Wisconsin Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 13, 2026

AB 650: Relating to: funding for identity verification under the unemployment insurance law and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 650 amends state law to require that unused funds for identity verification in unemployment claims - specifically for costs not covered by federal funding - be transferred biennially to the unemployment program integrity fund. This affects the administration of unemployment benefits, ensuring unspent resources for verifying claimants' identities are redirected to strengthen program oversight. The bill establishes a clear process for handling these funds, directing the transfer of unencumbered balances from the unemployment insurance budget to the integrity fund on June 30 of each odd-numbered year. It does not create new benefits or eligibility rules but streamlines the management of existing funding for identity verification. The bill is currently in committee review following its introduction on November 13, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

vetoed · Wisconsin · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 10: Relating to: access to public high schools for military recruiters.

SB 10 requires Wisconsin public high school boards to allow military recruiters access to common areas (like hallways or cafeterias) during school visits and during school days or school-sanctioned events. It does not require access to classrooms during instructional time. The bill implements federal law (10 USC 503(c)) by mandating this access for all public high schools, directly affecting school boards and military recruiters. The law applies starting with the 2025-26 school year.

vetoed · Wisconsin · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 424: Relating to: teacher preparatory programs.

SB 424 amends Wisconsin law to require all teacher preparatory programs in the state to mandate student teaching consisting of full days for a full semester or summer session, aligned with the cooperating school's daily schedule and calendar. This affects teacher preparation programs and applicants seeking teaching licenses in Wisconsin public schools. The bill specifies that the state superintendent must accept accreditation from U.S. Department of Education-recognized agencies for licensing or program approval purposes. Exceptions to the student teaching requirement are permitted only when institutional and school calendars conflict, as determined by the state superintendent.

Topics ✓ Education

vetoed · Wisconsin · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 270: Relating to: the right of appeal for complainants aggrieved by decisions of the Elections Commission concerning the conduct of election officials.

SB 270 (Wisconsin Senate Bill 270) gives people who file complaints about election official conduct the right to appeal the Elections Commission's decisions to circuit court. It allows any complainant - regardless of whether they suffered a specific legal injury - to appeal a Commission decision dismissing their complaint or denying requested relief. To appeal, a complainant must file within 30 days of the Commission's order, and the appeal does not automatically stop the Commission's decision unless a court orders it to. This bill directly affects individuals who have filed election-related complaints and disagree with the Commission's handling of their case.

vetoed · Wisconsin · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 652: Relating to: race-based higher education programs and requirements. (FE)

SB 652 removes race-based criteria from higher education programs by redefining "disadvantaged" students to focus solely on economic, familial, geographic, or personal hardship - not race, ethnicity, gender, or other identity factors. It repeals provisions requiring "minority" student programs and replaces them with "disadvantaged" student programs, while prohibiting state boards from considering race in admissions or financial aid decisions. Key changes include amending statutes to require annual recruitment and retention plans for disadvantaged students and modifying grant programs to prioritize economic hardship over racial identity. The bill directly affects public universities, technical colleges, and financial aid programs across the state by shifting eligibility criteria away from race-based classifications.

Topics ✗ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 12, 2026

AJR 147: Relating to: establishing an annual Education Foundation Day in Wisconsin.

This bill proposes establishing an annual Education Foundation Day in Wisconsin on May 13, 2026, to recognize the role of over 350 education foundations in supporting public schools. The legislation aims to acknowledge how these foundations provide supplemental funding for programs, build community connections, and create endowments that traditional budgets cannot support. It does not create new funding or change existing laws, but rather designates a specific date to honor the contributions of these organizations. The measure was introduced in the 2026 Wisconsin Legislature but failed to advance after being referred to the Committee on Rules.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Senate May 12, 2026

SJR 147: Relating to: establishing an annual Education Foundation Day in Wisconsin.

This bill proposes establishing an annual Education Foundation Day in Wisconsin to be held on May 13, 2026. The resolution formally recognizes the role of over 350 education foundations that support public schools through funding programs not covered by traditional budgets, building endowments, and connecting schools with community resources. It does not create new funding or change existing laws but instead serves as a commemorative measure to acknowledge the contributions of these organizations. The bill is procedural in nature and does not alter policy or affect specific groups beyond recognizing their work.

Topics ✓ Education

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 7, 2026

AB 1188: Relating to: authorizing the creation of an emergency services district, authorizing an emergency services district to levy a property tax, and authorizing an emergency services district to impose special charges and issue debt. (FE)

This bill authorizes the creation of emergency services districts in Wisconsin and grants these districts the authority to levy property taxes and impose special charges to fund their operations. It also allows emergency services districts to issue debt to finance capital projects. The legislation amends state statutes to clarify how emergency services district board members are elected, specifying ballot procedures and candidate limits for these districts. Additionally, the bill outlines how election costs for emergency services districts are shared between the districts and local governments when voting occurs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 1, 2026

AB 1141: Relating to: public financing of campaigns for the offices of justice of the supreme court, court of appeals judge, and circuit court judge, and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill establishes a public financing system for judicial campaigns in Wisconsin, allowing candidates for supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, and circuit court judge positions to receive state funding if they meet specific contribution requirements. To qualify, candidates must collect at least 1,000 qualifying contributions totaling between $5,000 and $50,000 during a designated period, and they must file detailed receipts showing each contributor's name and address. The bill also limits anonymous contributions to $5 for public financing candidates and $10 for others, requiring any excess to be donated to schools or charities. Additionally, it creates a mechanism for transferring unspent public funds to replacement candidates when a vacancy occurs, with funds reverting to the state if no replacement is filed within seven days.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 1, 2026

AB 1165: Relating to: ranked-choice voting, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

This bill would update Wisconsin election laws to implement ranked-choice voting for certain offices and establish procedures for resolving election ties. It directly affects state and local election officials, candidates, and voters by changing how votes are counted and how ties are handled. The bill creates new provisions allowing candidates to be ranked on ballots, grants rule-making authority to the Department of Justice for implementing ranked-choice voting systems, and provides funding to counties and municipalities to update equipment and software needed for administering the new voting method. Additionally, it establishes specific procedures for resolving ties when candidates receive equal numbers of votes, including the option for candidates to draw lots if present. The legislation also allows municipalities to combine voting wards to facilitate the use of common polling places.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly May 1, 2026

AB 1212: Relating to: performing risk-limiting audits and eliminating the process for removing excess ballots from the vote count. (FE)

This bill modifies Wisconsin election procedures by replacing the random removal of excess ballots with risk-limiting audits for selected contests starting in 2026, expanding to all elections by 2027. It requires election officials to document ballot discrepancies in detail rather than randomly discarding surplus ballots, and mandates investigations if discrepancies exceed 0.5 percent of total ballots cast. The legislation also updates oath requirements for deputy election officials to include specific acknowledgments about absentee voting procedures and penalties for noncompliance. These changes directly affect election inspectors, canvassers, and the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which would oversee the implementation of audit standards and investigation protocols.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 24, 2026

SB 1085: Relating to: longevity bonuses for teachers in school districts. (FE)

This bill establishes a teacher longevity bonus program for Wisconsin school districts, providing a $7,000 payment to teachers who have been continuously licensed and employed by the same school board for five consecutive school years. The program begins in the 2031-32 school year and allows teachers to receive additional bonuses for each subsequent five-year period of continuous service, provided those years were not already used to qualify for a prior bonus. School boards must annually report eligible teacher names to the Department of Public Instruction, and the funding comes from a new state appropriation. The legislation amends existing statutes to create this new bonus structure and clarifies which school district provisions apply to first-class city school districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education