Relating to: modifications to housing programs under the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. (FE)
AB 194 modifies Wisconsin's housing programs under the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. It redefines "developer" to include tribal housing authorities (Section 3) and clarifies "residential housing" to include tax-exempt reservation or trust lands (Section 4). The bill reduces maximum loan limits for housing projects from 33% to 20% of development costs (Section 10) and from 25% to 10% (Section 11). It also requires local governments to submit cost-reduction analyses showing how zoning or fee changes lowered housing costs (Section 7), directly affecting developers, tribal entities, and local governments administering housing programs.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Assembly Passage
Oct 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Apr 15, 2025
Signed Apr 9, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
43
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Amendments
4
Apr 9, 2026
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 237
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Oct 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed
lower
Oct 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 2 adopted
lower
Oct 7, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Brooks
lower
Oct 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
May 19, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
May 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0
lower
May 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 12, Noes 1
lower
May 12, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Armstrong
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Armstrong, Brooks, Anderson, Brown, DeSmidt, Donovan, Doyle, Emerson, Franklin, Goodwin, Green, Hysell, B. Jacobson, Joers, Kitchens, Kreibich, Krug, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Neubauer, Novak, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Roe, Spiros, Udell and Goeben;
cosponsored by Senators Quinn, Feyen, Jagler, Dassler-Alfheim, Habush Sinykin, James, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Spreitzer, Wall, Wirch and Smith
lower
31 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Alex Joers
DDemocratic
P
Andrew Hysell
DDemocratic
P
Ann Roe
DDemocratic
P
Ben DeSmidt
DDemocratic
P
Ben Franklin
RRepublican
P
Bob Donovan
RRepublican
P
Brent Jacobson
RRepublican
P
Brienne Brown
DDemocratic
P
Chanz Green
RRepublican
P
Clint Anderson
DDemocratic
P
Dave Armstrong
RRepublican
P
Dave Murphy
RRepublican
P
Greta Neubauer
DDemocratic
P
Jeff Mursau
RRepublican
P
Jerry O'Connor
RRepublican
P
Jim Piwowarczyk
RRepublican
P
Jodi Emerson
DDemocratic
P
Joel Kitchens
RRepublican
P
John Spiros
RRepublican
P
Joy Goeben
RRepublican
P
Lori Palmeri
DDemocratic
P
Paul Melotik
RRepublican
P
Randy Udell
DDemocratic
P
Rob Brooks
RRepublican
P
Rob Kreibich
RRepublican
P
Russell Goodwin
DDemocratic
P
Scott Krug
RRepublican
P
Steve Doyle
DDemocratic
P
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
DDemocratic
P
Todd Novak
RRepublican
P
Will Penterman
RRepublican
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