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Wisconsin Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 12,159 Active 7 In committee 9,574 Passed 998 Signed 1,132 Failed 8,245

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 485: Relating to: video monitoring or recording in residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities.

SB 485 allows residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities to use video surveillance in common areas, entrances, and exits without a child’s consent. Facilities must inform children and their parents/guardians about the monitoring and adopt written safety policies that may include video. The law prohibits using video as a substitute for one-on-one supervision of children at high risk for self-harm and requires all video data to remain confidential, with limited exceptions for department review. This directly affects staff and children in these facilities by standardizing monitoring practices while maintaining privacy protections.

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 474: Relating to: fire suppression products derived from soybeans.

SB 474 adds soybean-derived fire suppression products to the list of eligible costs for state fire grant programs. This means local fire departments and municipalities can now use state grant funds to purchase fire suppressants made from soybeans, rather than only traditional chemical-based products. The bill directly affects grant recipients by expanding their funding options for fire safety equipment under existing state grant programs. It creates a specific policy change without altering other grant requirements or imposing new costs.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 556: Relating to: providing utility aid payments for certain energy storage facilities. (FE)

SB 556 creates new annual payments to municipalities and counties for hosting energy storage facilities (like batteries or thermal systems) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities. For energy storage facilities with at least 1 megawatt capacity, payments are calculated as $2,000 per megawatt, split between the local city/town (two-thirds) and county (one-third) or town (one-third) and county (two-thirds). For LNG storage facilities, payments are based on the property's net book value at 6 mills for cities/villages or 3 mills for towns, with the county receiving the remaining share. The bill ensures payments continue even if some facility units cease operation, maintaining consistent support for local governments.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 1004: Relating to: prohibiting education employers from entering into certain agreements related to information about alleged immoral conduct by an employee and civil immunity for information provided to a prospective employer.

AB 1004 prohibits school boards, charter school governing boards, and participating private school entities (referred to as "education employers") from entering agreements that suppress information about alleged immoral conduct by employees, hinder reporting of such conduct, or require removing substantiated allegations from records. The bill also grants civil immunity to education employers who provide information about an employee’s conduct - including alleged immoral conduct - to a prospective employer upon request. This immunity supplements existing legal protections for employment references. The law aims to ensure transparency in employee conduct records while protecting schools from liability when sharing verified information with new employers.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 1025: Relating to: earned wage access services.

AB 1025 sets maximum fees for earned wage access (EWA) services, which allow workers to receive early access to earned wages from employers. It limits fees to $5 for advances of $75 or less and $7.50 for larger advances, with automatic 5-year adjustments based on the U.S. consumer price index starting in 2030. The bill also clarifies that EWA services provided by licensed providers are exempt from certain existing financial regulations. This directly affects EWA providers and workers who use these services, creating a standardized fee structure and regulatory clarity.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 866: Relating to: the administration of the office of county sheriff and the appointment of county medical examiners. (FE)

AB 866 revises rules for county sheriff offices and undersheriff appointments across the state. It creates new requirements for appointing an undersheriff (who must be a certified law enforcement officer and county resident), clarifies succession rules when the sheriff is absent or incapacitated, and ensures deputies returning from undersheriff roles retain their prior pay and seniority. The bill directly affects county sheriffs, undersheriffs, county clerks handling vacancy procedures, and deputy sheriffs. Key provisions include mandating written appointment records, defining when an undersheriff acts as sheriff, and requiring counties to return deputies to their previous positions after undersheriff service.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 907: Relating to: requirements for state lottery drawings. (FE)

AB 907 updates state lottery drawing procedures by requiring all drawings to use random selection methods (via mechanical, electrical, or computerized systems) and mandating annual independent audits. The bill repeals outdated rules and creates new requirements for the lottery department to ensure drawing randomness and security. These changes directly affect the state lottery operations, requiring them to verify processes through external audits each year. The law focuses on transparency and technical safeguards without altering lottery prizes or participation rules.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 905: Relating to: threats to health care providers and providing a penalty.

AB 905 creates a new penalty for threatening healthcare providers, staff, or their family members when the threat is related to their work. It specifically targets threats made knowing the victim is a healthcare worker (current or former) or a family member, and the threat occurs in response to actions taken at a healthcare facility or by a provider acting in their official capacity. The bill defines "health care facility" and "health care provider" using existing statutory terms to clarify the scope of protection. This law directly affects healthcare workers and their families by establishing criminal penalties for targeted threats connected to their professional roles.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 856: Relating to: repealing unconstitutional provisions related to operating while intoxicated.

AB 856 repeals and amends specific sections of state law related to operating while intoxicated (OWI) that were deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill primarily affects drivers of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility terrain vehicles, and motorboats who face penalties for OWI or refusal to submit to chemical tests. Key changes include adjusting penalty tiers for repeat offenses (e.g., fines of $300-$1,100 for one prior conviction, up to $2,000 for four or more), clarifying when refusal constitutes a violation, and adding provisions for "additional chemical tests" for ATV/boat operators involved in accidents. The bill also revises procedures for law enforcement officers requesting tests and providing required information. These changes aim to align the statutes with constitutional standards while maintaining enforcement mechanisms for impaired operation.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 751: Relating to: calculation of fuel costs for an electric public utility’s fuel cost plan.

AB 751 modifies how electric utilities calculate fuel costs for their rate plans. It requires utilities to account for the cost of purchasing electricity and revenue from selling generation capacity that meets Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) requirements when calculating fuel costs. This change affects electric utilities and their customers by adjusting how fuel cost differences (under- or over-collections) are handled in rate adjustments. The bill creates a new definition for "Midcontinent independent system operation" to align with existing MISO terminology.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 768: Relating to: operation of drones over certain utility facilities and providing a penalty.

AB 768 restricts drone operations near critical utility facilities by prohibiting flights below 300 feet within 500 feet of water reclamation plants, power plants/substations, telecom facilities, or public water systems. Exceptions allow facility owners, local governments, and commercial operators (complying with FAA rules) to operate drones for maintenance, inspections, or official business. The bill also requires law enforcement to seize drone footage during violations and transfer it to relevant local agencies for enforcement. This directly affects drone operators near these infrastructure sites while aiming to protect public safety and facility security.

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 3, 2026

AB 86: Relating to: imposing the penalty of life imprisonment for the crime of child trafficking and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 86 amends Wisconsin law to impose a life sentence without parole for individuals convicted of child trafficking involving three or more child victims. It specifically upgrades penalties under statutes 948.051(1)(b) and 948.051(2)(b), defining child trafficking as recruiting, transporting, or exploiting children for commercial sex acts. The bill requires courts to sentence offenders to life imprisonment without parole eligibility when three or more child victims are involved, affecting both traffickers and those who benefit from such crimes. This change applies to offenses committed on or after the bill’s effective date.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice