Senate Bill 1039
Broadband expansion grants for cities, villages, towns, and counties and telecommunications-related construction projects of cities, villages, and towns. (FE)
Topics: Data processing, Municipality, Public Service Commission, Telecommunications
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. 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
Feb 24, 2026
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 30, 2026: “Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor”
It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism. The committee's chair at the time was Julian Bradley. Chairs decide which bills get a hearing. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 1068. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill makes changes to the broadband expansion grant program that affect cities, villages, towns, and counties (political subdivisions). Under current law, the Public Service Commission administers the program and makes grants to eligible applicants for constructing broadband infrastructure in unserved areas. The bill allows a political subdivision to apply for a grant without submitting the application in partnership with a telecommunications utility or a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, which is required under current law. The bill also allows a political subdivision to use a grant for the following purposes, in addition to constructing broadband infrastructure: 1) planning related to broadband infrastructure construction, including broadband feasibility reports, and 2) defraying no more than 50 percent of the cost of hiring and employing one broadband director.
The bill also eliminates a requirement for a city, village, or town to prepare a report before constructing or operating a facility for providing to the public telecommunications service, cable television or similar video service, or broadband service. With exceptions, current law requires a city, village, or town to hold a hearing before enacting an ordinance or adopting a resolution authorizing it to construct or operate such a facility. In addition, at least 30 days prior to the hearing, the city, village, or town must prepare and make available to the public a report that estimates the total costs and revenues for the facility and includes a cost-benefit analysis of the facility for a period of at least three years. Under the bill, a city, village, or town is not required to prepare that report.
Who's behind it
5 senators are its . All 5 are Democrats.
17 more lawmakers .
See all 22 names Hide the names
Authors (5)
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (17)
- Mike Bare · Democrat, Assembly
- Brienne Brown · Democrat, Assembly
- Ben DeSmidt · Democrat, Assembly
- Joan Fitzgerald · Democrat, Assembly
- Alex Joers · Democrat, Assembly
- Sarah Keyeski · Democrat, Senate
- Maureen McCarville · Democrat, Assembly
- Vinnie Miresse · Democrat, Assembly
- Supreme Moore Omokunde · Democrat, Assembly
- Ann Roe · Democrat, Assembly
- Joe Sheehan · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Angela Stroud · Democrat, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Angelito Tenorio · Democrat, Assembly
- Randy Udell · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 30, 2026
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Mar 10, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 4, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Feb 24, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism.
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Feb 24, 2026
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Smith, Ratcliff, Spreitzer, Roys and Larson; cosponsored by Representatives Udell, Stroud, Fitzgerald, Stubbs, Miresse, Sinicki, Moore Omokunde, Brown, Bare, DeSmidt, Joers, McCarville, Roe, Tenorio and Sheehan
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism
- Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor
- Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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