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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 638

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: the maximum compensation for compatibility with elective offices in cities, villages, and towns. (FE)

Municipality — Officers Town — Officers Village — Officers

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Generally under current law, the doctrine of compatibility holds that one person cannot hold two offices if one office is superior to another in some respect and the superior office makes decisions about the other office such that the duties exercised under each might conflict to the public detriment. An exception to this doctrine under current law provides that a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical services practitioner, or emergency medical responder in a city, village, or town whose annual compensation from one or more of those positions, including fringe benefits, does not exceed $25,000 if the city, village, or town has a population of 5,000 or less, or $15,000 if the city, village, or town has a population of has a population of more than 5,000, may also hold an elective office in that city, village, or town.

This bill increases those maximum annual compensation amounts to $35,000 in a city, village, or town with a population of 5,000 or less and $25,000 in a city, village, or town with a population of more than 5,000.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Dassler-Alfheim (D) , Jagler (R)

15 cosponsors

Anderson (D) , Dittrich (R) , Goeben (R) , J. Jacobson (D) , Kaufert (R) , Kitchens (R) , Knodl (R) , Mursau (R) , O'Connor (R) , Palmeri (D) , Sheehan (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Subeck and Ortiz-Velez , Wichgers (R) , Wirch (D)

Registered lobbying interests · 1

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Full history

  1. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Jagler and Dassler-Alfheim; cosponsored by Representatives Kitchens, Dittrich, Goeben, Kaufert, Knodl, Mursau, O'Connor, Sheehan and Wichgers

  2. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government

  3. Nov 24, 2025 · Senate

    Representatives Subeck and Ortiz-Velez added as cosponsors

  4. Dec 1, 2025 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Dec 3, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Wirch added as a coauthor

  6. Dec 9, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Palmeri added as a cosponsor

  7. Jan 26, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Anderson added as a cosponsor

  8. Mar 19, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Spreitzer added as a coauthor

  9. Mar 19, 2026 · Senate

    Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  10. Mar 23, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1