Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 838: Relating to: making a grant for dredging of the Deerskin River in the town of Washington in Vilas County and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 838 creates a $1.75 million grant from the environmental fund to the Town of Washington in Vilas County for dredging the Deerskin River. The grant covers specific dredging-related costs like permits, testing, and sediment transport. The town must complete the project by December 31, 2028, or repay the full amount to the department. If the project finishes early with unused funds, the town must return the unspent portion. This bill directly affects the Town of Washington’s river maintenance project without changing broader environmental regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 819: Relating to: allowing discounts for prompt payment of health care fees.

AB 819 allows health care providers to offer discounts of up to 15% for prompt payment of fees by individuals covered under disability insurance policies. It directly affects health care providers serving patients with such coverage and requires providers to: (1) post discount policies online, (2) limit discounts to avoid collection costs, and (3) not shift discount costs to other patients or advertise discounts publicly. The bill does not require providers to offer discounts but prohibits them from reducing coinsurance/deductibles under disability insurance terms, except for these structured prompt payment discounts. It also ensures discounts comply with federal law and do not override existing provider contracts with insurers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 823: Relating to: healthy food incentive program funding, payment processing equipment and services for farmers’ markets and farmers, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 823 creates a program to provide electronic benefit transfer (EBT) and credit/debit card processing equipment and services to farmers' markets and farmers who sell directly to consumers. It allocates $367,500 biennially for this payment processing program and increases funding by $1 million annually for the healthy food incentive program. The bill requires participating vendors to process local purchasing incentives (even if funded by third parties) and adds 0.625 FTE positions to administer the program. This directly affects farmers' markets and farmers selling directly to consumers who participate in EBT or incentive programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SJR 120: Relating to: congratulating the St. Joseph Catholic Academy Lancers football team on winning the 2025 WIAA Division 7 State Football Championship.

This is a symbolic resolution (SJR 120) passed by the Wisconsin Legislature to formally congratulate the St. Joseph Catholic Academy Lancers football team for winning the 2025 WIAA Division 7 State Football Championship. It recognizes their perfect 14-0 season, championship victory over Cochrane-Fountain City, and record-setting performances by players like quarterback Zach Rizzo. The resolution is a non-binding expression of support from the Legislature for the team, coaches, school community, and supporters. As a congratulatory measure, it does not create new laws or affect any policies.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 825: Relating to: a grant program to support parent and guardian volunteer programs in schools, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 825 creates a $2 million grant program to support parent and guardian volunteer programs in elementary and secondary schools. It authorizes the Department of Public Instruction to award grants to public school boards, charter schools, and private schools participating in specific state education programs. The grants, starting in the 2026-27 school year, aim to help schools create or expand opportunities for parents and guardians to volunteer. The bill also gives the department rule-making authority to implement the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 835: Relating to: grants for students enrolled in teacher education programs, school district revenue limits, the reimbursement rate for special education costs, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 835 establishes $10 million annually in grants for students enrolled in approved teacher education programs, requiring recipients to work as teachers in Wisconsin public or tribal schools for at least four years after graduation. It adjusts the reimbursement rate for special education costs to 90% of eligible expenses for school districts. The bill also modifies school district revenue limits by adding specific dollar amounts ($325 for 2023-24, $146 for 2023-24-2025-26) to calculate annual funding caps. These changes directly affect education students, school districts, and special education programs through concrete funding adjustments.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 843: Relating to: certain requirements related to data centers.

SB 843 requires data centers in Wisconsin to use recycled water cooling systems and report annual water usage. It mandates that renewable energy facilities primarily serving a data center must be located on-site, and prohibits utility customers from paying for infrastructure built for data centers. Operators must post financial bonds equal to reclamation costs before operating and restore land to its original condition if construction stops. The bill applies to all data centers built or operated in Wisconsin under new construction or operational requirements.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 821: Relating to: allowing the Town of Three Lakes in Oneida County to create a tax incremental district in the same manner as a city or village. (FE)

SB 821 amends Wisconsin statute 60.23(32)(b)1 to include the Town of Three Lakes in Oneida County among towns eligible to create tax incremental districts - special tax districts used to fund local development projects - on the same terms as cities or villages. This change directly affects the Town of Three Lakes, allowing its local government to use this tool for economic development without additional state approval. The bill makes a technical update to the existing list of qualifying towns, which currently includes five other specific towns in different counties. It does not create new funding or alter existing tax rates.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 832: 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)

AB 832 requires schools to implement human trafficking and sextortion prevention education in health classes for students in grades 6-8 and 9-12 starting in the 2026-27 school year. It mandates that teachers receive training to identify children at risk of trafficking (under s. 948.051) or sextortion - defined as threatening to release explicit content unless victims send money or more content. The bill directs the Department of Children and Families and Department of Justice to create a list of age-appropriate training courses for educators. This affects all public school districts, teachers, and students in the specified grade ranges, with curriculum content aligned to the recommended training courses. The law takes effect for the 2026-27 school year.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 826: Relating to: school safety plans. (FE)

AB 826 amends Wisconsin statute 118.07(4)(bm)2 to require school districts to include specific procedures in their safety plans. The bill mandates schools establish clear guidelines for informing students and families when an incident triggers the safety plan, as well as procedures for debriefing students, staff, and families after such events. These requirements apply directly to all public school districts in Wisconsin, impacting how they communicate during and after safety incidents. The changes take effect on July 1, 2026, adding standardized communication and follow-up steps to existing school safety planning.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 827: Relating to: school lockdown announcements. (FE)

AB 827 requires the Department of Justice to create and provide free prerecorded audio messages for school lockdown announcements to all public, private, and tribal schools. The bill mandates that schools include this specific audio message in their individualized safety plans when those plans require lockdown procedures. It directly affects school districts and administrators responsible for developing and implementing safety protocols. The law standardizes how lockdowns are communicated, replacing potentially inconsistent verbal announcements with a consistent, pre-approved audio message. This change applies to all school buildings regularly occupied by students.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 816: Relating to: grants to WisconsinEye for the establishment of an endowment fund, creating the Office of the Public Affairs Network to administer a public affairs network in Wisconsin, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 816 creates the Office of the Public Affairs Network within Wisconsin's Department of Administration to provide live, unedited video and audio coverage of state government proceedings - including legislative sessions, committee meetings, court proceedings, and related public events - through a permanent online network. The bill establishes a Public Affairs Network Board (with members including the governor, legislative leaders, and public appointees) to oversee the office, which must operate strictly nonpartisanly and maintain a free, unrestricted digital archive of all covered proceedings. The legislation appropriates $2 million annually for the office's operations and includes provisions to acquire WisconsinEye's existing digital archives and equipment to transition the network to state management. This directly affects state government operations and provides the public with free, real-time access to unedited coverage of official proceedings without registration requirements.

Bill results