Wisconsin Bills | MyRepTracker

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 974: Relating to: a public affairs network trust fund, grants to the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 974 establishes a permanent "public affairs network fund" to provide annual grants to WisconsinEye, the public affairs network broadcasting state government proceedings. The bill creates a new trust fund using state appropriations, donations, and interest earnings, which will fund WisconsinEye’s operating costs for live broadcasts, civic events, and free online archives of unedited government proceedings. WisconsinEye must meet specific requirements, including appointing legislative designees to its board, focusing coverage on official government business, and providing continuous free public access to broadcasts and archives. If WisconsinEye ceases operations, it must repay all grant funds to the state and transfer its archives to the state historical society.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Barbara Dittrich (R) Maureen McCarville (D) Dan Knodl (R) Karen Hurd (R) Alex Joers (D)

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 995: Relating to: the effective date of administrative rules and the effective period of emergency rules.

AB 995 modifies state law governing when administrative rules and emergency rules take effect. It changes the default effective date for administrative rules to the first day of the 7th month after publication (previously 6 months) and extends the maximum duration for emergency rules from 150 to 180 days. These changes directly affect state agencies creating rules and the public subject to those regulations. The bill provides clearer timelines for when rules become enforceable and how long emergency rules may remain in effect without further legislative action.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 994: Relating to: review by state agencies of administrative rules and enactments; an expedited process for repealing rules an agency no longer has the authority to promulgate; and the rule-making authority of certain agencies. (FE)

AB 994 creates an expedited process for state agencies to repeal outdated regulations they no longer have legal authority to enforce. It defines "restricted agencies" as those inactive for 10+ years or delinquent in required reporting, requiring them to submit reports before proposing new rules. The bill establishes a new petition process where agencies can request the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules to approve rule repeals, bypassing standard rulemaking steps for "unauthorized" rules. This directly affects state agencies managing obsolete regulations, streamlining removal of outdated rules without full legislative review. The change aims to reduce regulatory clutter by making it easier to eliminate rules no longer legally supported.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 963: Relating to: social media accounts for minors and providing a penalty.

AB 963 requires large social media platforms (with $1 billion+ annual revenue) to identify users under 18 and obtain parental permission before collecting their personal data. After a user spends 25 hours on the platform within six months, companies must estimate age with 80% confidence; if uncertain, they must treat the user as a minor. Platforms must then get verifiable parental consent for data collection, including location, browsing history, and biometric information. This bill directly affects minors under 18 in the state and major social media companies operating there, focusing on data handling rather than restricting access to platforms.

Topics ✓ Technology

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 701: Relating to: adopting the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act.

AB 701 adopts the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act to shield individuals and organizations from lawsuits targeting their speech on matters of public concern. It creates a "special motion" allowing defendants to quickly dismiss such cases within 60 days of being sued, with the court requiring the plaintiff to prove their claim has merit. The law specifically protects speech in government proceedings, political expression, or press freedoms, but excludes lawsuits by/against government entities or commercial speech related to sales. This applies to civil suits where the core issue involves public discourse, not private business disputes.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 742: Relating to: regulation of lease-purchase agreements for personal property and creating a cause of action.

AB 742 regulates lease-purchase agreements for personal property (like furniture or appliances used at home), directly affecting consumers who rent items with an option to buy. It requires written agreements with clear disclosures, including total payments needed to own the goods, the cash-sale price, payment frequency, and terms for early purchase. The law mandates that lessors provide these details in plain language (at least 8-point type) and in the same language as any advertising. Violations allow consumers to sue for damages, but the law exempts business leases, vehicles, mobile homes, and real estate-related rentals.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 749: Relating to: instruction in blood and organ donation in high school grades. (FE)

AB 749 requires all public high schools to include instruction about organ and blood donation in at least one grade between 9 and 12. The law mandates that this instruction cover the purpose of donations, the statewide and nationwide need for them, and how students can participate. This applies to all high school curricula starting with the 2026-27 school year. The bill directly affects high school students and school districts by adding this specific health education requirement to their curriculum.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 803: Relating to: workforce training grants. (FE)

AB 803 would expand state funding for workforce training grants to specifically include programs preparing individuals to become teachers. The bill creates a new grant category (106.27 (1) (b) 1. b.) for programs offering evidence-based training, leadership development, on-site job experience, and support to build teaching skills. This directly affects teacher preparation programs, including those in dual enrollment settings, by adding them to eligible grant recipients. The key change is codifying support for structured career pathways into teaching, moving beyond current grant scope. The bill is currently pending in the Rules committee after passing its primary committee unanimously.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AJR 125: Relating to: congratulating the Grafton Black Hawks football team for winning the 2025 Wisconsin State Football Championship.

AJR 125 is a symbolic legislative resolution congratulating the Grafton Black Hawks high school football team for winning the 2025 Wisconsin State Football Championship. It specifically recognizes their perfect 14-0 season record, championship victory at Camp Randall Stadium, and individual honors for players and coaches. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's support for the team's achievement. It directly affects the Grafton community and the team members by acknowledging their athletic success.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 812: Relating to: allowing more than 35 percent of the area within a tax incremental district in the Village of Somers to be used for residential use. (FE)

AB 812 amends a state statute to allow up to 50% of a tax incremental district's area in the Village of Somers to be used for residential development, increasing the previous limit from 35%. This change directly affects developers, planners, and property owners within Somers' designated tax increment districts by expanding permissible residential use. The bill modifies the statutory definition of "mixed-use development" to specify this higher residential percentage only for districts in Somers, while maintaining the 35% limit elsewhere in the state.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 795: Relating to: caregiver records maintained by the Department of Transportation. (FE)

SB 795 requires the Department of Transportation to ask license and ID card applicants if they want to voluntarily provide contact information for up to three people they care for as primary caregivers. The bill creates a system where this information is stored in the applicant's file and can be electronically accessed by law enforcement agencies that reasonably identify a person. It does not change existing requirements but adds this optional caregiver contact field to applications, with strict limits on who can access the data (only the applicant or law enforcement under defined conditions). The bill directly affects individuals applying for driver's licenses or state ID cards who choose to share caregiver contacts.

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 807: Relating to: office of county board counsel in certain counties. (FE)

AB 807 creates a new "office of board counsel" in counties that already have a corporation counsel (including jointly designated counsel) and a county executive or administrator. This office, appointed by the county board and staffed by licensed attorneys, provides independent legal advice and services specifically to the county board itself. The bill establishes this role as separate from existing corporation counsel, allows the county board to leave the position unfilled, and specifies that board counsel serves "at the pleasure of the county board." This is a procedural change affecting county governance structures, not a policy impacting residents or taxpayers.