AB 187 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: training completion awards for volunteer firefighters. (FE)

AB 187 creates a program providing a one-time $250 completion service award to volunteer firefighters after they complete 60 hours of training. Municipalities must match this award with their own payments, and the state will provide a 2:1 match for municipal contributions toward length-of-service awards (up to $390 annually), which are tax-deferred benefits based on service years. The bill requires a 10-year vesting period for length-of-service benefits and sets rules for closing inactive accounts after 12 months of inactivity. It directly affects volunteer firefighters, emergency medical responders, and emergency medical services practitioners in municipalities operating volunteer departments or contracting with volunteer fire companies.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Assembly Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 15, 2025 Last action Mar 23, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Assembly by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Amendments
3
Mar 23, 2026
Amended
Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Committee
Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)
upper
Jun 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed
lower
Jun 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
May 29, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
May 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage recommended by Committee on Local Government, Ayes 10, Noes 0
lower
May 29, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Sortwell
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Sortwell, Behnke, Brill, Donovan, Goeben, Goodwin, B. Jacobson, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Mursau, Penterman, Wichgers and Kaufert; cosponsored by Senators Jacque, Tomczyk and Spreitzer
lower
14 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors