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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Assembly Bill 602

Participating in the federal tax credit program for contributions to scholarship granting organizations

Topics: Administration, Department of: Agency and general functions, Colleges and universities, Federal-state relations, Governor, Income tax: Credit, Organization, Miscellaneous, Scholarships and loans, United States: Treasury, Department of

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Mar 30, 2026. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Oct 29, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 54 to 44

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 18 to 15

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Mar 30, 2026.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 13, 2026: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 600. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

The federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, P.L.

119-106 , created a federal tax credit for qualifying contributions to scholarship granting organizations. For purposes of this tax credit, federal law defines a “qualifying contribution” as a charitable contribution of cash to a scholarship granting organization that uses the contribution to fund scholarships for eligible students solely within the state that includes the scholarship granting organization on a list submitted by the state to the U.S. secretary of the treasury. Under federal law, participation in this tax credit program is optional for states. The tax credit applies to a state only if the governor of the state or another individual, agency, or entity designated under state law to make such election with respect to federal tax benefits voluntarily elects to participate in the program.

Read the full summary

This bill requires the governor to make the necessary election for this state to participate in the federal tax credit program described above beginning with the taxable year beginning after December 31, 2026. The bill also requires the Department of Administration to annually submit to the U.S. secretary of the treasury a list of scholarship granting organizations located in this state to which qualifying contributions may be made and to comply with federal law, including any regulations or guidance issued by the U.S. secretary of the treasury related to the tax credit program, to ensure the state is eligible to participate in the tax credit program in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.

Who's behind it

21 representatives are its ⁠. All 21 are Republicans.

11 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 32 names

Authors (21)

Signed on in support (11)

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Ways and Means vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 3 · Nov 13, 2025

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Ways and Means, Ayes 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 54 to 44 · Nov 19, 2025 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (54)

No (44)

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Jan 9, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 18 to 15 · Jan 21, 2026

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 13, 2026

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Mar 30, 2026

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Mar 26, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 21, 2026

    The Senate passed it too, 18 to 15.

  5. Jan 21, 2026

    “Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and taken up” (the official wording)

  6. Jan 21, 2026

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  7. Jan 9, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  8. Jan 6, 2026

    The committee held a public hearing.

  9. Nov 20, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Education.

  10. Nov 20, 2025

    The Senate received it.

  11. Nov 19, 2025

    The Assembly passed it, 54 to 44.

  12. Nov 13, 2025

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Nov 13, 2025

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 3.

  14. Nov 5, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Oct 30, 2025

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  16. Oct 29, 2025

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means.

  17. Oct 29, 2025

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Oct 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Rodriguez, Franklin, Behnke, Dittrich, Donovan, Goeben, Green, Gundrum, B. Jacobson, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Nedweski, O'Connor, Penterman, Spiros, Steffen, Tusler, Wichgers, Wittke and Gustafson; cosponsored by Senators Felzkowski, Hutton, Wanggaard, Jagler, James, Kapenga, Nass, Quinn, Tomczyk and Wimberger

  2. Oct 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Ways and Means

  3. Oct 30, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative Melotik added as a coauthor

  4. Nov 5, 2025 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Nov 12, 2025 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Ways and Means, Ayes 5, Noes 3

  7. Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  8. Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 11-19-2025 by Committee on Rules

  9. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  10. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  11. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  12. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 54, Noes 44

  13. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  14. Nov 20, 2025 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  15. Nov 20, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Education

  16. Jan 6, 2026 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  17. Jan 9, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  18. Jan 9, 2026 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  19. Jan 9, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

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

  21. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Read a second time

  22. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Referred to joint committee on Finance

  23. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and taken up

  24. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  26. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

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

  27. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  29. Jan 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 1-23-2026

  30. Mar 26, 2026 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2026

  31. Mar 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-30-2026

  32. May 12, 2026 · Assembly

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

  33. May 13, 2026 · Assembly

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

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary