifying licenses in PI 34.040.
SB 1052 requires Wisconsin school districts to include at least 45 minutes of daily self-directed preparation time in teachers' schedules, or one full class period if longer. This applies to teachers in 1st class city school districts under collective bargaining agreements or employment contracts. The requirement takes effect when current contracts expire or are renewed, whichever comes first. The bill establishes this as a new statutory standard (120.12(30)) without specifying funding or enforcement details.
SB 1051 establishes minimum annual salaries for full-time public school teachers based on experience. It requires school boards to pay teachers at least the state legislator's annual salary (as defined in the bill), plus $15,000 for those with 10+ years of service, and a flat $100,000 for those with 20+ years. These salary requirements cannot be altered by collective bargaining agreements. The bill applies when current teacher contracts expire or are renewed.
SB 1059 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to intentionally deposit four or more tires on someone else's private property. This law directly affects property owners who have tires dumped on their land and individuals who dump tires. The bill requires violators to pay the property owner's actual cost for proper tire disposal through a restitution order. It creates two new statutes: one defining the misdemeanor offense (s. 943.018) and another mandating restitution (s. 973.20 (4r)). The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary and Public Safety committee.
SB 1053 requires common and union high school districts to add a non-voting teacher representative to their school boards. This representative, selected annually by secret ballot among teaching staff in the district, attends all school board meetings (including closed sessions) but cannot vote. The bill creates new procedures (Section 120.065) for selecting the representative, who serves a 3-year term starting April 4th. The change applies only to school boards in common/union high school districts, not all school districts.
SB 1048 modifies property tax exemption rules for nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) status) that sell properties to low-income households. It requires nonprofits to hold property for rehabilitation, redevelopment, or new construction specifically for sale to buyers with income below 120% of the area median income (using federal standards). The bill removes a previous requirement for nonprofits to offer interest-free loans to buyers and updates the income threshold for eligibility. This exemption applies to property tax assessments starting January 1, 2026, directly affecting nonprofits developing affordable housing for qualifying buyers.
This bill creates a new state program requiring the Department of Financial Institutions to contribute to "Trump accounts" for eligible children who reside in the state and have prior payments made to such accounts. The contribution amount would match prior payments made under a specific IRS code (26 USC 6434), subject to available funds and only for accounts without prior state contributions. It defines key terms like "Trump account" and "eligible child" using IRS code references, though the bill's use of these codes appears inconsistent with actual tax law. The program would apply to children born and residing in the state, with contributions made as "qualified general contributions" under the referenced IRS section. The bill passed the Assembly in February 2026 with 62-35 support.
AB 997 increases funding by $60 million for the Department of Financial Institutions for payments to "Trump accounts" in fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, contingent on statutory authorization. The bill directly affects the department’s budget and its ability to make these specific payments. It modifies existing appropriations under Section 20.144 (1) (g) without changing the department’s core responsibilities. This is a procedural budget adjustment, not a substantive policy change. The bill is currently pending in the Financial Institutions committee.
