Senate Bill 421
A grant for modernization of a dam in the village of Rothschild. (FE)
Topics: Forestry, Marathon County, Natural Resources, Department of: Environmental protection, Waterways and water power
Became law
The governor signed it on Dec 10, 2025. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Sep 11, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Nov 18, 2025
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 19, 2025
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 63
Latest entry in the official record, Dec 10, 2025: “Published 12-10-2025”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 416. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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 does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under 2025 Act 15 , the biennial budget bill, the Joint Committee on Finance was appropriated $42,000,000 to supplement an appropriation to the Department of Natural Resources for providing financial assistance for the modernization of a dam on the Wisconsin River in the village of Rothschild.
This bill requires DNR to provide $42,000,000 to Domtar Paper Company, LLC, (Domtar) for modernization of a dam associated with the company’s mill in the village of Rothschild. The bill provides that, if Domtar does not commence the dam modernization project by December 31, 2026, it must return to the state the full amount of the financial assistance Domtar received from the state. The bill also provides that, if Domtar sells either its mill in the village of Rothschild or its mill in the city of Nekoosa prior to the completion of the dam modernization project, Domtar must return to the state any unexpended amount of the financial assistance Domtar received from the state.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill also provides that, if the total amount of financial assistance for the dam modernization project that Domtar receives from all sources exceeds two-thirds of the cost of the project, Domtar must return to the state the difference between two-thirds of the cost of the project and the total amount of financial assistance Domtar received for the project.
Finally, the bill also provides that Domtar must agree to invest a total of $100,000,000 in north central Wisconsin via its manufacturing facilities in the village of Rothschild and the city of Nekoosa within three years and to use roundwood and wood chips only from Wisconsin producers to produce products at its facilities in the village of Rothschild. If Domtar fails to comply with either requirement, they must return to the state the full amount of financial assistance Domtar received from the state.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 9 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Patrick Testin · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (7)
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Dassler-Alfheim and Ratcliff
- Karen Hurd · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Vinnie Miresse · Democrat, Assembly
- Pat Snyder · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · 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 Insurance vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 23, 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 Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Dec 10, 2025
The new law was published.
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Dec 10, 2025
The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 63.
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Dec 4, 2025
Sent to the governor.
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Nov 19, 2025
The Assembly passed it too.
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Nov 19, 2025
“Read” (the official wording)
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Nov 19, 2025
The Assembly received it.
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Nov 18, 2025
2 more senators signed on in support.
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Nov 18, 2025
The Senate passed it.
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Oct 23, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Oct 17, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Oct 9, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Sep 30, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Sep 11, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.
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Sep 11, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Sep 11, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Tomczyk and Testin; cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Hurd, B. Jacobson, Snyder and Spiros
- Sep 11, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry
- Sep 30, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 9, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 17, 2025 · Senate
Representative Miresse added as a cosponsor
- Oct 23, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 23, 2025 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 23, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a second time
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Senators Dassler-Alfheim and Ratcliff added as coauthors
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Read
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from Senate message and take up
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 20, 2025 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Nov 24, 2025 · Senate
LRB correction
- Nov 24, 2025 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Dec 4, 2025 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 12-4-2025
- Dec 10, 2025 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 12-9-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 63
- Dec 10, 2025 · Senate
Published 12-10-2025
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
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