Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 782: Relating to: prohibiting food and beverages from being served in foam polystyrene packaging and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 782 bans restaurants and food vendors from serving food or beverages in foam polystyrene containers, directly affecting retail food businesses like restaurants, cafes, and vending machine operators. The bill includes exemptions for containers pre-sealed outside the state and raw meat/fish packaging for off-premise consumption. Businesses violating the ban after receiving written notice face fines up to $250 for the first offense and $500 for repeated violations. A waiver may be granted for undue hardship, but it cannot extend beyond 13 months after the effective date. The law aims to reduce single-use plastic waste while allowing limited exceptions for practical food handling needs.

Topics ✓ Environment

Alex Joers (D) Christine Sinicki (D) Lee Snodgrass (D) Angela Stroud (D) Randy Udell (D)

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 747: Relating to: grants to match county investments in the health care, public health, and care provider workforce and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 747 creates a state grant program that matches counties' previous-year investments in healthcare and public health workforce development. Counties receive state funds to match their spending on recruiting, retaining, and supporting workers in healthcare, public health, child care, long-term care, and mental health services. The grant amount for each county cannot exceed $1.11 multiplied by its population. This policy directly affects all Wisconsin counties by providing financial support for local workforce initiatives in critical care sectors. The bill establishes a clear, per-capita funding limit to ensure predictable state spending.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 753: Relating to: grants to match county investments in the health care, public health, and care provider workforce and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 753 creates a state program to provide matching grants to Wisconsin counties for investments they make in their healthcare, public health, and care provider workforce. Counties can receive state funds equal to their previous fiscal year's spending on recruitment, retention, mental health, trauma care, and wellness programs for workers in health care, public health, child care, and long-term care. The grant amount for each county is capped at $1.11 multiplied by the county's population. This bill establishes the funding mechanism and sets the maximum grant level, requiring the state to appropriate funds for these matching grants annually.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 756: Relating to: local health officer authority to mandate business closure to control communicable disease.

AB 756 repeals a specific statute (252.03(2j)) that granted local health officers the authority to mandate business closures to control communicable diseases. This bill directly affects local health officials, removing their existing legal power to order such closures, and impacts businesses that could have been subject to these mandates. The key mechanism is simply the removal of this statutory provision, with no new requirements or processes added. As a procedural repeal, it does not create new obligations but eliminates a specific existing authority.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 781: Relating to: wolf monitoring and nonlethal abatement and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 781 allocates $3.525 million annually (for 2025-26 and 2026-27) to fund wolf monitoring and nonlethal management programs under the Department of Natural Resources. It creates a new budget line item (20.370 js) specifically for these purposes, continuing existing funding without introducing new regulations or policy changes. The bill directly affects the state's wildlife management operations and does not target specific communities or landowners. This is a procedural budget appropriation, not a substantive legislative change.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 770: Relating to: Groundwater Coordinating Council activities funding and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 770 allocates $500,000 annually from the general fund for the Groundwater Coordinating Council's activities, specifically for the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin System. The bill creates a new statutory funding line (20.370 (4) (cf)) to support ongoing council operations under existing laws (ss. 15.347(13) and 160.50). This appropriation applies to both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, directly funding the council's coordination work related to groundwater management. The bill does not change groundwater regulations but ensures dedicated funding for the council's existing responsibilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 752: Relating to: using an absentee ballot drop box or the U.S. mail or a commercial carrier to commit election fraud and providing a penalty.

AB 752 makes it a Class H felony to use an absentee ballot drop box, U.S. mail, or commercial carrier while committing election fraud under existing law (s. 12.13). The bill directly affects individuals who attempt to fraudulently submit absentee ballots through these specific methods. Its key provision increases penalties for this type of fraud by classifying it as a felony rather than a lesser offense. The law focuses solely on the method of submission during fraudulent activity, not on the act of voting itself.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 769: Relating to: food waste reduction grants, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 769 creates a new grant program to fund food waste reduction pilot projects, allocating $100,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The grants support projects focused on preventing food waste, redirecting surplus food to hunger relief organizations, and composting food waste. The Department of Agriculture must prioritize proposals serving low-income census tracts (below statewide median income) without grocery stores. The bill also authorizes the department to create rules for administering the program. This directly affects local pilot projects and hunger relief organizations in underserved communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AJR 122: Relating to: recognizing December 25 as the celebration of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

This joint resolution formally recognizes December 25 as the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ for the Wisconsin Legislature. It expresses the legislature's acknowledgment of Christmas as a sacred day for Christians, referencing biblical events in its preamble. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws, alter policies, or affect any specific group or policy. The resolution serves only to affirm the legislature's symbolic recognition of the holiday's religious significance.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 777: Relating to: Veterans Benefits Education Week.

AB 777 designates the week containing November 11 (Veterans Day) as "Veterans Benefits Education Week" each year. The bill requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation highlighting veterans' entitlements during this week. This procedural measure directly informs veterans about available benefits and establishes an annual observance, with no changes to actual benefit programs. (AB 777, introduced December 17, 2025)

Topics ✓ Veterans

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 769: Relating to: bonding for lead service line replacement and granting bonding authority. (FE)

SB 769 authorizes up to $274.95 million in state bonding to fund lead service line replacement for private water users connected to public water systems. It creates a program allocating $200 million from these bonds as forgivable loans covering up to 50% of replacement costs for homeowners and property owners. The bill directly affects private users of public water systems who own lead service lines, addressing a public health hazard identified by the legislature. Key mechanisms include state bonding authority, allocation through the environmental improvement fund, and forgivable loans administered by the Department of Administration. This policy provides direct financial assistance for replacing hazardous lead pipes in residential water connections.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 772: Relating to: Groundwater Coordinating Council activities funding and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 772 allocates $500,000 annually from the general fund for the Department of Natural Resources' activities related to the Groundwater Coordinating Council during fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. It also increases funding for the University of Wisconsin System by $500,000 each year for its groundwater council-related work under specific statutes. The bill creates a continuing appropriation to support existing council operations and coordination efforts. This is a funding measure, not a policy change, directly affecting state environmental agencies and the University of Wisconsin System.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

Bill results