Assembly Bill 645
Grants for feasibility studies of school district consolidation or whole grade sharing. (FE)
Topics: Public Instruction, Department of, School: Consolidation or reorganization, School: State aid
Passed the Assembly, then stopped
The Assembly passed it on Nov 19, 2025, but the Senate never voted on it. A bill has to . The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Nov 10, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 19, 2025
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Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The Senate never voted on it.
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to concur in pursuant to ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 669. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Second chamber's vote
A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.
Official term: Concurrence. More in the glossary
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
The bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to award grants to reimburse consortia of two or more school boards for up to $25,000 of the costs of a feasibility study for school district consolidation or a whole grade sharing agreement. The bill specifies that a professional financial analysis, which may include a population study, of the effects of consolidation or whole grade sharing on the school districts, is eligible for reimbursement under the grant program. Under the bill, to be eligible for a grant for a feasibility study, each school board in a consortium must demonstrate that it has adopted a resolution to consider school district consolidation.
Current law provides additional funding to a consolidated school district during the first seven years after consolidation. Current law does not provide funding for feasibility studies or other costs to school districts that are considering school district consolidation or whole grade sharing.
Who's behind it
9 representatives are its . All 9 are Republicans.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Amanda Nedweski · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Shannon Zimmerman · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Rob Hutton · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Education vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 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 Education, Ayes 8, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Nov 20, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Education.
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Nov 20, 2025
The Senate received it.
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Nov 19, 2025
The Assembly passed it.
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Nov 18, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 13, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Nov 13, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 3.
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Nov 11, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Nov 10, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.
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Nov 10, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 10, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Zimmerman, Duchow, Kitchens, Nedweski, Armstrong, Gustafson, Murphy, O'Connor and Steffen; cosponsored by Senator Hutton
- Nov 10, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Education
- Nov 11, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 8, Noes 3
- Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 11-19-2025 by Committee on Rules
- Nov 13, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Zimmerman
- Nov 18, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 withdrawn and returned to author
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 20, 2025 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Nov 20, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Education
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Second chamber's vote
A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.
Official term: Concurrence. More in the glossary
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
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
Second chamber's vote
A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.
Official term: Concurrence
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote