Senate Bill 654
Exempting persons engaged in certain contract research services from the sales and use tax. (FE)
Topics: Industrial development, Legislature: Tax Exemptions, Joint Survey Committee on, Sales tax: Exemption
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
Nov 14, 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 670. That version became law.
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 exempts persons engaged in contract research services from the sales and use tax for the purchase of machinery and equipment that is consumed or destroyed in use exclusively for qualified research. Under the bill, “contract research services” is research conducted by a person for a customer that, if conducted by employees of the customer, would constitute qualified research. Current law provides a sales and use tax exemption for the purchase of machinery and equipment that is consumed or destroyed in use exclusively for qualified research by persons engaged in manufacturing on manufacturing property and by persons engaged primarily in biotechnology.
Because this bill relates to an exemption from state or local taxes, it may be referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions for a report to be printed as an appendix to the bill.
Who's behind it
Howard Marklein, a Republican, is its .
3 more lawmakers .
See all 4 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (3)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
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 5 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 14, 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 Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue vote to recommend it
Passed, 7 to 1 · Jan 14, 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 Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Joint Committee on Finance vote on an amendment
Passed, 15 to 0 · Feb 3, 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 Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Joint Committee on Finance vote to recommend it
Passed, 15 to 0 · Feb 3, 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 Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 9 to 0 · Feb 10, 2026
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report of Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions received, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. 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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Feb 10, 2026
“Report of Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions received, Ayes 9, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Feb 3, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 15 to 0.
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Feb 3, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Jan 29, 2026
Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.
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Jan 14, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 1.
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Jan 14, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 8, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Jan 13, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 6, 2026
“Report of Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions requested” (the official wording)
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Dec 1, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 14, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue.
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Nov 14, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Marklein; cosponsored by Representatives Armstrong, Dittrich and Steffen
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and Revenue
- Dec 1, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 6, 2026 · Senate
Report of Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions requested
- Jan 8, 2026 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Marklein
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 7, Noes 1
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 29, 2026 · Senate
Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)
- Feb 3, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 3, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0
- Feb 3, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0
- Feb 3, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Report of Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions received, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- 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