Transportation in Wisconsin

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 551: Relating to: marking the Mississippi River Trail. (FE)

SB 551 requires Wisconsin's Department of Transportation (DOT) to install signs marking the Mississippi River Trail once municipalities along the route approve the trail's path. Specifically, the DOT must wait for each municipality to pass a resolution supporting the trail and confirming its route, then erect signs within 18 months of that approval date. The bill also allows the DOT to request supplemental funding for these signs without needing an emergency declaration, bypassing standard budget review rules. This procedural bill directly affects local municipalities (through approval requirements) and the DOT (through sign installation and funding processes), but does not change existing policies or impact residents directly.

Topics ✓ Transportation

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 28: Relating to: special registration plates with white lettering on a black background. (FE)

AB 28 creates a new type of special vehicle registration plate with a black background and white lettering displaying "XWisconsinY" (with up to 7 characters for identifying text). It requires an additional $25 fee for annual plate renewals or $50 (reduced to $25 in the second year) for biennial plates, with excess funds deposited into the transportation fund after covering initial production costs. The bill specifies design requirements for these plates and clarifies they are distinct from existing special group plates. This directly affects residents who choose to purchase these specific license plates.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Vehicle Registration

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 371: Relating to: the use of speed safety camera systems and traffic control photographic systems in a first class city and providing a penalty. (FE)

AB 371 allows first-class cities to use automated red-light cameras at intersections with high accident rates (1.0+ annually over 5 years). It requires cities to place warning signs, capture images focused on license plates from behind, and limit camera use to no more than five intersections per city council district. Vehicle owners, not drivers, are liable for violations (like running red lights), with fines collected funding traffic safety programs - not general city budgets. Exceptions include stolen vehicles (reported within 7 days) or rentals/dealerships that provide lessee/operator details.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Traffic Safety

passed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 443: Relating to: eligibility of a highway for an agricultural roads improvement program grant. (FE)

This bill updates eligibility criteria for highways seeking agricultural road improvement grants. It adds a new requirement that an engineering analysis by a licensed professional must confirm a highway cannot safely handle heavy agricultural traffic. Previously, eligibility was based on structural deficiencies or posted weight restrictions. The change directly affects farmers and rural communities relying on specific highways for transporting equipment and crops.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 284: Relating to: a sustainable aviation fuel production tax credit. (FE)

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.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Airports

signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Dec 10, 2025

AB 409: Relating to: passing certain vehicles stopped on or near a highway and providing a penalty.

AB 409 makes it illegal to pass a stopped vehicle on or near a highway without exercising caution, creating a new traffic violation. It directly affects drivers who pass stopped vehicles, such as those involved in accidents or breakdowns, particularly near emergency or maintenance crews. The key provision establishes a specific penalty (fines or citations) for violating this rule, aiming to improve safety in highway stoppages. This bill updates traffic regulations to address unsafe passing behavior near stationary vehicles.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Roads & Highways

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 395: Relating to: equipment of school buses with audiovisual recording devices.

AB 395 requires school buses to be equipped with audiovisual recording devices to capture events during transportation. This mandate directly affects school districts and bus operators, who must install and maintain the devices. The key provision specifies that the recording systems must capture both audio and visual footage inside and around the bus, with data retention and privacy safeguards outlined in the bill. The legislation focuses on enhancing transparency during student transportation without specifying additional safety outcomes.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics School Safety School Transportation Public Transit

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 136: Relating to: school bus back-up lamps.

SB 136 amends school bus lighting rules to allow painted school buses (per §347.44(1)) to use specific safety features. It permits one amber or white back-up lamp on each side (mounted near wheels, with downward light direction), front and rear illuminated signs (steady, non-glaring light), and LED strobe lights meeting SAE J845 Class II standards. These changes directly affect school bus manufacturers, school districts, and the Department of Transportation (which will set installation rules). The bill updates existing safety equipment requirements without creating new mandates, focusing solely on technical specifications for lighting and signage.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Public Transit

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 393: Relating to: school bus operation by drivers over 70 and drivers with medical conditions.

AB 393 modifies restrictions on school bus drivers over 70 years old and those with certain medical conditions, allowing them to operate school buses under new medical review requirements. The bill requires school districts to implement a standardized medical evaluation process for qualifying drivers. This directly affects school bus drivers in these categories and their employers. The legislation is currently in the Assembly Transportation Committee after recent amendments.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Driver Licensing Public Transit

signed · Wisconsin · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 391: Relating to: equipment of school buses with audiovisual recording devices.

SB 391 clarifies that the requirement for school buses to be equipped with audiovisual recording devices applies to public school boards *and* the governing bodies of private or tribal schools. The bill amends existing law by replacing "board" with "board, or the governing body of a private school or tribal school" to explicitly include these entities. This change ensures all schools operating buses - public, private, or tribal - must comply with the recording device requirement. The bill does not create new requirements but specifies which school entities are subject to the existing mandate.

Topics ✓ Transportation

All transportation bills