Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1055: Relating to: a victim protective services grant program and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 1055 creates a grant program to fund crime victim protective services, including temporary housing, for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors' offices. It allocates $2,572,900 for the 2025-26 fiscal year (with $2,574,100 for 2026-27) from the Justice Department's budget. The Department of Justice will administer the program, developing grant criteria without needing formal rulemaking, and will add one full-time staff position to manage it. This bill directly affects agencies providing support to individuals who have been victims of crime.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1056: Relating to: firearm transfers and possession, law enforcement and prosecution, victims and witnesses, obstruction of justice, mental health and substance use services, hate crimes reporting portal, fraud, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 1056 is a comprehensive rewrite of Wisconsin's criminal justice laws that creates new funding streams for community policing ($10 million), officer recruitment/retention ($5 million), and violence prevention ($5 million). The bill reorganizes legal provisions related to firearm transfers, domestic violence, sexual assault, hate crimes reporting, and victim services, while establishing specific funding amounts for the address confidentiality program ($180,200). It modifies reimbursement processes for counties providing victim-witness services and creates new alternatives to prosecution for individuals with substance use disorders. The legislation directly affects law enforcement agencies, victims' services providers, and individuals seeking substance use treatment instead of traditional criminal prosecution.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1077: Relating to: permits for firearms dealers, firearms transactions and safety, firearms crimes, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 1077 updates Wisconsin's firearms laws by requiring courts to notify the Department of Justice when ordering firearm restrictions, ensuring accurate background checks for buyers. It creates new funding for firearm dealer permits and mandates law enforcement agencies to submit recovered firearms for tracing via the eTrace system within 48 hours. The bill directly affects firearms dealers (through permit fees), courts (in handling firearm restriction orders), and law enforcement (in firearm tracing procedures). Key provisions include standardized court notifications to the DOJ for firearm restrictions and new requirements for law enforcement to trace recovered weapons.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1071: Relating to: testing and labeling related to toxic heavy metals in baby food and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 1071 requires baby food manufacturers selling in the state to test for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury (toxic heavy metals) and publicly disclose results. If tested, manufacturers must post metal levels, testing dates, and product details on their website with a QR code on the product label linking to this information. If not tested, they must clearly state this on the label and website with a QR code. The law applies to all baby food (including infant formula) sold in the state, with violations subject to a $100 daily penalty per product. It aims to provide consumers with transparent safety information about heavy metals in products for children under age 2.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1073: Relating to: sexual contact or sexual intercourse with a child who is at least 16 years old and providing a penalty.

AB 1073 amends Wisconsin statute 948.09 to address sexual contact or intercourse with a child aged 16 or older who is not the defendant’s spouse. It classifies such acts as a Class A misdemeanor if the defendant is under 19 at the time of the offense, or a felony if the defendant is 19 or older. The bill directly affects individuals aged 19+ who engage in sexual activity with 16- or 17-year-olds who are not their spouses. The legislation modifies existing penalties without changing the age of consent for married couples or the legal definition of "child" under the statute. The bill was introduced on February 26, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1074: Relating to: student loans for postsecondary education, requirements related to student loan servicers, creating an office of the student loan ombudsman in the Department of Financial Institutions, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 1074 creates an Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman within the Department of Financial Institutions to assist borrowers with student loan issues. The office will handle complaints, analyze borrower data, and provide guidance on loan terms, working directly with student loan servicers and educational institutions. It establishes specific duties including resolving disputes, monitoring laws affecting borrowers, and requiring servicers to cooperate with the ombudsman. This bill directly affects student loan borrowers in the state and the student loan servicers who must now engage with this new oversight office.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 951: Relating to: creating the Office of Financial Technology Innovation in the Department of Financial Institutions and a cryptocurrency pilot project, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 951 creates the Office of Financial Technology Innovation within the Department of Financial Institutions to support emerging financial technologies. The bill establishes a $2 million cryptocurrency pilot project to help businesses navigate regulations, secure licenses, and expand operations. Key provisions include granting the office authority to coordinate regulatory activities across departments and providing guidance to businesses offering innovative financial products. This directly affects financial technology companies, particularly those developing cryptocurrency services, by streamlining state regulatory processes. The pilot project will include grant awards and administrative support for eligible businesses under the new office's oversight.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1083: Relating to: eliminating recovery by the state for birth expenses paid through the Medical Assistance program. (FE)

AB 1083 prevents the state from seeking reimbursement from alleged fathers for birth expenses paid through the Medical Assistance program when the mother was an unmarried recipient at the time of birth. It amends statutes to eliminate the state’s right to recover these costs and prohibits courts from ordering fathers to pay for such expenses. The bill specifically applies to cases involving unmarried mothers who received Medical Assistance during pregnancy or birth. This affects unmarried mothers enrolled in Medical Assistance who have given birth while covered by the program.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 1042: Relating to: the restrictiveness of shoreland zoning ordinances. (FE)

SB 1042 limits local government restrictions on routine maintenance and remodeling of structures near shorelands. It prohibits counties and the state department from requiring fees, approvals, or regulations for activities like repairs, replacements, or restorations - as long as the structure's footprint doesn't expand. The bill creates a new provision (59.692(1k)(ag)) allowing fees for these permitted activities, while repealing existing sections that previously restricted such work. This directly affects landowners with properties near shorelines and local governments enforcing shoreland zoning rules.

Topics ✗ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1043: Relating to: fall prevention and recovery training, CPR and first aid certification, a duty to provide aid in certain residential facilities, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 1043 requires adult family homes and residential care apartment complexes to implement fall prevention and recovery training for staff and residents. It mandates that facilities maintain at least one certified CPR provider, one certified first aid provider, and one staff member trained in fall recovery and safe lifting techniques on-site at all times. Facilities must provide fall prevention training to new residents within 30 days of move-in (unless a healthcare provider certifies they cannot participate) and require staff to complete related training. The bill also establishes a duty for facilities to administer CPR or first aid during emergencies before emergency services arrive, unless a do-not-resuscitate order exists, and prohibits policies that prevent staff from providing immediate aid.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1085: Relating to: reimbursement for doula services under the Medical Assistance program, doulas accompanying Medical Assistance recipients in hospitals and birthing centers, and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

This bill would require Wisconsin's Medical Assistance program (similar to Medicaid) to reimburse certified doulas for services provided to program recipients. It mandates that hospitals and birthing centers allow Medical Assistance-certified doulas to accompany patients during labor and birth without counting them toward visitor limits. Facilities must create written policies for this access, post them online, and ensure doulas don't conflict with medical standards. The bill directly affects low-income pregnant people, certified doulas, and healthcare facilities.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 1042: Relating to: driving skills tests for certain drivers. (FE)

AB 1042 requires drivers aged 75 and older to pass a driving skills test before turning 76 and every five years thereafter. The test evaluates their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. The state must provide testing at county-level locations for this age group. This applies to license renewals and replaces prior requirements for seniors under the existing statutes.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Bill results