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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 457

Vetoed Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: the conditions under which a school district may adopt a resolution to exceed its revenue limit. (FE)

Public instruction department of Referendum School — Administration School — Finance

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Assembly, completed
  3. Passes Senate, stopped here
  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 school board from adopting a resolution to initiate an operating or capital referendum unless the Department of Public Instruction certifies that the school board is in compliance with all applicable requirements to submit financial information to DPI. If a school board adopts a resolution without the required certification, the resolution and any referendum on the resolution are void.

Current law generally limits the total amount of revenue a school district may receive from general school aids and property taxes in a school year. However, there are several exceptions to the revenue limit. One exception is for excess revenue approved by referendum for recurring and nonrecurring purposes. This type of referendum is often referred to as an operating referendum. If the operating referendum is for a nonrecurring purpose, a school district’s authority to raise excess revenue is approved only for specific school years. Another exception to a school district revenue limit is an increase for funds needed to service general obligation debt issued by a school district, if the debt was approved by a referendum. This type of referendum is often referred to as a capital referendum.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Allen (R) , B. Jacobson (R) , Behnke (R) , Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Duchow (R) , Maxey (R) , Melotik (R) , Moses (R) , Murphy (R) , Nedweski (R) , O'Connor (R) , Penterman (R) , Steffen (R) , Wichgers (R)

3 cosponsors

Hutton (R) , Nass (R) , Tomczyk (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 2

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 Education, Ayes 8, Noes 3

Passed 8–3 Nov 7, 2025 official source full page

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

Assembly: SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND

Passed 52–44 Jan 15, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 52

Nay · 44

Not voting · 3

Assembly: SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND

Passed 52–44 Jan 15, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 52

Nay · 44

Not voting · 3

Assembly: PASSAGE

Passed 52–44 Jan 15, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 52

Nay · 44

Not voting · 1

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

Passed 3–2 Jan 16, 2026 official source full page

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

Senate: SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND

Passed 18–15 Jan 21, 2026 official source full page

Senate: CONCURRENCE

Passed 18–15 Jan 21, 2026 official source full page

Full history

  1. Sep 26, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Nedweski, Donovan, Allen, Behnke, Dittrich, Duchow, B. Jacobson, Maxey, Melotik, Moses, Murphy, O'Connor, Penterman, Steffen and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Hutton, Nass and Tomczyk

  2. Sep 26, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  3. Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  4. Oct 2, 2025 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Oct 17, 2025 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Oct 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 8, Noes 3

  8. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-15-2026 by Committee on Rules

  10. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative Sheehan

  11. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken

  12. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair appealed

  13. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair upheld, Ayes 52, Noes 44

  14. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Fitzgerald

  15. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

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

  16. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair appealed

  17. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair upheld, Ayes 52, Noes 44

  18. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  20. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 52, Noes 44, Paired 2

  21. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  23. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  24. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  25. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  26. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

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

  27. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  28. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Hesselbein, Smith, Spreitzer, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Dassler-Alfheim, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Wall, Wirch and Carpenter

  29. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Read a second time

  30. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Substitute Amendment 1 was not germane well taken

  31. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgment of the Senate, Ayes 18, Noes 15

  32. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  33. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  34. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 15

  35. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  36. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  37. Jan 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 1-22-2026

  38. Mar 26, 2026 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2026

  39. Mar 27, 2026 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-27-2026

  40. May 12, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  41. May 13, 2026 · Assembly

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