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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 718

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: free state park admission for veterans and gold star families. (FE)

Family Motor vehicle State park Veteran

  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

Under current law, no person may operate a vehicle in any state park or in certain other recreational areas on state land unless the vehicle displays a vehicle admission receipt.

This bill provides that a vehicle admission receipt is not required for any vehicle occupied by a person who is a veteran under federal law or who qualifies under federal law for a gold star lapel button (commonly known as gold star family), which signifies that the recipient is the immediate family member of a member of the U.S. armed forces who died while serving during a time of conflict.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Carpenter (D) , Drake (D) , Habush Sinykin (D) , Hesselbein (D) , Jacque (R) , L. Johnson (D) , Larson (D) , Ratcliff (D) , Smith (D) , Spreitzer (D)

26 cosponsors

Anderson (D) , Arney (D) , Bare (D) , Behnke (R) , DeSanto (D) , Emerson (D) , J. Jacobson (D) , Joers (D) , Johnson (D) , Kaufert (R) , Keyeski (D) , McCarville (D) , Miresse (D) , Neubauer (D) , Palmeri (D) , Prado (D) , Rivera-Wagner (D) , Roe (D) , Sheehan (D) , Sinicki (D) , Snodgrass (D) , Stroud (D) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D) , Tenorio (D) , Udell (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. Dec 2, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Hesselbein, Habush Sinykin, Drake, Ratcliff, L. Johnson, Smith, Jacque, Carpenter, Larson and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives Sinicki, Rivera-Wagner, Miresse, Prado, Joers, DeSanto, Subeck, Palmeri, Stubbs, Udell, Sheehan, Kaufert, Roe, McCarville, Snodgrass, Bare, Tenorio, Arney, Behnke, Neubauer and Stroud

  2. Dec 2, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Veteran and Military Affairs

  3. Jan 5, 2026 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 5, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor

  5. Jan 20, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor

  6. Jan 26, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Anderson added as a cosponsor

  7. Jan 27, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Johnson added as a cosponsor

  8. Jan 28, 2026 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  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