SB 618 allows renters who are veterans or surviving spouses to claim the property tax credit based on their rent payments instead of property taxes. The bill amends tax statutes to define "rent constituting property taxes" and permits eligible renters to file for this credit against their income taxes, with unused portions paid via state funds. It specifically applies to renters in veterans' principal dwellings, and couples filing separately can claim 50% of total rent paid. The law takes effect for taxable years beginning January 1, 2026. This expands an existing homeowner-focused credit to include qualifying renters without creating new funding.
AB 37 eliminates fees for Gold Star families who maintain or reissue special license plates displaying the Gold Star family symbol. It specifically removes the $15 annual or $30 biennial maintenance fees and $15 annual or $30 reissuance fees that would otherwise apply to these plates. The bill directly affects families of military members who died in service, ensuring they pay no additional costs for these plates beyond the initial application. This policy change modifies existing fee structures under Wisconsin statute 341.145(3) to provide fee-free plate maintenance and reissuance for this designated group.
AB 643 establishes November 11 (Veterans Day) as a state holiday when all state government offices must close. It directly affects state government employees (excluding limited-term staff) by adding Veterans Day as a recognized paid personal holiday, in addition to their existing 9-10 annual paid holidays. The bill amends statutes to include November 11 in the list of holidays requiring office closures and creates a new provision specifying that employees earn one additional paid personal holiday each year specifically for Veterans Day. This change clarifies the holiday schedule and ensures Veterans Day is treated as a standard paid holiday for state employees.
SB 59 expands Wisconsin's tuition assistance program to include veterans and their dependents attending private nonprofit colleges, not just University of Wisconsin System or technical college students. It creates a new grant program under Section 39.49, allowing eligible students enrolled in bachelor's or graduate programs at private institutions to receive tuition coverage (up to the amount charged) when maintaining a 2.0 GPA. The grant funds are paid directly to the private college to offset tuition costs, rather than to the student. This policy change specifically affects veterans and dependents seeking higher education at qualifying private institutions across Wisconsin.
SJR 49 designates May 14, 2025, and 2026, as Hmong-Lao Veterans Day in Wisconsin to honor veterans who served alongside U.S. forces in the Vietnam War. The resolution recognizes the historical contributions of Hmong-Lao fighters recruited by the U.S. during the war, their post-war displacement, and their resettlement in Wisconsin communities. It formally acknowledges their service through legislative recognition, building on existing state law (2021 Wisconsin Act 31) that already designates May 14 for this purpose. This commemorative resolution directly affects Hmong-Lao veterans and their families in Wisconsin, with no new policy requirements or funding impacts.
SB 387 amends state license and ID laws to allow veterans to indicate their service status on driver's licenses or state ID cards. It defines eligible veterans as former U.S. armed forces members discharged honorably, or reserve/guard members who completed their service with honorable conditions. This change directly affects veterans applying for or renewing licenses/ID cards in this state. The bill updates specific sections of the law (343.14 and 343.17) to implement this requirement, with no new benefits or costs specified.
SB 664 lowers the disability rating requirement for veterans and surviving spouses to qualify for the state property tax credit. Previously, claimants needed a 100% service-connected disability rating; this bill reduces that threshold to 70% or higher. It also creates a new provision allowing the credit amount to be calculated as a percentage of the full credit based on the veteran's actual disability rating (e.g., a 70% rating would yield 70% of the full credit). The bill directly affects veterans and surviving spouses with service-connected disabilities rated between 70% and 99%, who now qualify for a proportional tax credit. The change applies to taxable years beginning in the year the bill takes effect.
AB 27 expands eligibility for state veterans' benefits to include individuals who served in Laos supporting U.S. forces during the Vietnam War and were naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000. The bill updates state statutes to define these veterans as qualifying for property tax exemptions (under 36.27) and other benefit programs (under 38.24 and 45.01). It specifically adds them to eligibility criteria for benefits previously limited to other veteran categories. This change directly affects Hmong veterans residing in the state who meet the federal naturalization requirements. The bill passed committee unanimously and is now pending in the Rules committee.
AB 507 amends state civil service laws to adjust veteran preference policies for state government hiring. It repeals outdated sections and revises provisions related to veteran eligibility, removing age restrictions for veterans applying for positions and clarifying how preference points are calculated and applied. Specifically, it modifies rules so veterans and their spouses receive preference points without age limits, and updates procedures for adding qualified veterans to certification lists after initial hiring. These changes directly affect veterans seeking state civil service jobs and state hiring boards managing employment eligibility. The bill updates statutory language to align with current veteran preference practices under sections like 230.16 (7).
SB 2 expands veterans' burial benefits to cover individuals who served in Laos supporting U.S. efforts during the Vietnam War. It directly affects eligible veterans (including those covered by the federal Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000) who previously did not qualify for national cemetery burial under existing rules. The bill adds a new provision (45.61 (2) (e)) to state law, linking eligibility for burial benefits to the federal naturalization act for these veterans. This change creates a concrete policy update to include a specific group of veterans in existing burial benefit programs. The bill is currently referred to the Senate Rules Committee for further consideration.
