(1) Date of publication. Notwithstanding s. 35.095 (3) (a), the legislative reference bureau shall publish this act immediately upon the governor’s signature.
(2) Required general fund structural balance. Section 20.003 (4m) shall not apply to the actions of the legislature in enacting any legislation during the 2025-26 legislative session.
15,9132Section 9132. Nonstatutory provisions; Natural Resources. (1) Snowmobile trail and project aids lapse. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (c), the balance of the appropriation account under s. 20.370 (5) (cr) that is unencumbered on June 30, 2025, is lapsed to the conservation fund and credited to the snowmobile account of the conservation fund.
(3) Transfer to the nonpoint account. Of the moneys described in s. 25.46 (1) that are received for the purpose of environmental management, except the moneys described in s. 25.46 (1) (ej), (ek), (hm), (j), (jj), (t), and (u), $3,195,200 shall, in fiscal year 2025-26, and $3,825,200 shall, in fiscal year 2026-27, be considered to have been received for the purpose of nonpoint source water pollution abatement. These moneys shall be in addition to the moneys considered to have been received for the purpose of nonpoint source water pollution abatement under s. 25.46 (2m).
(4) Grant to Iowa County for CTH C construction project. During the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (7) (mr), the department of natural resources shall award a grant of $500,000 to Iowa County for the maintenance and construction of CTH C between STH 23 and USH 14. The department of natural resources shall award the grant under this subsection notwithstanding the certification and prioritization requirements of s. 84.28 (1).
(5) Wisconsin River retaining wall reconstruction. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (hs), the department of natural resources shall award a grant in the amount of $500,000 to the city of Wisconsin Rapids for reconstruction of a retaining wall as part of the Wisconsin Rapids Riverbank Project.
(6) Town of Norway water abatement. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (6) (at), the department of natural resources shall award a grant in the amount of $100,000 to the town of Norway in Racine County to assist with the mitigation of water runoff from STH 36.
(7) Deerskin River dredging. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (kr), the department of natural resources shall make a grant in the amount of $1,750,000 to the town of Washington in Vilas County for dredging the Deerskin River.
(8) Lake Vista shoreline stabilization. From the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (jr), in fiscal year 2025-26, the department of natural resources shall award a grant in the amount of $2,200,000 to the city of Oak Creek for environmental remediation and redevelopment of Lake Vista Park.
(9) Green Lake Association sediment inactivation grant. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (kq), the department of natural resources shall award a grant in the amount of $250,000 to the Green Lake Association for sediment inactivation in the Silver Creek Estuary and the County K Marsh.
(10) Forest-industry-wide strategic plan. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, the department of natural resources shall award a grant of $1,000,000 from the appropriation under s. 20.370 (2) (mq) jointly to the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin Paper Council to research and develop a recommended forest-industry-wide strategic plan for this state. Upon completion, the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin Paper Council shall provide this research and recommended plan to the council on forestry. No later than December 31, 2027, the council on forestry shall provide a report detailing the research outcomes and recommendations to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3).
(11) Dredging project on Manitowoc River. From the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (ma), the department of natural resources shall expend $70,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 for a dredging project on the Manitowoc River at the Town of Brillion.
Section 9134. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Instruction.
(1) Grants to Lakeland STAR Academy. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the department of public instruction shall distribute the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (ag) to the Lakeland Union High School District for the Lakeland STAR Academy.
15,9137Section 9137. Nonstatutory provisions; Revenue. (1) Division of alcohol beverages.
(a) Position and employee transfer. On the effective date of this paragraph, 1 full-time equivalent attorney position, and the incumbent employee who holds that position, in the department of revenue, as determined by the secretary of revenue, is transferred to the division of alcohol beverages.
(b) Employee status. The employee transferred under par. (a) has all the rights and the same status under ch. 230 in the division of alcohol beverages that the employee enjoyed in the department of revenue immediately before the transfer. Notwithstanding s. 230.28 (4), if the employee transferred under par. (a) has attained permanent status in class, the employee is not required to serve a probationary period.
15,9138Section 9138. Nonstatutory provisions; Safety and Professional Services. (1) Call center positions. Notwithstanding s. 230.27 (1), the termination date of 5 PR call center office operations associate project positions provided to the department of safety and professional services under 2023 Wisconsin Act 19 is September 30, 2028.
15,9143Section 9143. Nonstatutory provisions; Tourism. (1) Grant to Taliesin Preservation, Inc. From the appropriation under s. 20.380 (1) (c), in the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the department of tourism shall award a grant to Taliesin Preservation, Inc., for restoration projects at Taliesin.
15,9144Section 9144. Nonstatutory provisions; Transportation. (1) Washburn County underpass. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (fq), the department of transportation shall award a grant to of $1,900,000 to Washburn County for construction of an underpass beneath STH 53 to connect the Wild Rivers State Trail to services and facilities. The grant under this subsection shall be awarded notwithstanding limitations on the amount and use of aids or eligibility requirements under s. 86.31.
(2) Columbia County railroad bridge repairs. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (bs), the department of transportation shall make a grant of $100,000 to Columbia County, to be distributed to the appropriate local governments to conduct repairs to railroad bridges at the following locations in Columbia County:
(a) CTH A in the town of Courtland.
(b) Inglehart Road in the town of Scott.
(c) Sterk Road in the town of Scott.
(3) Noise barriers on I 894 and I 41. During the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (3) (cq), the department of transportation shall allocate $9,100,000 for the construction of noise attenuation barriers along I 894, from 76th Street to 92nd Street, and along I 41, from 500 feet north of Beloit Road to West Howard Avenue, in Milwaukee County.
(4) Lakeland Airport repairs and improvements. Notwithstanding s. 114.34, in the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (dq), the department of transportation shall award a grant of $195,500 to Lakeland Airport in the town of Arbor Vitae in Vilas County for repair and improvement of taxiways and runways and installation of an approach lighting system at the Lakeland Airport.
(5) Village of Warrens Zeda Street project. From the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (fw), not later than June 30, 2027, the department of transportation shall award a grant in the amount of $25,000 to the village of Warrens for costs incurred by the village for improvements to Zeda Street in the village of Warrens.
(6) South bridge connector rail crossing. In the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (bt), the department of transportation shall commence a project to construct a grade-separated rail crossing at the location where the south bridge connector project crosses the easternmost rail line west of the Fox River in the city of De Pere. The department may expend up to $30,000,000 under this subsection.
(7) Menominee harbor.
(a) In the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (cq), the department of transportation shall expend up to $15,000,000 for the Menominee harbor dredging project.
(b) This subsection does not apply unless contributions to the Menominee harbor dredging project are also provided by the U.S. army corps of engineers and the state of Michigan.
(8) Brown County port development. In the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriations under ss. 20.395 (2) (cq) and 20.866 (2) (uv), notwithstanding the criteria under s. 85.095, the department of transportation shall award a grant under s. 85.095 (2) (a) to Brown County for port development. The amount of the grant awarded under this subsection is the total cost of the project up to $20,000,000.
(9) Village of DeForest interchange improvement. Notwithstanding limitations on the amount and use of aids provided under s. 86.31 or eligibility requirements for receiving aids under s. 86.31, in the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (fq), the department of transportation shall award a grant to the village of DeForest for improvements to the I 39/CTH “V” interchange. The grant under this subsection shall be in the amount of $4,000,000.
(10) Western Waukesha County I 94 corridor study.
(a) Notwithstanding s. 13.489 (1m) (e), the department of transportation shall commence the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for a project for the improvement and expansion of I 94 in Waukesha County between the intersection with CTH “SS” and the Jefferson County border, including all interchanges and work on local roads necessary for the completion of the project. The department of transportation shall commence the study not later than the end of June 2027.
(b) If the study under par. (a) is complete before the deadline under par. (a), the department of transportation may commence performing engineering and design work for the project described under par. (a).
(c) The department of transportation may spend up to $8,000,000 on the study and engineering and design work under this subsection. This subsection shall be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (3) (bq).
15,9147Section 9147. Nonstatutory provisions; University of Wisconsin System. (1) Funding for Rising Phoenix program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (m), the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall allocate $1,000,000 in the fiscal year that begins in 2025 for the Rising Phoenix Early College High School Program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
(2) High-demand fields of study. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall submit to the joint committee on employment relations, using the process described in s. 230.12 (3) (e) 1., a proposal for use of the money appropriated under s. 20.285 (1) (fa) to attract faculty in high-demand fields of study. The Board of Regents may expend money from the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (fa) only for purposes approved by the joint committee on employment relations under this subsection. In addition, the Board of Regents may not expend money from the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (fa) unless the Board of Regents has submitted to the joint committee on employment relations the proposal related to credit transfer policies required under s. 36.11 (3) (b) and the proposed guidelines and buyout policy under s. 36.115 (10) (e) and (f).
(3) Virtual mental health services pilot program.
(a) The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall create a virtual mental health pilot program that expands the provision of student virtual mental health services at institutions, as defined in s. 36.05 (9), that have not more than 30,000 full-time enrolled undergraduate students, as such enrollment was counted on the preceding April 1.
(b) The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall contract with a vendor for the provision of virtual mental health services in the pilot program created under par. (a).
(4g) Study of University of Wisconsin System organizational efficiency.
(a) No later than December 31, 2026, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall produce an organizational review and efficiency study with a focus on declining student enrollment and future operational analysis. The Board of Regents shall contract by means of competitive bid with an auditing firm or business consultancy with experience in analyzing higher educational institutions.
(b) The study shall focus on an in-depth analysis of organizational efficiency, administrative processes, resource allocation, inventory of operations, and programming. The study shall examine key performance indicators such as cost per student, time-to-degree completion, and faculty-to-administrator ratios with a goal to identify redundancies and opportunities for streamlining operations.
(c) The study’s research may include interviews of key stakeholders, such as administrators, faculty, and students. The study shall also evaluate the administrative processes at the institutions of the University of Wisconsin System and what can be done to improve them.
(d) The study shall assess the role of technology in reducing workloads and improving the systems already in place. The study may explore how interdepartmental communication and collaboration impact overall efficiency, particularly in areas like curriculum development and facilities management.
(e) The anticipated outcomes of the study may include a comprehensive efficiency report, a set of evidence-based recommendations for organizational improvement, and a scalable framework for other universities to assess and improve their operational efficiency.
(f) Upon completion of the study under par. (a), the Board of Regents shall submit the study results to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3).
15,9150Section 9150. Nonstatutory provisions; Workforce Development. (1) Wisconsin Fast Forward; health care industry training. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b), in each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the department of workforce development shall allocate $250,000 for grants under s. 106.27 (1) to support training in the health care industry.
(2) Emergency rules; health service fee schedule. Using the procedure under s. 227.24, the department of workforce development may promulgate rules required under s. 102.423 (5) as emergency rules. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this subsection remain in effect until July 1, 2028, or the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
15,9219Section 9219. Fiscal changes; Health Services. (1) Institutional operations and charges transfer. There is transferred from the general fund to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (2) (gk) $15,800,000 in fiscal year 2025-26.
15,9223Section 9223. Fiscal changes; Insurance. (1) Health insurance risk-sharing plan balance transfer. Any balance of moneys that was credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.145 (5) (g), 2013 stats., or s. 20.145 (5) (k), 2013 stats., and that was not lapsed as a result of 2015 Wisconsin Act 55 is transferred in fiscal year 2025-26 to the appropriation account under s. 20.145 (1) (g).
15,9232Section 9232. Fiscal changes; Natural Resources. (1) 5r processors cleanup funding lapse. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (c), the unencumbered balance of s. 20.370 (4) (hs) on the effective date of this subsection is lapsed to the environmental fund and credited to the environmental management account of the environmental fund.
(2) Forestry account transfer. There is transferred from the forestry account in the conservation fund to the fish and wildlife account in the conservation fund $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2025-26. There is transferred $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2026-27.
Section 9238. Fiscal changes; Safety and Professional Services.
(1) Credential fee revenue lapse. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), from the appropriation account to the department of safety and professional services under s. 20.165 (1) (g), there is lapsed to the general fund $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2025-26.
15,9244Section 9244. Fiscal changes; Transportation. (1) Transfer from general fund to transportation fund. In fiscal year 2025-26, there is transferred from the general fund to the transportation fund $580,000,000.
15,9248Section 9248. Fiscal changes; Veterans Affairs. (1) Veterans homes institutional operations. There is transferred from the general fund to the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (1) (gk) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 for the institutional operations of the state veterans homes.
(2) Flagpole installation for veterans homes. There is transferred from the general fund to the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (1) (gk) $100,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 to support the department of veterans affairs’ installation of flagpole-related infrastructure at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King and the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.
15,9251Section 9251. Fiscal changes; Other. (1) Transfer to the capital improvement fund. In fiscal year 2025-26, there is transferred from the general fund to the capital improvement fund $326,500,000.
(3) Interest earnings transfer; grants for local construction projects. In fiscal year 2025-26, from the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (1) (mb), of the interest earnings in that appropriation, there is transferred to s. 20.867 (3) (m) $50,000,000.
15,9334Section 9334. Initial applicability; Public Instruction. (1) High cost transportation aid. The treatment of s. 121.59 (2) (a) first applies to aid paid in the 2025-26 school year.
(2) School district revenue limits; definition of state aid. The treatment of s. 121.90 (2) (am) 2. first applies to the calculation of revenue limits for the 2025-26 school year.
15,9337Section 9337. Initial applicability; Revenue. (1) Property tax exemption for telecommunication towers. The treatment of s. 70.11 (48) first applies to the property tax assessments as of January 1, 2026.
(2) Telephone company tax exemption for telecommunication towers. The treatment of s. 76.81 (1) first applies to the telephone company tax assessments as of January 1, 2027.
15,9342Section 9342. Initial applicability; Technical College System. (1) Technical college district board revenue limits; definition of revenue. The treatment of s. 38.16 (3) (a) 2w. first applies to the calculation of district boards’ allowable revenue for the 2025-26 school year.
15,9400Section 9400. Effective dates; general. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 9401 to 9451 of this act, this act takes effect immediately upon publication. 15,9401Section 9401. Effective dates; Administration. (1) Grant to Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Inc. The repeal of s. 20.505 (1) (aj) takes effect on July 1, 2027.
(2) Cash payment for compensatory time off prohibited. The treatment of s. 230.125 takes effect on January 1, 2026.
15,9406Section 9406. Effective dates; Children and Families. (1) Foster care and kinship care rates. The treatment of ss. 48.57 (3m) (am) (intro.) and (3n) (am) (intro.) and 48.62 (4) (a) takes effect on January 1, 2026, or on the day after publication, whichever is later.
