Bills by subject

Waterways and water power

58 bills and resolutions. 15 became law, 2 were vetoed, and 19 never got a public hearing. They span 3 sessions, from the 2009–10 session to the 2025–26 session.

This is the Legislature's own subject heading, not our category, so a bill is here only if the Legislature filed it under this term. Each count comes from the bill's official history.

Latest activity

The 5 bills on this subject with the newest recorded action.

SB 773 Funding for the University of Wisconsin System freshwater collaborative and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee. Last action Jun 1, 2026
AB 881 Water diversion or elevation projects in towns.
Vetoed by the governor. Last action May 13, 2026
AB 882 Town authority over the water elevation of an artificial water body created by a dam and recourse due to damage caused by an obstructed waterway.
Vetoed by the governor. Last action May 13, 2026
SB 45 State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2025 legislature. (FE)
Became law. Last action May 13, 2026
AB 1124 Creating a Mississippi River erosion control revolving loan program, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee. Last action Apr 9, 2026

Every bill on this subject

2025–26 session: 18

Mar 23, 2026
AB 50: State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2025 legislature. (FE)
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Mar 23, 2026
AB 254: Regulation of the Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Company.
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Mar 23, 2026
AB 416: A grant for modernization of a dam in the village of Rothschild. (FE)
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Apr 2, 2026
AB 562: Marking the Mississippi River Trail. (FE)
Became law.
Mar 23, 2026
AB 771: Funding for the University of Wisconsin System freshwater collaborative and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2026
AB 838: Making a grant for dredging of the Deerskin River in the town of Washington in Vilas County and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.
May 13, 2026
AB 881: Water diversion or elevation projects in towns.
Vetoed by the governor.
May 13, 2026
AB 882: Town authority over the water elevation of an artificial water body created by a dam and recourse due to damage caused by an obstructed waterway.
Vetoed by the governor.
Apr 9, 2026
AB 1124: Creating a Mississippi River erosion control revolving loan program, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.
May 13, 2026
SB 45: State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2025 legislature. (FE)
Became law.

Show 8 more

Aug 11, 2025
SB 255: Regulation of the Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Company.
Became law.
Dec 10, 2025
SB 421: A grant for modernization of a dam in the village of Rothschild. (FE)
Became law.
Mar 23, 2026
SB 551: Marking the Mississippi River Trail. (FE)
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Jun 1, 2026
SB 773: Funding for the University of Wisconsin System freshwater collaborative and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2026
SB 816: Making a grant for dredging of the Deerskin River in the town of Washington in Vilas County and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2026
SB 966: Water diversion or elevation projects in towns.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Mar 23, 2026
SB 967: Town authority over the water elevation of an artificial water body created by a dam and recourse due to damage caused by an obstructed waterway.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Mar 30, 2026
SB 1089: Creating a Mississippi River erosion control revolving loan program, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Stopped in committee.

2011–12 session: 21

Aug 2, 2012
AB 40: State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2011 legislature.
Became law.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 43: Removal of abandoned dams.
Passed the Assembly, then stopped.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 174: Designating and marking a bridge on STH 33 in the city of Portage as the Pierre Pauquette Memorial Bridge.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 177: Procedures for applications and hearings relating to permits and contracts for structures, deposits, and other activities in or near navigable waters.
Passed the Assembly, then stopped.
Nov 7, 2011
AB 270: Designating and marking a bridge across the Menominee River in Marinette County as Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Became law.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 421: The issuance of, and exemptions from, certain individual permits, contracts, and general permits for structures, deposits, and other activities in or near navigable waters; areas of significant scientific value that are areas of special natural resource interest; repair and maintenance of boathouses and fixed houseboats; information required to be published on the Department of Natural Resources Internet Web site; expedited procedures for certain plan approvals; deadlines for action on certain approval applications; and granting rule-making authority.
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 426: Regulation of ferrous metallic mining and related activities, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.
Passed the Assembly, then stopped.
Apr 12, 2012
AB 586: Professional land surveyors; the practice of professional land surveying; surveying land abutting navigable waters; various changes regarding platting, surveying, and certified survey maps; and granting rule-making authority.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 592: Financial assistance to towns for certain dam safety projects.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
AB 595: A permit exemption for the placement of a pier containing a floating toilet facility in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
Stopped in committee.

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Mar 23, 2012
SB 27: State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2011 legislature.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 33: Removal of abandoned dams.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 112: Designating and marking a bridge on STH 33 in the city of Portage as the Pierre Pauquette Memorial Bridge.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 133: Procedures for applications and hearings relating to permits and contracts for structures, deposits, and other activities in or near navigable waters.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 197: Designating and marking a bridge across the Menominee River in Marinette County as Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Mar 27, 2012
SB 262: A permit exemption for the placement of a pier containing a floating toilet facility in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
Became law.
Apr 5, 2012
SB 326: The issuance of, and exemptions from, certain individual permits, contracts, and general permits for structures, deposits, and other activities in or near navigable waters; areas of significant scientific value that are areas of special natural resource interest; repair and maintenance of boathouses and fixed houseboats; information required to be published on the Department of Natural Resources Internet Web site; expedited procedures for certain plan approvals; deadlines for action on certain approval applications; and granting rule-making authority.
Became law.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 443: Financial assistance to towns for certain dam safety projects.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 444: Professional land surveyors; the practice of professional land surveying; surveying land abutting navigable waters; various changes regarding platting, surveying, and certified survey maps; and granting rule-making authority.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 483: Informational highway signs identifying wild rivers and granting rule-making authority.
Stopped in committee.
Mar 23, 2012
SB 488: Regulation of ferrous metallic mining and related activities, procedures for obtaining approvals from the Department of Natural Resources for the construction of utility facilities, making an appropriation, and providing penalties.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.

2009–10 session: 19

Apr 28, 2010
AB 7: Designating a portion of the Brunsweiler River as a wild river.
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Jul 15, 2009
AB 43: Designating portions of the Totogatic River as a wild river.
Became law.
May 26, 2010
AB 75: State finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2009 legislature.
Became law.
May 21, 2010
AB 139: Littering and providing a penalty.
Became law.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 162: Regulating the transportation of aquatic plants and aquatic animals, the administration of federal funds for the control and eradication of noxious weeds, the placement of vehicles, seaplanes, watercraft, and other objects in navigable waters, the regulation of noxious weeds by municipalities, the disposal of invasive species, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.
Stopped in committee.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 271: Professional land surveyors, the practice of professional land surveying, surveying land abutting navigable waters, and granting rule-making authority.
Passed the Assembly, then stopped.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 344: Costs of transporting by ferry an arrested person.
Stopped before the full Assembly voted.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 360: Discharges of ballast water and related substances into the waters of the state, aquatic nuisance species, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
Stopped in committee.
Feb 22, 2010
AB 362: Designating and marking the bridge on USH 41 across the Peshtigo River in the city of Peshtigo as the Steven Drees Memorial Bridge.
Became law.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 416: Requiring the Department of Transportation to construct, and enumerating, a certain major highway project in Wood County if certain conditions are satisfied.
Stopped in committee.

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Apr 28, 2010
AB 521: Use of motor vehicles on the beds of navigable waters.
Stopped in committee.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 869: Operation of all-terrain vehicles by persons who are under 12 years of age.
Stopped in committee.
Apr 28, 2010
AB 925: Discharging a firearm within 100 yards of a building devoted to human occupancy while in waters adjacent to land owned by another person and providing a penalty.
Stopped in committee.
Apr 17, 2009
SB 6: Designating a portion of the Brunsweiler River as a wild river.
Became law.
Apr 28, 2010
SB 47: Designating portions of the Totogatic River as a wild river.
Stopped before the full Senate voted.
Nov 2, 2009
SB 123: Regulating the transportation of aquatic plants and aquatic animals, the administration of federal funds for the control and eradication of noxious weeds, the placement of vehicles, seaplanes, watercraft, and other objects in navigable waters, the regulation of noxious weeds by municipalities, the disposal of invasive species, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.
Became law.
Apr 28, 2010
SB 194: Professional land surveyors, the practice of professional land surveying, surveying land abutting navigable waters, and granting rule-making authority.
Stopped in committee.
Nov 17, 2009
SB 251: Costs of transporting by ferry an arrested person.
Became law.
Apr 28, 2010
SB 285: Requiring the Department of Transportation to construct, and enumerating, a certain major highway project in Wood County if certain conditions are satisfied.
Stopped in committee.

Dates are each bill's latest recorded action. Every subject