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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 545

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: course fees at University of Wisconsin System institutions. (FE)

University of wisconsin — Courses University of wisconsin — Tuition

  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

Current law authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to establish tuition and fees for educational programs, including special course fees.

This bill prohibits a UW System institution from charging a student an online course fee for enrolling in a course offered exclusively online unless the fee is charged to cover the institution’s actual costs in offering the course online that would not be incurred if students attended the course in person.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Behnke (R) , Dittrich (R) , Gundrum (R) , Knodl (R) , Kreibich (R) , Melotik (R) , Murphy (R) , O'Connor (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Wichgers (R)

2 cosponsors

Hutton (R) , Nass (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 1

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 Colleges and Universities, Ayes 7, Noes 4

Passed 7–4 Jan 22, 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. Oct 15, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Melotik, Murphy, Behnke, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Dittrich and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Hutton and Nass

  2. Oct 15, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities

  3. Nov 10, 2025 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 8, 2026 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  7. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  8. Feb 5, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Melotik

  9. Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-12-2026 by Committee on Rules

  10. Feb 12, 2026 · Assembly

    Laid on the table

  11. Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1