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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Assembly Bill 835

Sparsity aid, the revenue limit ceiling for school districts, and making an appropriation. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 12, 2018. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 12, 2018

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 13, 2018

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 31 to 1

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2017 Wisconsin Act 141

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 12, 2018: “Published 3-13-2018”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Revenue limit ceiling This bill increases the revenue limit ceiling for school districts to $9,400 in the 2018-19 school year, and then increases the ceiling by $100 each school year until the ceiling reaches $9,800 in the 2022-23 school year. However, the bill also provides that during the three school years following a school year in which an operating referendum fails in a school district, the school district's revenue limit ceiling is the revenue limit ceiling that applied in the school year during which the referendum was held.

Under current law, the formula for determining a school district's revenue limit does not apply to a school district with per pupil revenue that is less than the revenue limit ceiling. Instead, the school district is allowed to increase its per pupil revenue up to the revenue limit ceiling. The current revenue limit ceiling is $9,100.

Read the full summary

Sparsity aid Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, this bill increases the sparsity aid per pupil amount from $300 to $400. Under current law, a school district is eligible for sparsity aid if the school district's membership in the previous school year did not exceed 745 pupils and the school district's membership divided by the school district's area in square miles is less than ten. Current law also provides a reduced amount of sparsity aid to a school district that was eligible to receive sparsity aid in the previous school year but does not satisfy the criteria in the current school year.

Who's behind it

30 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 30 are Republicans.

8 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 38 names

Authors (30)

Signed on in support (8)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 8 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 14 to 1 · Feb 1, 2018

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 14, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote on an amendment

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 12, 2018

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 3 adoption recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote to recommend it

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 12, 2018

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 90 to 3 · Feb 13, 2018 · 5 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (90)

Didn't vote (5)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 16, 2018

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 20, 2018

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 20, 2018

See how each of the 32 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 31 to 1 · Feb 20, 2018

See how each of the 32 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

No (1)

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 12, 2018

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 12, 2018

    The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 141.

  3. Mar 8, 2018

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 20, 2018

    The Senate passed it too, 31 to 1.

  5. Feb 20, 2018

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  6. Feb 20, 2018

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane taken under advisement” (the official wording)

  7. Feb 16, 2018

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  8. Feb 14, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  9. Feb 14, 2018

    The Senate received it.

  10. Feb 13, 2018

    The Assembly passed it, 90 to 3.

  11. Feb 13, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it.

  12. Feb 12, 2018

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Feb 12, 2018

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 16 to 0.

  14. Feb 8, 2018

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  15. Feb 1, 2018

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  16. Feb 1, 2018

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 14 to 1.

  17. Jan 25, 2018

    The committee held a public hearing.

  18. Jan 23, 2018

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  19. Jan 19, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  20. Jan 12, 2018

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.

  21. Jan 12, 2018

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Nygren, Felzkowski, Mursau, Kitchens, Ballweg, Bernier, Born, Edming, Katsma, Kulp, Krug, Loudenbeck, Nerison, Novak, Petersen, Petryk, Pronschinske, Quinn, Rohrkaste, Spiros, Steffen, Summerfield, Swearingen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, VanderMeer, Vorpagel, Rodriguez and Steineke; cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Olsen, Testin, LeMahieu, Moulton and Tiffany

  2. Jan 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  3. Jan 19, 2018 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Representative Tusler added as a coauthor

  5. Jan 25, 2018 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Jan 31, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Pope

  7. Jan 31, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Bowen

  8. Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  9. Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 14, Noes 1

  10. Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly

    Referred to joint committee on Finance

  11. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Representative Gundrum added as a coauthor

  12. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  13. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Joint Committee on Finance

  14. Feb 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 3 adoption recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  15. Feb 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  16. Feb 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  17. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Rules and take up

  18. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  19. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 adopted

  20. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 90, Noes 3

  23. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  25. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  26. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  27. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  28. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-20-2018 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  29. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Bewley, Shilling, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Erpenbach, Vinehout and Johnson

  30. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senators Bewley, Shilling, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Erpenbach, Vinehout, Johnson and Schachtner

  31. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 offered by Senators Shilling, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Erpenbach, Carpenter, Vinehout, Johnson, Schachtner, L. Taylor and Bewley

  32. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a second time

  33. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 rejected

  34. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  35. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane taken under advisement

  36. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane well taken

  37. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  38. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  39. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  40. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 31, Noes 1

  41. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  42. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  43. Mar 1, 2018 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  44. Mar 1, 2018 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-1-2018

  45. Mar 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-8-2018

  46. Mar 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-12-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 141

  47. Mar 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Published 3-13-2018

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary