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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 421

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: prohibiting rights of nature ordinances. (FE)

Natural resource Ordinance

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Assembly, not reached
  3. Passes Senate, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill prohibits a city, village, town, or county from enacting a “rights of nature ordinance,” meaning an ordinance conferring legal rights to a natural resource to exist, to be protected against pollution, or to maintain a healthy ecosystem.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Behnke (R) , Brill (R) , Goeben (R) , Gustafson (R) , Moses (R) , Murphy (R) , Nedweski (R) , Wichgers (R)

2 cosponsors

Nass (R) , Tomczyk (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 6

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Votes

Assembly: Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 4, Noes 2

Passed 4–2 Jan 30, 2026 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Full history

  1. Sep 15, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Goeben, Brill, Moses, Gustafson, Murphy, Behnke, Nedweski and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Nass and Tomczyk

  2. Sep 15, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. Sep 22, 2025 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 21, 2026 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 29, 2026 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Jan 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 4, Noes 2

  7. Jan 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  8. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:19 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14

  9. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Laid on the table

  10. Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1