Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 872: Relating to: nuisance actions against racing facilities.

SB 872 prevents certain nuisance lawsuits against racing facilities by limiting who can file such claims. It blocks lawsuits started by property owners who bought land within 5 miles of a racetrack *after* the track was already built or operating. The law applies even if the racetrack later changes (e.g., size or technology), as long as those changes followed existing rules. This directly affects nearby property owners and protects racing facilities from specific nuisance claims based on property ownership timing.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 901: Relating to: net metering for rooftop solar energy systems.

AB 901 establishes rules for net metering of rooftop solar energy systems in Wisconsin. It directly affects homeowners and businesses with solar installations by setting capacity limits (30 kW for residential, 500 kW for commercial) and requiring advanced metering for grid interconnection. The bill mandates that electric providers credit customers 100% of the retail electricity rate for excess power sent to the grid, with credits expiring March 31 annually and transferring to new property owners upon sale. It also allows providers to reduce credits to 90% if solar adoption exceeds 10% in their service area, while maintaining minimum billing standards for solar customers.

Topics ✓ Energy

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 897: Relating to: elimination of a jury trial in a child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) proceeding and substitution of judge in a proceeding for the termination of parental rights.

AB 897 removes the right to a jury trial in Child in Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS) proceedings for non-Indian children. It also restricts requests to substitute judges in parental rights termination cases to only the parent and petitioner, limiting such requests to one per case and requiring them within 10 days of a new judge's assignment. The bill affects parents and children in these specific child welfare cases, directly changing court procedures for CHIPS petitions and termination hearings. These changes apply only to cases filed after the bill's effective date, with Indian children’s cases remaining exempt under federal law.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 898: Relating to: registration of births by surrogate mother.

AB 898 modifies birth registration rules for children born through surrogacy. It requires that birth records include the surrogate mother's information while omitting the father's details. The bill also mandates that courts can only establish parental rights for these children through adoption proceedings - unless at least one petitioner seeking parental rights is biologically related to the child. This affects how surrogacy-related birth records are processed and how courts determine parental rights.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 892: Relating to: digital asset staking and the state’s securities laws.

AB 892 defines key terms related to digital assets and staking to clarify that these activities are not subject to the state's securities laws. The bill creates specific definitions for "digital asset," "node," "staking" (locking assets to support blockchain security), and "staking as a service" (third-party platforms enabling staking). Crucially, it explicitly states that staking and staking services "do not include" activities covered by securities regulations. This bill directly affects digital asset users, validators, and third-party staking service providers by removing regulatory uncertainty around these activities under current securities law. The bill focuses solely on definitional clarity, not on changing existing securities enforcement.

Topics ✓ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 902: Relating to: prohibiting the quarantine of certain animals based on exposure to chronic wasting disease.

AB 902 prohibits state agencies from quarantining certain animals solely due to exposure to chronic wasting disease (CWD) if the animals belong to species that neither carry nor are susceptible to CWD. It directly affects livestock owners, particularly those raising farm-raised fallow deer (Dama dama), by preventing unnecessary quarantines for these animals after exposure incidents. The bill creates new rules (sections 95.23(5) and 95.55(6)(c)) that block quarantine orders based only on exposure, while allowing other CWD-related measures for at-risk species. This policy change specifically targets non-susceptible animals, ensuring quarantine is not applied unnecessarily.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 894: Relating to: terms and conditions of gift certificates, gift cards, and other gift obligations and providing a penalty.

AB 894 prohibits businesses from selling gift cards or certificates with expiration dates shorter than 5 years (or 5 years after reloading for reloadable cards). It bans hidden inactivity or dormancy fees unless clearly disclosed on the card, limits such fees to once per month, and requires specific fee details to be visible. Consumers can seek double damages or $200 per violation, and businesses face state penalties of $100-$10,000 per violation. The law directly affects gift card buyers and sellers, applying to all gift obligations sold after its effective date.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 893: Relating to: termination of parental rights under the safe haven law. (FE)

SB 893 modifies procedures for terminating parental rights when a child's custody is relinquished under Wisconsin's safe haven law (s. 48.195). It requires the district attorney or designated official to file a petition to terminate parental rights within 30-60 days after a court finds probable cause that a parent relinquished custody. The bill specifically applies to cases where parents voluntarily gave up custody through the safe haven process, not general termination cases. It does not change the safe haven law itself but establishes a clear timeline for follow-up legal action to finalize parental rights termination.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 892: Relating to: net metering for rooftop solar energy systems.

SB 892 establishes rules for connecting rooftop solar energy systems to the electric grid. It sets capacity limits: residential systems cannot exceed 30 kilowatts, and commercial systems cannot exceed 500 kilowatts. The bill requires electric providers to offer net metering, crediting customers at 100% of the retail electricity rate for excess power sent to the grid, with credits expiring annually on March 31. If solar adoption in a provider’s area surpasses 10%, credits drop to 90% of the retail rate, though providers may offer more favorable terms. This directly affects homeowners and businesses installing rooftop solar.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 890: Relating to: eligibility for farmland preservation tax credits. (FE)

SB 890 modifies eligibility for farmland preservation tax credits by disallowing credits for acres with non-accessory photovoltaic solar energy systems installed during the taxable year. Specifically, it prevents tax credits on qualifying farmland where such solar systems (defined as not being accessory uses, like rooftop installations) are present. The bill creates new provisions to track both total qualifying acres and acres affected by these solar systems. This change directly impacts farmers seeking farmland preservation tax credits who have installed larger-scale solar installations on their land, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 895: Relating to: funding for a battery collection and recycling program and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 895 creates a new funding mechanism for Wisconsin's battery collection and recycling program by directing existing fees collected from battery sales (under section 287.175 (3) (b)) to the environmental fund. This bill specifically allocates those moneys to support the program's operations, directly affecting the state's battery recycling efforts and the environmental fund. The law requires that the program be implemented using these redirected fees, without creating new taxes or fees. The bill's effectiveness depends on either Assembly Bill 713 or Senate Bill 702 being enacted during the 2025-26 legislative session.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 891: Relating to: prohibiting the quarantine of certain animals based on exposure to chronic wasting disease.

This bill prevents Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture from quarantining certain animals solely because they were exposed to chronic wasting disease (CWD). It specifically protects farm-raised fallow deer (*Dama dama*) and any animal species not susceptible to CWD. The law amends statutes to remove quarantine requirements for these animals after exposure incidents, directly affecting deer farmers and animal owners who previously faced such restrictions. This creates a clear policy change: quarantine is prohibited unless CWD infection is confirmed.

Bill results