Senate Bill 522
Establishing solar field designations and granting rule-making authority. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Aug 26, 2021
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 15, 2022: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Telecommunications. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill creates voluntary “pollinator friendly” and “agriculture friendly” designations for ground-mounted photovoltaic solar energy systems (solar installations). Under the bill, the Public Service Commission must designate a solar installation as a pollinator friendly solar installation if various requirements are satisfied, including that the site of the installation is managed to benefit habitat for pollinator species and other wildlife. PSC must consult with the Department of Natural Resources in promulgating rules that establish requirements for being designated as a pollinator friendly solar installation. PSC must also design an official logotype for use by owners or operators of pollinator friendly solar installations, and the logotype may be used to represent that the installation is pollinator friendly.
The bill also requires PSC to designate a solar installation as an agriculture friendly solar installation if various requirements are satisfied, including that the site of the installation is managed to promote agricultural productivity. PSC must consult with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in promulgating rules that establish requirements for being designated as an agriculture friendly solar installation. PSC must also design an official logotype for use by owners or operators of agriculture friendly solar installations, and the logotype may be used to represent that the installation is agriculture friendly.
Read the full summary Show less
A solar installation that satisfies the pollinator friendly installation requirements and the agriculture friendly installation requirements may receive both designations. Also, under the bill, PSC and cities, villages, towns, and counties may not require as a condition of approving a solar installation that the installation be designated as either a pollinator friendly or agriculture friendly solar installation.
Who's behind it
Rob Cowles, a Republican, is its .
7 more lawmakers .
See all 8 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (7)
- Deb Andraca · Democrat, Assembly
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Samba Baldeh · Democrat, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Loren Oldenburg · Republican, Assembly
- Lee Snodgrass · Democrat, Assembly
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.
What happened
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Mar 15, 2022
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Oct 8, 2021
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Sep 16, 2021
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Sep 9, 2021
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Aug 26, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Telecommunications.
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Aug 26, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Aug 26, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Cowles; cosponsored by Representatives Oldenburg, Armstrong, Snodgrass, Andraca, Mursau and Baldeh
- Aug 26, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities, Technology and Telecommunications
- Sep 9, 2021 · Senate
Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor
- Sep 16, 2021 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Sep 16, 2021 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 8, 2021 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 1, 2022 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Cowles
- Mar 15, 2022 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate