Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 496: Relating to: verification of a pupil’s family income for participation in a parental choice program.

AB 496 changes income requirements for families using state-funded private school choice programs. It raises the income limit from 2.2 times the federal poverty level to 3.0 times for most districts (previously only 2.2x applied to some districts), while maintaining the lower 2.2x limit for specific school districts. The bill also simplifies income verification by removing outdated requirements for checking family income. This affects families applying for private school choice programs, with changes taking effect for the 2026-27 school year.

Topics ✓ Education

Alex Joers (D) Francesca Hong (D) Tara Johnson (D) Mike Bare (D) Joe Sheehan (D)

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 497: Relating to: application of the public records and open meetings laws to charter schools and private schools participating in school choice programs.

AB 497 requires charter schools and private schools participating in state school choice programs to follow public records and open meeting laws, but explicitly excludes student records from public access. The bill amends statutes to define these schools as "authorities" under public records law (Section 1), while adding a specific provision (Section 2) that states pupil records at these schools cannot be inspected or copied by the public. Key mechanisms include mandating compliance with Chapter 19 (Sections 4-6) for open meetings and records, but preserving privacy for student data. This directly affects families, parents, and community members seeking access to student information at participating schools. The bill does not change access to other school records or operational details.

Topics ✓ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 495: Relating to: application of the public records and open meetings laws to charter schools and private schools participating in school choice programs.

SB 495 would require charter schools and private schools participating in state school choice programs (under sections 115.7915, 118.60, or 119.23) to comply with Wisconsin's public records and open meetings laws. This means these schools would need to follow rules for public access to meetings and certain records, such as financial documents. However, the bill explicitly exempts student pupil records from public inspection under state law. The legislation expands the scope of existing public records statutes to include these schools as "authorities" and "governmental bodies" for compliance purposes. This change directly affects participating schools by adding transparency requirements while maintaining confidentiality for individual student records.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SJR 93: Relating to: proclaiming November 2025 to be Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

SJR 93 is a ceremonial resolution designating November 2025 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but symbolically recognizes the impact of pancreatic cancer through official proclamation. The resolution cites statistics including an estimated 1,060 pancreatic cancer deaths in Wisconsin this year and notes pancreatic cancer could become the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the state by 2025. It encourages Wisconsin residents to increase awareness and education about pancreatic cancer and support services for patients. This resolution directly affects all Wisconsin citizens by formally acknowledging a public health issue through legislative recognition.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SJR 90: Relating to: proclaiming January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in the state of Wisconsin.

SJR 90 is a symbolic resolution that declares January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in Wisconsin. It aims to increase public awareness about human trafficking, which the resolution describes as modern-day slavery targeting vulnerable groups like youth (with an average victim age of 12-15), people with disabilities, and those disconnected from support networks. The resolution emphasizes statewide recognition of trafficking in all 72 counties and encourages education to identify victims and support prevention efforts. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or allocate funding but serves as a formal statement of the state's commitment to addressing human trafficking.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 175: Relating to: requiring periodic inspections of parking structures.

AB 175 requires owners of parking structures to hire a licensed engineer for a structural safety inspection at least once every five years, starting from the bill's effective date. Owners must submit inspection reports to their local government agency (like a city or county) and face penalties for missing deadlines, including $200 per month in fines and potential closure after 12 months. The law directly affects all parking structure owners statewide, ensuring ongoing safety checks to prevent structural failures. It does not apply to inspections already required under other existing statutes. Violations trigger mandatory reporting to state authorities and may lead to temporary closure of un-inspected structures.

Topics ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 428: Relating to: county public works notice and competitive bidding thresholds. (FE)

SB 428 raises county public works bidding and notice thresholds in Wisconsin. It increases the bidding threshold from $25,000 to $50,000 for competitive bidding and the notice threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 for public notice requirements. The bill also creates an automatic inflation adjustment: every 5 years, these thresholds will increase based on the U.S. consumer price index, rounded to the nearest $1,000. This affects counties and contractors handling public construction projects, requiring them to follow these updated cost-based bidding rules for most projects over the new thresholds.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 243: Relating to: regulation of amusement rides located at campgrounds. (FE)

AB 243 exempts certain amusement rides at campgrounds from specific safety regulations. It directly affects campground operators who install rides meeting manufacturer standards. The bill creates a new exemption (statute 101.05(7)) stating that three existing safety sections (101.02(15), 101.12(1), and 101.17(1)) do not apply to rides installed per manufacturer guidelines at campgrounds licensed under section 97.67. This changes regulatory requirements for these specific rides without altering broader safety rules.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 156: Relating to: requiring first responders to be trained to administer epinephrine delivery systems. (FE)

SB 156 requires specific first responders - including emergency medical personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and conservation wardens - to complete training on recognizing severe allergic reactions, safely storing and administering epinephrine delivery systems, and following up after use. The bill mandates that all covered first responders must have an epinephrine system available during duty hours. It also directs the department to compile and maintain a list of approved training organizations and may distribute epinephrine systems using existing funds. This law directly affects over a dozen public safety roles by standardizing emergency allergy response protocols.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 191: Relating to: requiring a subpoena to a law enforcement officer or tribal law enforcement officer served in official capacity to be served at the officer’s work address.

AB 191 requires that subpoenas directed at law enforcement officers or tribal law enforcement officers serving in their official capacity must be delivered only to the officer's work address, not their personal residence. This applies to all such officers as defined in existing statutes (including tribal officers under Section 165.85(2)(g)). The bill specifies three acceptable service methods: handing the subpoena to the officer, giving them a copy, or leaving a copy at their work address. It does not change the officers' duties or responsibilities but modifies the procedural requirement for subpoena delivery. This is a procedural rule affecting how legal process is served to these officers during official duties.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 34: Relating to: court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths.

AB 34 prevents courts from allowing criminal complaints against law enforcement officers in officer-involved deaths when a district attorney has already determined there is no basis for prosecution. The bill requires that courts and judges cannot issue complaints unless "new or unused evidence" is presented, effectively barring judicial override of a district attorney's initial decision. This directly affects law enforcement officers involved in such deaths and the legal process for pursuing criminal charges against them. The law applies to cases defined under statute 175.47 (1) (c), limiting judicial action based on a district attorney's prior assessment.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 278: Relating to: grants to law enforcement agencies for data-sharing platforms.

AB 278 creates a grant program for law enforcement agencies to purchase data-sharing platforms that integrate real-time data from multiple systems, eliminate duplicate records, and provide secure, customizable search and analytics tools. The bill specifies that platforms must meet 11 detailed requirements, including secure access controls, compatibility with existing systems, compliance with data security standards, and retention of agency data ownership. The Department of Justice will award grants using up to $2 million annually from state funds to support this initiative. This bill directly affects local and state law enforcement agencies seeking to upgrade their data-sharing capabilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Bill results