Assembly Bill 1068
Broadband expansion grants for cities, villages, towns, and counties and telecommunications-related construction projects of cities, villages, and towns. (FE)
Topics: Data processing, Municipality, Public Service Commission, Telecommunications
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
-
Introduced, passed
Feb 26, 2026
-
Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
-
Assembly vote, not reached
-
Senate vote, not reached
-
Governor, not reached
-
Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 30, 2026: “Senator Keyeski added as a cosponsor”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities. The committee's chair at the time was David Steffen. Chairs decide which bills get a hearing. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
Embed this on your site
Paste this code into your page. The card shows the latest record each time it loads. Preview the card
The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 1039. That version died when the session ended.
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 makes changes to the broadband expansion grant program that affect cities, villages, towns, and counties (political subdivisions). Under current law, the Public Service Commission administers the program and makes grants to eligible applicants for constructing broadband infrastructure in unserved areas. The bill allows a political subdivision to apply for a grant without submitting the application in partnership with a telecommunications utility or a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, which is required under current law. The bill also allows a political subdivision to use a grant for the following purposes, in addition to constructing broadband infrastructure: 1) planning related to broadband infrastructure construction, including broadband feasibility reports, and 2) defraying no more than 50 percent of the cost of hiring and employing one broadband director.
The bill also eliminates a requirement for a city, village, or town to prepare a report before constructing or operating a facility for providing to the public telecommunications service, cable television or similar video service, or broadband service. With exceptions, current law requires a city, village, or town to hold a hearing before enacting an ordinance or adopting a resolution authorizing it to construct or operate such a facility. In addition, at least 30 days prior to the hearing, the city, village, or town must prepare and make available to the public a report that estimates the total costs and revenues for the facility and includes a cost-benefit analysis of the facility for a period of at least three years. Under the bill, a city, village, or town is not required to prepare that report.
Who's behind it
16 representatives are its . All 16 are Democrats.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 23 names Hide the names
Authors (16)
- Clint Anderson · Democrat, Assembly
- Mike Bare · Democrat, Assembly
- Ben DeSmidt · Democrat, Assembly
- Joan Fitzgerald · Democrat, Assembly
- Alex Joers · Democrat, Assembly
- Maureen McCarville · Democrat, Assembly
- Vinnie Miresse · Democrat, Assembly
- Supreme Moore Omokunde · Democrat, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Ann Roe · Democrat, Assembly
- Joe Sheehan · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Angela Stroud · Democrat, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Angelito Tenorio · Democrat, Assembly
- Randy Udell · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (7)
- Sarah Keyeski · Democrat, Senate
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
-
Mar 30, 2026
1 more senator signed on in support.
-
Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
-
Mar 16, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Mar 4, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
Feb 26, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities.
-
Feb 26, 2026
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 26, 2026 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Udell, Stroud, Fitzgerald, Stubbs, Miresse, Sinicki, Moore Omokunde, Anderson, Bare, DeSmidt, Joers, McCarville, Ortiz-Velez, Roe, Sheehan and Tenorio; cosponsored by Senators Smith, Ratcliff, Spreitzer, Roys and Larson
- Feb 26, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities
- Mar 4, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Subeck added as a coauthor
- Mar 16, 2026 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Mar 30, 2026 · Assembly
Senator Keyeski added as a cosponsor
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