Senate Bill 451
The conditions under which a school district may adopt a resolution to exceed its revenue limit. (FE)
Topics: Public Instruction, Department of, Referendum, School: Administration, School: Finance
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
Sep 29, 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 457. That version was vetoed.
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 prohibits a school board from adopting a resolution to initiate an operating or capital referendum unless the Department of Public Instruction certifies that the school board is in compliance with all applicable requirements to submit financial information to DPI. If a school board adopts a resolution without the required certification, the resolution and any referendum on the resolution are void.
Current law generally limits the total amount of revenue a school district may receive from general school aids and property taxes in a school year. However, there are several exceptions to the revenue limit. One exception is for excess revenue approved by referendum for recurring and nonrecurring purposes. This type of referendum is often referred to as an operating referendum. If the operating referendum is for a nonrecurring purpose, a school district’s authority to raise excess revenue is approved only for specific school years. Another exception to a school district revenue limit is an increase for funds needed to service general obligation debt issued by a school district, if the debt was approved by a referendum. This type of referendum is often referred to as a capital referendum.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . All 3 are Republicans.
16 more lawmakers .
See all 19 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Rob Hutton · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (16)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Amanda Nedweski · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
- Chuck Wichgers · 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 · Jan 13, 2026
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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Jan 13, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Nov 19, 2025
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Nov 19, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 13, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Sep 29, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
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Sep 29, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Sep 29, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Hutton, Nass and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Nedweski, Donovan, Allen, Behnke, Dittrich, Duchow, B. Jacobson, Maxey, Melotik, Moses, Murphy, O'Connor, Penterman, Steffen and Wichgers
- Sep 29, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Oct 2, 2025 · Senate
LRB correction
- Oct 13, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 19, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Nov 19, 2025 · Senate
Senator Wanggaard added as a coauthor
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- 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