Senate Bill 559
Authorizing community solar programs and granting rule-making authority. (FE)
Topics: Electric utility, Energy conservation, Ordinance, Public Service Commission
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. 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
Oct 24, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Senate vote, not reached
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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 ”
It sat with the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 493. 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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill authorizes the establishment of community solar programs through which retail electric customers of an investor-owned electric utility may subscribe to a community solar facility and receive credits to their electric bills for electricity produced by the facility. Under the bill, entities called subscriber organizations may own or operate community solar facilities, which use solar energy to produce electricity. Retail electric customers may enter into a contract (subscription) with a subscriber organization through which the customers receive credits towards their electric bill based on their subscriptions. A subscriber and the community solar facility to which the subscriber subscribes must be located within the service territory of the same investor-owned electric utility. In addition, a subscriber may not receive an annual value of bill credits that exceeds the subscriber’s average annual electric bill. Also, under the bill, subscribers may not receive any state subsidy for which generating electricity from a renewable energy resource is a criteria for eligibility nor may subscribers receive any payment or other benefit from a tax incremental district.
The bill requires an investor-owned electric utility whose service territory includes subscribers to a community solar facility to credit the electric bills of the subscribers based on their subscriptions. PSC must promulgate rules allowing for establishment of community solar facilities and for subscribers to receive electric bill credits for their subscriptions. Under the bill, PSC’s community solar program rules must also satisfy various other requirements, including that the rules must modify existing interconnection standards, fees, and processes to facilitate interconnection of community solar facilities with the electric distribution grid. The rules must also require subscriber organizations to maintain proof of financial responsibility ensuring the availability of funds for decommissioning community solar facilities. PSC’s rules must also provide that bill credits may not reduce a subscriber’s monthly electric bill, including fixed charges, below $20. Four years after the rules take effect, PSC must submit a report to the legislature evaluating the costs and benefits of community solar programs.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill limits the total nominal capacity of community solar facilities established in this state to 1,750 megawatts. PSC must apportion the total nominal capacity limit among the investor-owned electric utilities having a service territory within this state, and the apportionment must be based on each utility’s proportion of the total electric load served in this state. A community solar facility may not be established within the service territory of an investor-owned electric utility if the nominal capacity of the facility plus the total nominal capacity of the community solar facilities already established within the service territory of the utility exceeds the capacity limit apportioned to the utility by the PSC. The bill also provides that PSC must promulgate rules that prohibit community solar facilities placed in service after December 31, 2035, from entering the program.
The bill also specifies that community solar facilities are subject to the zoning ordinances applicable to the parcels on which they are located. Also under the bill, with some exceptions, no building permit for a structure that is part of a community solar facility may be issued unless the municipality with zoning authority over the parcels on which the community solar facility is to be located approves the use of those parcels for purposes of a community solar facility by a two-thirds vote of the governing body of the municipality. The bill also subjects the community solar facilities of subscriber organizations to property taxation. Generally under current law, a person engaged in generating electricity for others is exempt from property taxation but is instead subject to a tax based on gross revenues.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . All 3 are Republicans.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
- Patrick Testin · Republican, Senate
- Eric Wimberger · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (11)
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Dec 9, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Nov 17, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 14, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Nov 12, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Oct 24, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
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Oct 24, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 24, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Testin, Quinn and Wimberger; cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Dittrich, Gundrum, Gustafson, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Spiros and Tusler
- Oct 24, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Nov 12, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor
- Nov 17, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 9, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- 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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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