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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 473

Local regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE)

Topics: Administration, Department of: Agency and general functions, Housing, Ordinance, Real property

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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Oct 2, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 449. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill requires political subdivisions with zoning ordinances to allow as a permitted use at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on each parcel that is zoned for residential use or mixed use on which an existing single-family dwelling is located. A permitted use under the bill is a use of property that complies with all requirements of the zoning district in which the property is located and for which no conditional use, variance, or special review or approval is required for an accessory dwelling unit. The bill specifically allows political subdivisions to 1) limit the size of an ADU to not larger than the square footage of the existing single-family dwelling, 2) limit the height of an ADU, other than an ADU that is a conversion of an existing legal nonconforming structure, to not greater than the maximum height permitted in the underlying zoning district, 3) require that an ADU satisfy current setback and lot coverage requirements, and 4) prohibit the use of an ADU created on a parcel after the effective date of the bill as a short-term rental.

Because this bill may increase or decrease, directly or indirectly, the cost of the development, construction, financing, purchasing, sale, ownership, or availability of housing in this state, the Department of Administration, as required by law, will prepare a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its ⁠. 3 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

19 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 24 names

Authors (5)

Signed on in support (19)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 2 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Insurance vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 12, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Insurance vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 12, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2026

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 6, 2026 to Mar 19, 2026

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  3. Feb 12, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  4. Feb 12, 2026

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  5. Oct 20, 2025

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  6. Oct 15, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  7. Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 10, 2025

    3 more representatives signed on in support.

  8. Oct 2, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.

  9. Oct 2, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Oct 2, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Bradley, Feyen, Roys, Wall and Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representatives Goeben, Brooks, Kreibich, O'Connor, Krug, Rivera-Wagner, Piwowarczyk, Murphy, Brill, Knodl, Summerfield, Behnke, Wichgers and Palmeri

  2. Oct 2, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry

  3. Oct 6, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Snodgrass added as a cosponsor

  4. Oct 7, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Miresse added as a cosponsor

  5. Oct 10, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor

  6. Oct 13, 2025 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Bradley

  7. Oct 15, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  8. Oct 20, 2025 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Feb 12, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Feb 12, 2026 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Feb 12, 2026 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  12. Feb 12, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Brown added as a cosponsor

  14. Mar 19, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor

  15. 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.

More in the glossary

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

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

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