Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: requirement for certain telecommunications providers to provide basic voice service.
Public service commission Telecommunications
- Introduced, completed
- Passes Senate, completed
- Passes Assembly, completed
- Governor signs, completed
- Law, completed
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill eliminates a provision enacted in
2011 Wisconsin Act 22
that has since been made ineffective. The provision required incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), to make basic voice service, defined as two-way voice communication service within a local calling area, available to all residential customers within the ILEC’s local exchange area. An ILEC is a telecommunications provider that resulted from the breakup of the Bell System pursuant to a federal antitrust action. The provision also required PSC to grant a waiver from this requirement when requested if in the public interest or if effective competition existed in the local exchange area. Current law sunsets these requirements after April 30, 2013.
Sponsors
Votes
Senate: Report passage recommended by Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism, Ayes 5, Noes 0
Passed 5–0 Oct 2, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Full history
- Aug 25, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Penterman, O'Connor, Gundrum, Dittrich, Knodl and Goodwin
- Aug 25, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism
- Sep 25, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 2, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 2, 2025 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 2, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 13, 2025 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Senator Ratcliff added as a coauthor
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 7, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 8, 2026 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 18, 2026 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2026
- Mar 20, 2026 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-20-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 109
- Mar 20, 2026 · Senate
Published 3-21-2026