April Legislative Update 

Regular Session Concluded, Door Still Open on Tax Deal

The 2025-26 regular legislative session has concluded. Outside of a two-day period in May for veto overrides, there will likely be no other regular business for the Wisconsin legislature.

However, still hanging out there is a possible deal on taxes, between the Governor and legislative Republicans. The state is currently sitting on a $2.1 billion surplus and there is an ongoing interest by GOP leaders to provide property tax relief. The Governor is focused on some of the funding to be directed to Special Education. This week, the Governor called a special session on gerrymandering – calling for the legislature to pass a constitutional amendment to ban partisan gerrymandering. While no action was taken on the issue, legislative leaders left the special session open – meaning that discussions are ongoing regarding gerrymandering and taxes.

Outside of monitoring legislative activity, the focus for WPRA and other stakeholders continues to be the reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program. The KNSP is currently funded through June 30, 2026. The result of the legislature’s inaction to reauthorize the program means the program will not be operational beyond that date. However, the state statutes governing the program remain in place, and the best-case scenario would be reauthorization and funding in the next budget cycle—meaning the program could be up and running again by July 1, 2027. WPRA will continue to build a strategy to ensure this occurs.

Other Legislation WPRA is Tracking

Local Government Competitive Bidding Threshold Signed Into Law

In positive news, on April 3, the Governor signed into law Assembly Bill 217 updating Wisconsin’s local government competitive bidding laws for counties, towns, cities, and certain commissions. The bill modernizes long-outdated bidding thresholds and establishes separate standards for general public works projects and highway projects.

Under 2025 Wisconsin Act 188, competitive bidding for general public works and construction projects is now required when project costs reach $50,000, with public notice required for projects exceeding $10,000. For public highway projects, competitive bidding is required at $25,000, and public notice is required for projects over $5,000. These changes replace lower thresholds that had not kept pace with rising construction and materials costs.

The new law also adds an automatic inflation adjustment. Beginning five years after enactment—and every five years thereafter—the bidding and notice thresholds will increase based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, rounded to the nearest $1,000. This is intended to prevent the thresholds from becoming outdated again.