AB 713 requires battery producers (like manufacturers or brands selling batteries) to fund and manage collection and recycling programs starting in 2027. It bans disposal of covered batteries (portable/medium-sized batteries excluding medical devices, lead-acid, or alkaline types) in landfills after January 1, 2028, mandating they be returned through designated collection sites instead. Producers must also mark batteries with their identity by 2027 and indicate battery chemistry for proper recycling by 2029. This law directly affects battery sellers and manufacturers, shifting responsibility for recycling programs from consumers or local governments to the producers themselves.
SB 729 imposes annual fees on large energy customers (primarily large data centers) based on their peak electricity demand: $2 million for 100-250 MW, $3 million for 250-500 MW, and $1 million more for each additional 250 MW. Fifty percent of these fees fund the Green Innovation Fund via the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report actual water usage annually and certify compliance with sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation. It defines "large-scale data centers" as projects costing $250 million+ in construction or equipment over 60 months.
SB 780 establishes a "percentage of income payment program" to help low-income households manage electricity and gas costs. It caps utility payments at 2% of a household's annual income (divided by 12) for those spending 2-4% of income on utilities ("energy burdened") or 4%+ ("severely energy burdened"), prioritizing households earning ≤300% of federal poverty guidelines. The program is funded by an existing "energy burden relief fund" and requires automatic enrollment for eligible households, with utilities prohibited from disconnecting service for qualifying households due to nonpayment. Key provisions include online enrollment, outreach to historically impacted communities, and annual reporting on program effectiveness.
AB 785 establishes a program to cap electricity and gas costs at 2% of a household's annual income for energy burdened households (spending 2-4% of income on utilities) and severely energy burdened households (spending 4% or more, or having no income with utility bills). It prohibits utility disconnections for residential customers with income up to 300% of the federal poverty level due to nonpayment and creates an "energy burden relief fund" to finance the program. The bill requires automatic enrollment for eligible households, an online application portal, and annual reporting by the Public Service Commission on program administration and barriers to participation.
SB 284 defines key terms for a future sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit program. It specifies that "renewable biomass" includes wood waste, crop residues, dairy byproducts, and other organic agricultural waste, and defines "sustainable aviation fuel" as aviation fuel derived from this biomass and meeting U.S. Department of Energy standards. The bill replaces outdated terms like "energy crops" with "renewable biomass" throughout the tax credit framework. This definitional bill enables future tax credits for SAF producers but does not establish the credit amount or implementation details. (Note: The bill is still pending scheduling as of the latest action on 2025-11-06.)
AB 493 authorizes community solar programs where multiple households share power generated from a single solar facility. It requires municipalities to approve new community solar projects with a two-thirds vote of their governing body (unless zoning allows it automatically), limits facility size to 5 megawatts (or 20 megawatts on previously developed sites like parking lots), and ensures no single subscriber controls more than 40% of the facility’s output. This directly affects local governments (through zoning rules), solar developers ("subscriber organizations"), and residents who join these programs. The bill defines key terms like "community solar facility" and "subscriber" to standardize program rules and interconnection with utilities.
AB 174 amends energy statutes to redefine "renewable resources" for reporting purposes, explicitly including nuclear energy starting in 2026. It establishes new definitions for large-scale wind/solar systems (100+ megawatts) and battery storage, while clarifying that local governments cannot restrict energy installations more strictly than state rules. The bill affects energy developers, utilities, and local governments by changing how transmission contracts are audited and how renewable/nuclear projects are categorized. It does not create new project requirements but updates existing reporting frameworks for the state legislature and governor. The bill is pending in the Energy and Utilities Committee after being introduced in April 2025.
AB 83 prohibits state and local governments from restricting the sale or use of motor vehicles based on their energy source (e.g., gasoline, electric, or hydrogen). It also extends this rule to other energy-powered devices, such as power tools or generators, if their significant functions rely on that energy source. The law explicitly allows government agencies to prioritize electric vehicles for their own fleets when purchasing. This ensures public policies do not discriminate against specific vehicle or device types based on energy use.
AB 559 creates annual payments to municipalities and counties where energy storage facilities (like batteries or pumped hydro) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities are located. For energy storage facilities, payments equal $2,000 per megawatt of capacity, split between the local city/village/town and county. For LNG facilities, payments are based on 3-6 mills of the facility’s property value, also split between the local jurisdiction and county. The bill ensures these payments continue even if some facility units shut down, and funds come from a public utility account. It directly affects local governments hosting these facilities and utility companies owning them.
SB 150 requires the state legislature to create and pass a plan by the 2025-26 session to reduce the state's carbon emissions by 52% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The bill directly affects the state government, which must develop this plan, and will impact all residents and businesses through new emission regulations. Key provisions include setting specific emission reduction targets and mandating that the plan prioritize improvements in economic and racial equity. The bill focuses on establishing concrete, time-bound goals rather than detailing specific regulatory mechanisms.
