Transportation

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 66: Relating to: registration plate concealment devices and providing a penalty.

SB 66 prohibits the use of devices designed to conceal, obstruct, or alter vehicle license plates, such as mechanical switches, moving covers, or altered plates that obscure numbers. It bans possessing, selling, installing, or using these devices and requires impounding vehicles equipped with them (with costs paid by the owner for towing/impoundment). Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 in fines, 90 days in jail, or both. This law directly affects vehicle owners who might attempt to obscure license plates, and it became effective under 2025 Wisconsin Act 37.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationProhibits plate concealment devices to enhance vehicle identification and safety, directly supporting transportation safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Vehicle Registration

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 678: Relating to: the use of oral fluids for preliminary screening of a person suspected of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

SB 678 allows law enforcement officers to request a sample of a person's oral fluids (or breath) as a preliminary screening tool when they suspect someone is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This applies before an arrest for DUI violations, and the test results can only be used to decide whether to arrest the driver or request a formal chemical test later. The bill specifies that refusal to take this oral fluid screening does not trigger penalties under other statutes, and the results cannot be used as evidence in court except to establish probable cause for an arrest. It directly affects drivers suspected of DUI and officers conducting roadside screenings.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances road safety by enabling preliminary DUI screening via oral fluids, directly supporting transportation safety standards without infrastructure/funding aspects.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Traffic Safety

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 419: Relating to: a sales and use tax exemption for ski lifts. (FE)

AB 419 creates a sales and use tax exemption for ski lifts and related equipment used exclusively to operate them. The bill exempts the purchase price of ski lifts, machines, equipment, accessories, and parts specifically for ski lift operations from state sales and use taxes. This directly affects ski resort operators and businesses that buy or maintain ski lift infrastructure. The exemption applies to the equipment itself, not the lift services or user fees, and takes effect three months after publication. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on modifying tax law to remove this tax burden for qualifying equipment.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationTax exemption for ski lift infrastructure directly supports transportation infrastructure maintenance by reducing costs for operators, aligning with transportation infrastructure policies.85% confidence

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failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 655: Relating to: installation of a speed limiter for repeated reckless driving violations, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 655 requires courts to order drivers convicted of two or more reckless speeding violations (exceeding speed limits by 20+ mph) within five years to install a speed limiter on their vehicles. The law applies specifically to "Class D" vehicles and mandates that the device prevent operation above a set speed, with financial hardship exceptions for low-income individuals. Courts must order the speed limiter installation, maintenance, and removal costs (capped at 50% for qualifying low-income drivers), and violations of this order carry fines up to $600 or imprisonment. The bill creates a state program using existing ignition interlock infrastructure to manage provider rules, reporting, and enforcement under sections 343.347 and 347.414.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates speed limiters for reckless drivers to enhance road safety, directly strengthening transportation safety standards through vehicle regulation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Traffic Safety

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failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 654: Relating to: a public information campaign related to aggressive driving and making an appropriation. (FE)

AB 654 creates a public information campaign to reduce aggressive driving behaviors like excessive speeding, illegal racing, and fleeing police. The bill allocates $500,000 over two fiscal years ($250,000 annually) for the campaign, which must run for 1-2 years and prioritize areas with the highest incidents of such driving. It requires using billboards, radio, TV, and digital ads, while prioritizing local contractors and featuring stories from affected individuals like young drivers and families. The campaign targets high-risk drivers and must partner with community organizations to influence behavior, without making specific policy changes to traffic laws.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $500,000 for public safety campaign via state appropriation, directly funding a government program under budgetary spending.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds public safety campaign targeting aggressive driving to enhance road safety, directly advancing transportation safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Roads & Highways Traffic Safety

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passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 561: Relating to: owner liability for illegally passing a school bus and providing a penalty.

AB 561 allows school buses to install and monitor cameras to record vehicles illegally passing them, and permits school bus operators or third-party vendors to submit photo or video evidence of these violations to local traffic authorities. Traffic officers can then issue citations based on this evidence, imposing fines of $30 to $500 on the vehicle owner. The bill specifies that these fines do not result in license suspension or demerit points. This law directly affects drivers who illegally pass school buses and the school bus operators or vendors reporting violations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances student safety during school bus stops by enforcing penalties for illegal passing, directly protecting educational access and student safety at school zones.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances road safety by enabling enforcement against illegal school bus passing, directly supporting transportation safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Transportation Driver Licensing Public Transit Traffic Safety

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signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 521: Relating to: highway signs for the Mount Horeb Veterans Memorial. (FE)

SB 521 requires the state transportation department to install and maintain two directional highway signs along both eastbound and westbound U.S. Highway 18 for the Mount Horeb Veterans Memorial. The bill creates a new statute (86.19(1g)(i)) mandating this signage to improve navigation to the memorial site. This procedural bill directly affects the department's highway signage responsibilities but does not alter memorial funding, design, or public access. It has no fiscal impact beyond standard maintenance costs.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates installation of highway signs for improved navigation to memorial, directly enhancing transportation infrastructure and safety on public roads.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill mandates highway signs to improve navigation to Mount Horeb Veterans Memorial, directly recognizing veterans' service through memorial access signage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways Memorials & Recognition

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 155: Relating to: requiring periodic inspections of parking structures.

SB 155 requires owners of parking structures (like multi-level garages) to hire a licensed engineer for a structural safety inspection at least once every five years. Owners must submit inspection reports to their local government or the state department responsible for building reviews. Failure to comply results in monthly fines of $200 and potential closure of the parking structure after 12 months without an inspection. The bill directly affects commercial parking facility owners and aims to ensure ongoing structural safety through mandatory, regular checks.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRequires structural safety inspections for parking facilities to prevent hazards, directly enhancing transportation infrastructure safety standards.90% confidence

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 343: Relating to: requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

SB 343 requires state highway departments to include bike paths and pedestrian pathways in all new highway construction or reconstruction projects funded by state or federal money. It creates specific exceptions allowing projects to skip these features only if the cost exceeds 20% of the total project budget, if they would cause excessive harm in a tight space, if there's no community need, or if a local community refuses to maintain them. The bill directs the state transportation department to create rules defining these exceptions, with a requirement for a senior official to review cost-based exceptions. This policy directly affects state highway planning and project developers working with state or federal funds.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires bike/pedestrian infrastructure in highways, reducing vehicle emissions and promoting sustainable transport, aligning with environmental protection goals.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates bike/pedestrian facilities in highway projects, enhancing sustainable infrastructure and safety per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation Bicycle Infrastructure Pedestrian Safety Roads & Highways

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 661: Relating to: a local intersection safety program and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 661 creates a $6 million program to fund safety improvements at high-crash intersections in cities and counties. Local governments can apply for reimbursement or grants to upgrade signalized and stop-sign intersections identified as having excessive crash rates, using data from 2019-2024. The program prioritizes projects in the 10% of counties with the highest intersection crash rates. This is a direct appropriation from the transportation budget for fiscal year 2025-26, with no new legal requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $6M from transportation budget for intersection safety program, increasing public service funding per appropriation language.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds $6M for intersection safety upgrades in high-crash areas, directly enhancing transportation infrastructure and safety through targeted appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Pedestrian Safety Traffic Safety

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