This bill requires state and local government agencies to prioritize purchasing materials manufactured in the United States when all other factors are equal, unless federal law or international agreements prohibit it. It mandates that contracts for public works projects include provisions requiring contractors to use domestically manufactured materials, while exempting purchases intended for commercial resale, stationery, and cases where foreign suppliers do not reciprocate in their own government procurement. The legislation also restricts municipalities from using bidding methods that favor bidders based on geographic location, except when using the United States manufacturing preference. These changes directly affect state departments, municipalities, and contractors bidding on public projects by establishing a preference for American-made goods in government procurement.
This bill establishes a program to eliminate medical debt for eligible Wisconsin residents by creating a $10 million annual appropriation for the Department of Health Services to purchase and cancel outstanding medical bills. To qualify, residents must either have household income at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty line or owe medical debt equal to at least 5 percent of their annual household income. The department will identify eligible individuals, negotiate with healthcare providers and debt collectors to buy their outstanding balances, and then formally abolish the debt while minimizing tax consequences for recipients. The program prioritizes purchasing debt from providers serving low-income populations and those in areas disproportionately affected by medical debt, with annual reporting required to track the number of debts eliminated and demographic information of affected residents.
This bill creates a state income tax credit for property taxes paid by senior citizens aged 65 and older who own and live in their principal dwelling. The credit allows eligible claimants to offset 75% of their annual property taxes against their state income tax liability, with any unused portion potentially refunded through a state appropriation. To qualify, a household's income must be under $24,500 and the home's assessed value must be below $300,000, while also excluding those who already receive other property tax credits or live in leased properties. The legislation also establishes administrative procedures for claiming the credit through state tax forms and limits eligibility to Wisconsin residents who file by the standard deadline.
This bill requires state and local government agencies to prioritize purchasing materials manufactured in the United States when all other factors are equal, unless federal law or international agreements prohibit it. It mandates that contracts for public works projects include provisions requiring contractors to use domestically manufactured materials, with exemptions for commercial resale, stationery, printing supplies, and situations where U.S. materials are unavailable or foreign nations offer similar purchasing preferences. Local municipalities are also restricted from using bidding methods that favor bidders based on geographic location, except when necessary to secure federal aid. The bill grants the relevant state department authority to define what constitutes U.S. manufacturing through rule-making.
This bill establishes a state program to eliminate medical debt for eligible residents by purchasing and forgiving outstanding healthcare bills. It allocates $10 million annually for 2025-26 and 2026-27 to fund the program, which targets individuals earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line or those with medical debt equal to at least 5 percent of their household income. The state Department of Health Services or a contracted nonprofit would identify eligible residents, negotiate with healthcare providers and debt collectors to buy their debts, and then cancel the obligations while minimizing tax consequences for recipients. The bill requires annual reporting on the amount of debt abolished, the number of residents helped, and demographic data about participants and healthcare providers involved.
This bill modifies Wisconsin statutes to allow local governments to set residency requirements for specific administrative and leadership roles within their departments. It permits police, fire, and protective services departments to require their chiefs to live within the jurisdiction, while cities, villages, and certain counties can impose similar requirements on their administrators. Additionally, the bill enables cities and villages that have or are selecting a city manager to require that manager to reside locally. The changes apply only to individuals hired on or after the effective date of the legislation, leaving existing employees unaffected.
This bill allows local governments to require that certain top administrative employees live within their jurisdiction. It specifically permits police and fire departments to set residency rules for their chiefs, cities and villages to apply them to administrators, counties without elected executives to apply them to county administrators, and school boards to apply them to school district administrators. Additionally, cities and villages that have or are electing a city manager may require that manager to live locally. The changes take effect only for individuals hired after the bill becomes law, meaning existing employees are not affected.
SB 379 creates a $2,000 refundable individual income tax credit for Wisconsin parents who experience a stillbirth (defined as a birth requiring a fetal death report under state law). The credit applies to the taxable year of the stillbirth and is refundable, meaning parents who owe less in taxes than $2,000 will receive the difference as a cash payment from the state. Eligibility requires being a Wisconsin resident filing a joint or separate return, with specific limits: $2,000 total for married couples filing jointly, $1,000 each for unmarried parents or separate returns. Proof of eligibility, such as a fetal death report, must be submitted with the tax return.
This bill creates a new state program called WisEARNS designed to help workers in Wisconsin who do not have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans save for their future. The legislation establishes a WisEARNS board with members representing investors, small business owners, employees, employers, and financial experts to oversee the program's implementation. The program would automatically enroll eligible employees who work in Wisconsin and lack retirement savings options into a state-managed retirement savings account, with the board responsible for selecting a vendor to administer the plan. The bill also authorizes the state treasurer to make rules for the program and includes an appropriation to fund its initial operations.
This bill creates a grant program to help school districts install or upgrade emergency notification systems that are accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. It authorizes $1 million in funding for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years to reimburse school districts for the costs of making these systems accessible. The bill establishes that grants cannot exceed the actual amount a district spends on installation or upgrades. Although the bill was introduced in March 2026, it failed to pass the Senate and did not become law.
This bill establishes a home repair program that provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners and landlords for fixing habitability issues, improving energy efficiency, and making housing accessible for individuals with disabilities. The program offers grants of up to $25,000 to homeowners and interest-free loans of up to $25,000 to landlords who own no more than 15 affordable housing units. Eligibility is limited to individuals or landlords with incomes at or below 100 percent of the area median income, and assistance is restricted to homes built between 10 and 40 years ago. The state authority will administer the program, potentially contracting with counties or nonprofit organizations to distribute funds while maintaining oversight through reporting and audit requirements.
This bill requires school districts to include education about fentanyl and the use of opioid antagonists as part of their drug abuse prevention goals. The law specifically amends state statutes to mandate that awareness of these topics be integrated into school curricula starting in the 2026-27 school year. It affects all public school districts by adding fentanyl and opioid antagonist information to their required educational objectives on drug abuse prevention. The measure does not prescribe specific teaching methods or content beyond requiring this awareness to be included in district educational goals.
