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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Assembly Bill 235

Rural economic development programs administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and farm support grants. (FE)

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Apr 22, 2021. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 2, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 57 to 36

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 18 to 13

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Apr 22, 2021.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2022: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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What it would have done

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

This bill requires the governor to allocate $50,000,000 of the funds accepted under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to do all of the following:

1. Expend moneys for any economic development program WEDC is administering as of the date on which the bill becomes law if the expenditure assists economic development in a rural county.

Read the full summary

2. Expend moneys for any economic development program WEDC begins administering after the date on which the bill becomes law if the expenditure assists economic development in a rural county. The bill requires passive review by the Joint Committee on Finance before WEDC first expends moneys allocated under the bill on each such program and requires WEDC to adopt policies and procedures establishing, to the extent feasible, matching requirements for any such expenditure.

3. Subject to passive review by JCF, award grants to state agencies, including other authorities, if WEDC determines that a state agency's expenditure of the grant moneys will assist economic development in a rural county.

4. Award onetime grants to certain county and regional economic development organizations serving rural counties for the purpose of creating or expanding revolving loan funds that promote economic development and entrepreneurial start-ups in rural counties. The bill additionally authorizes WEDC to award limited onetime grants to such organizations for the organizations' program operations and marketing in rural counties.

With respect to WEDC's administration of all of the programs described above, the bill requires WEDC to make every effort to ensure that underserved communities in rural counties are prioritized. Additionally, under the bill, WEDC must submit a report to JCF no later than June 30 of each fiscal year in which WEDC expends moneys allocated under the bill that describes in detail WEDC's use of those moneys in that fiscal year.

The bill also requires the governor to allocate $50,000,000 of the funds accepted under ARPA for the Department of Revenue to provide grants to farmers. Under the bill, a farmer is eligible for a grant if the farmer's gross sales of farm products for 2019 exceeds $35,000 but not does exceed $5,000,000 and the farmer has experienced financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill directs DOR to consult with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in providing the grants.

Who's behind it

23 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 23 are Republicans.

6 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 29 names

Authors (23)

Signed on in support (6)

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 5 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Rural Development vote to recommend it

Passed, 8 to 5 · Apr 8, 2021

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 Rural Development, Ayes 8, Noes 5”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote

Passed, 57 to 37 · Apr 13, 2021 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (57)

No (37)

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

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 57 to 36 · Apr 13, 2021 · 5 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (57)

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

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Apr 14, 2021

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 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 18 to 13 · Apr 14, 2021 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 32 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

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

What happened

  1. May 17, 2022

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Apr 22, 2021

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Apr 21, 2021

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 14, 2021

    The Senate passed it too, 18 to 13.

  5. Apr 14, 2021

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  6. Apr 14, 2021

    The Senate received it.

  7. Apr 13, 2021

    The Assembly passed it, 57 to 36.

  8. Apr 13, 2021

    “Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken” (the official wording)

  9. Apr 13, 2021

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  10. Apr 12, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  11. Apr 8, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Apr 8, 2021

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 5.

  13. Apr 6, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Apr 6, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  15. Apr 2, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rural Development.

  16. Apr 2, 2021

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 2, 2021 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Armstrong, Tranel, Oldenburg, Born, Cabral-Guevara, Callahan, Duchow, Edming, James, Knodl, Krug, Kurtz, Moses, Mursau, Petryk, Plumer, Rozar, Snyder, Swearingen, Tusler, Vorpagel, Wittke and Zimmerman; cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Bernier, Feyen and Felzkowski

  2. Apr 2, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Rural Development

  3. Apr 6, 2021 · Assembly

    Representative Steffen added as a coauthor

  4. Apr 6, 2021 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  5. Apr 6, 2021 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Apr 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Apr 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Rural Development, Ayes 8, Noes 5

  8. Apr 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Apr 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 4-13-2021 by Committee on Rules

  10. Apr 12, 2021 · Assembly

    Representative Kitchens added as a coauthor

  11. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  12. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  13. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Anderson, Baldeh, Billings, Bowen, Brostoff, Cabrera, Conley, Considine, Doyle, Drake, Emerson, Goyke, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, Hong, McGuire, B. Meyers, Milroy, Moore Omokunde, L. Myers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Ortiz-Velez, Pope, Riemer, S. Rodriguez, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Stubbs, Subeck, Vining and Vruwink

  14. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken

  15. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair appealed

  16. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair upheld, Ayes 57, Noes 37

  17. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  18. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  19. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 57, Noes 36

  20. Apr 13, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  22. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  23. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-14-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  24. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Read a second time

  25. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  27. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 13

  28. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Apr 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  30. Apr 14, 2021 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  31. Apr 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 4-14-2021

  32. Apr 21, 2021 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-21-2021 by directive of the Speaker

  33. Apr 22, 2021 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-22-2021

  34. May 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-17-2022 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  35. May 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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