Senate Bill 285
Talent recruitment grants. (FE)
Topics: Economic Development Corporation, Wisconsin, Indians and tribal issues, Interstate relations, Municipality: Planning, Organization, Miscellaneous
Stopped before the full Senate voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Senate never voted on it. 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
May 30, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.
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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 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 279. 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.
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.
This bill directs the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to establish and administer an economic development program for the purpose of awarding grants for talent recruitment programs to incentivize households outside of this state to relocate to municipalities in this state.
An applicant is eligible for a grant under the bill if the applicant 1) is a city, village, town, county, or American Indian tribe or band in this state or a nonprofit organization with a mission that includes economic development, workforce and talent development, or community development; 2) provides WEDC with a talent recruitment program plan identifying the estimated costs and economic impacts of the program and the program’s total “household goal,” meaning the total number of households the program seeks to successfully incentivize to relocate or commit to relocate from outside this state to a municipality in this state; 3) demonstrates its ability to contribute at least 20 percent of the total program cost, which may include local investments and in-kind donations; and 4) if the applicant is a previous recipient of a grant under the bill, the applicant has met its household goal stated in the talent recruitment program plan for the previous grant. A recipient of a grant under the bill must provide WEDC with semiannual reports detailing information regarding talent recruitment program outcomes.
Read the full summary Show less
Under the bill, a household residing outside this state relocating to this state is eligible for incentives under a talent recruitment program if the household resides outside of this state at the time the household applies for incentives, has an individual household income of at least $55,000, and submits an application to the recipient of a grant under the bill.
Under the bill, no more than $500,000 in grant moneys may be awarded to support talent recruitment programming in a single municipality in a single fiscal year. WEDC must disburse 50 percent of the total grant award upon entering into a grant contract and 50 percent of the total grant award upon the recipient reporting to WEDC that it has successfully met 50 percent of its household goal. If the recipient fails to meet half of its household goal, WEDC may not disburse the remaining grant amount.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
8 more lawmakers .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- Brad Pfaff · Democrat, Senate
- Patrick Testin · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (8)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Todd Novak · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Swearingen · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Wittke · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Jun 12, 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 Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. 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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Jun 24, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jun 12, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Jun 11, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jun 10, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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May 30, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
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May 30, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 30, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Testin, Pfaff and Feyen; cosponsored by Representatives Armstrong, Kitchens, Kreibich, Mursau, Novak, Swearingen and Wittke
- May 30, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Jun 10, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jun 11, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jun 12, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jun 12, 2025 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Jun 12, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jun 24, 2025 · Senate
Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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