Veterans and Military Affairs

AB 913 creates a new tax break for Wisconsin National Guard and Reserve members by allowing a subtraction from taxable income for specific military pay. It covers basic pay received during federally required drills and field exercises (for National Guard) and inactive-duty training compensation (for Reserves), as defined under federal law. This applies to tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and fills a gap in current law, which previously only provided similar tax breaks for active duty or certain call-ups. The bill directly affects Wisconsin residents serving in these military roles who receive this type of compensation.

AB 745 creates a new eligibility category for state reimbursement of military funeral honors costs, specifically for individuals who were naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 and were residing in the state at the time of death. It requires the state department to reimburse certified veteran organizations for providing military funeral honors, with a maximum payment of $85 per funeral (adjusted annually for inflation based on the U.S. consumer price index). The bill directly affects families of qualifying Hmong veterans who served in the U.S. military and were naturalized under the 2000 federal law. This establishes a clear reimbursement mechanism for organizations providing these honors, replacing the previous $50 limit with an inflation-adjusted $85 cap.

AB 247 requires local governments to reduce building permit fees for certain home improvements benefiting disabled veterans. Political subdivisions must lower these fees by 75% or $500, whichever is less. This reduction applies when the permit is for improvements to a disabled veteran's primary residence that are necessary to accommodate their disability. The residence must be owned by the veteran or their caretaker, and local governments may request proof of eligibility.

AB 641 creates a dedicated $500,000 annual appropriation for the University of Wisconsin Missing-in-Action (MIA) Recovery and Identification Project within the 2025-27 fiscal biennium. The bill directly affects Wisconsin veterans missing in action by funding their recovery and identification efforts through the University of Wisconsin System. It requires the UW Board of Regents to allocate funds annually for this mission and mandates a detailed report on findings and spending to state legislative committees, the governor, and veterans agencies. The legislation establishes a continuing funding mechanism without altering existing veterans' benefits or services.

AB 1007 amends the definition of "veteran at risk" in Wisconsin law to explicitly include active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces, National Guard, or military reserves who have service-related physical or mental health conditions. The bill clarifies that a person qualifies as "at risk" based on information provided in a report about such conditions. This change directly affects military service members and veterans who may be identified through the existing veterans at risk alert system. The amendment refines the eligibility criteria for the system without creating new programs or funding.