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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 781

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: excluding costs funded by referenda from shared costs for the purpose of determining general equalization aids for school districts. (FE)

Referendum School — State aid

  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

A school district's shared cost is one of the factors used to calculate a school district's equalization aid. Generally, under current law, a school district's shared cost is the sum of the school district's expenditures from its general fund and its debt service fund. Under this bill, expenditures from either a school district's general fund or debt service fund that are authorized by an operating or capital referendum held after the date on which this bill becomes law are excluded from the school district's shared costs. If a school district is a negative tertiary school district, which means its equalized valuation exceeds the tertiary guaranteed valuation per member, the result of excluding these expenditures from shared costs may result in an increase in the amount of state aid paid to the school district.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Bradley (R) , Feyen (R) , Kapenga (R)

16 cosponsors

Allen (R) , Behnke (R) , Brill (R) , Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Goeben (R) , Gundrum (R) , Knodl (R) , Krug (R) , Maxey (R) , Melotik (R) , Murphy (R) , O'Connor (R) , Penterman (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Wichgers (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 2

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 12, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Kapenga, Bradley and Feyen; cosponsored by Representatives Maxey, Krug, Allen, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Donovan, Goeben, Gundrum, Knodl, Melotik, Murphy, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and Wichgers

  2. Dec 12, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  3. Jan 8, 2026 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Mar 23, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1