Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AJR 131: Relating to: proclaiming the month of March 2026 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month throughout the state of Wisconsin.

AJR 131 is a symbolic resolution designating March 2026 as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes MS as a significant health issue affecting thousands in the state. The resolution encourages Wisconsin residents to learn about MS and support those impacted by the disease and their families. It was introduced by multiple legislators and co-sponsored by numerous colleagues as a gesture of awareness, not a policy change.

Barbara Dittrich (R) Treig Pronschinske (R) Alex Joers (D) Dave Murphy (R) Clint Moses (R)

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 818: Relating to: demonstration charter school operators. (FE)

SB 818 creates a "demonstration public school operator" designation for charter school operators in Wisconsin. To qualify, operators must document best practices, provide teacher training, participate in research studies, evaluate their educational models, track student progress, and partner with community organizations. Designated operators receive an additional $6,863 per pupil starting in 2026-27, with annual funding adjustments based on state revenue changes. This designation requires annual reporting on finances, student achievement, enrollment, and school transitions, and is limited to five-year terms renewable once. The bill directly affects charter school operators seeking this status and the students in their schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 818: Relating to: demonstration charter school operators. (FE)

AB 818 creates a "demonstration public school operator" designation for charter school operators that meet specific requirements. To qualify, operators must document best practices, provide teacher professional development, participate in longitudinal studies, evaluate their educational models, track student progress, partner with community organizations, and collaborate with research entities like the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research. Designated operators receive an additional $6,863 per student starting in the 2026-27 school year, plus annual reporting requirements including financial data, student achievement metrics, and transition outcomes. The designation lasts up to 5 years with possible renewal, contingent on continued compliance with the specified requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 820: Relating to: the practice of audiology, licensure of audiologists, the composition of the Hearing and Speech Examining Board, and repealing an administrative rule related to the practical examination of audiologists. (FE)

AB 820 clarifies and expands the scope of practice for audiologists in Wisconsin. It specifically allows audiologists to prescribe hearing aids (including over-the-counter options), manage osseo-integrated devices, and handle cochlear implants for correction or relief of hearing conditions. The bill also explicitly prohibits audiologists from performing surgical procedures, including cochlear implant surgery or osseo-integrated device surgery. Additionally, it updates the Hearing and Speech Examining Board composition to require one public member who is a hearing aid, osseo-integrated device, or cochlear implant user.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 868: Relating to: permissible financial aid reductions in higher education. (FE)

SB 868 establishes rules for how Wisconsin public colleges and universities can adjust institutional gift aid (like grants or scholarships) when students receive private scholarships. It limits reductions to situations where total aid exceeds a student’s financial need (cost of attendance minus student aid index), requiring institutions to first try reducing loans or work-study before cutting gift aid. Students must be notified of potential reductions and can request a reassessment of their cost of attendance. The bill specifically applies to scholarships of $5,000 or less from Wisconsin-based entities and includes special provisions for student-athletes and constrained scholarship awards.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 900: Relating to: eligibility for farmland preservation tax credits. (FE)

AB 900 modifies eligibility for farmland preservation tax credits by prohibiting credits for any qualifying farmland where a non-accessory photovoltaic solar energy system (like standalone solar panels) is located during the taxable year. This directly affects farmers or landowners who seek these tax credits but have installed such solar systems on their eligible farmland. The bill creates new definitions to clarify that credits cannot be claimed for acres with these non-accessory solar installations, while maintaining credit eligibility for land without them. The policy change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Energy ✗ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 839: Relating to: required human trafficking and sextortion prevention instruction in certain grades and teacher training related to identifying victims of child trafficking and sextortion. (FE)

SB 839 requires Wisconsin schools to provide human trafficking and sextortion prevention instruction at least once in grades 6-8 and again in grades 9-12 starting in the 2026-27 school year as part of health education. The bill mandates that teachers receive training to identify children at risk of trafficking (under Wis. Stat. § 948.051) or sextortion, defined as threatening to release explicit material for money or more content. It directs the state to develop age-appropriate training courses in collaboration with child welfare and justice agencies. The law applies directly to public school students in those grade ranges and their educators, with implementation beginning in 2026-27.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 959: Relating to: the legal status of artificial intelligence.

This bill defines artificial intelligence and explicitly states that AI systems are not considered legal persons under Wisconsin law. It prevents AI from being granted rights such as marriage, holding property, serving in corporate roles, or facing legal liability, while assigning ownership of any assets generated by AI to its developers, manufacturers, or owners. The legislation clarifies that any attempt to grant AI legal personhood would be void and unenforceable.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 805: Relating to: recess in public schools. (FE)

SB 805 requires Wisconsin public schools and charter schools to provide at least 60 minutes of daily supervised recess for students in kindergarten through sixth grade starting in the 2026-27 school year. The bill defines recess as unstructured time for physical activity, play, games, or social engagement, prohibits using recess as punishment (except for immediate safety threats), and bans electronic devices during required recess. School boards must schedule this time without counting transfer periods, and the state education department will provide implementation guidance. This directly affects all K-6 public school students and school administrators in Wisconsin.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 950: Relating to: beer festivals conducted under temporary retail licenses; inapplicability of a sales tax exemption to beer festivals. (FE)

AB 950 removes a sales tax exemption that previously applied to beer festivals. The bill specifically states that sales of alcohol, admission tickets, or services at beer festivals - defined as events charging an admission fee with fermented malt beverages from at least 25 different brewers - no longer qualify for the tax exemption available to nonprofit events. This change affects festival sponsors (the organizers holding temporary licenses) who must now collect and remit sales tax on all festival-related sales. The law amends existing tax exemption rules (77.54(7m)(b)) to explicitly exclude beer festivals, while requiring sponsors to notify authorities 15 days before an event.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 921: Relating to: cost-sharing cap on insulin.

AB 921 establishes a $35 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin under disability insurance policies and self-insured health plans. It directly affects people with diabetes who rely on these specific insurance types for insulin coverage. The bill prohibits insurers from charging more than $35 for a one-month supply of insulin, covering all cost-sharing elements like deductibles and copays. This policy change applies to existing coverage requirements without altering other insurance benefits or mandates. The bill is pending in the 2026 Wisconsin Legislature.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 944: Relating to: grants for the purchase of election supplies and equipment and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 944 creates a state grant program to fund municipalities' purchases of election supplies and equipment, such as electronic poll books and accessibility tools. It allocates $5 million biennially (split equally for 2025-26 and 2026-27), with funding amounts tiered by municipal population size: up to $2.5 million for cities over 250,000, $1 million for 100,000-250,000, $500,000 for 50,000-100,000, and $250,000 for smaller cities. Municipalities must apply 180 days before elections and agree to random inspections of grant-funded equipment, with a minimum $250 grant per recipient. The bill directly affects all cities and towns in the state based on their population, providing targeted funding for election infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results