Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly Bipartisan · 29 D · 20 R cosponsors

AB 974 — Relating to: a public affairs network trust fund, grants to the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, and making an appropriation. (FE)

Last action — Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Assembly. Introduced January 30, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · high confidence

  • Passed Assembly

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 49 sponsors

    1 primary, 48 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (29 D · 20 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

An Act to repeal 16.004 (22) and 20.855 (4) (dt); to create 16.004 (22m), 20.505 (1) (t), 25.17 (1) (m) and 25.79 of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

110 added · 36 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill AB 974 made several key changes to the governance and operational transparency of the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network. Notably, it increased the number of designated board members involved in oversight from one to two for each of the major political parties, ensuring a more balanced representation. Additionally, the amendment now mandates that all board meetings be open to the public and require live broadcasting, along with maintaining free online access to digital archives of these meetings. These changes aim to enhance accountability and public involvement in the operations of the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, which is crucial for fostering an informed citizenry.

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Latest
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRBa1017/1 EKL&MPG:ajk ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 974 February 10, 2026 - Offered by RepresentatEUBAUER .
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-5844/1 EKL&MGP:skw ASSEMBLY BILL 974 January 30, 2026 - Introduced by RepresentativesEUBAUER, VOS, ANDERSON , A NDRACA, A RNEY, B EHNKE, B ILLINGS, DITTRICH, DONOVAN , E MERSON , FITZGERALD , OEBEN , GOODWIN , GUNDRUM , HONG , HURD, HYSELL, JOERS, JOHNSON , K ITCHENS, KNODL , KRUG , M AYADEV, M CCARVILLE, M ELOTIK, M IRESSE, MURPHY, NOVAK, O'CONNOR , RTIZ-VELEZ, HELPS, PIWOWARCZYK , PRADO , RODRIGUEZ, ROE, NODGRASS , NYDER , ORTWELL , PAUDE , TROUD , STUBBS , UBECK , AYLOR, UDELL, WITTKE, MADISON, KAUFERT , INICKIand D ESANTO.
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
A N A CT to repeal 16.004 (22) and 20.855 (4) (dt);
to create 16.004 (22m), 20.505 (1) (t), 25.17 (1) (m) and 25.79 of the statutes;
relating to:
a public affairs network trust fund, grants to the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Subject to approval by the Joint Committee on Finance, current law requires the Department of Administration to make grants, not to exceed a total of $10,000,000, to the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, Inc., for the establishment of an endowment fund.
DOA may not award any such grant unless WisconsinEye raises matching funds from nonstate sources, and the grant authorization sunsets on June 30, 2026.
WisconsinEye currently operates a public affairs network in Wisconsin that broadcasts live state government proceedings, news conferences, and civic events and maintains digital archives of its broadcasts.
This bill eliminates the current-law provision for the endowment fund.
Instead, the bill creates a trust fund from which DOA makes grants to WisconsinEye to be used for its operating costs to broadcast live events and maintain its archives.
The bill requires WisconsinEye to do all of the following as a condition for receiving the grants:
Page 2, line 13:
Appoint to its board of directors one designee each of the speaker of the - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-5844/1 EKL&MGP:skw ASSEMBLY BILL 974 S ECTION 1 assembly, minority leader of the assembly, majority leader of the senate, and minority leader of the senate.
delete “one designee” and substitute “two designees”.
Under the bill, no such designee may be a member of the legislature.
Page 2, line 14:
Focus its coverage primarily on official state government meetings and business.
delete “, minority leader of the assembly,” and substitute “and”.
Page 3, line 1:
Provide free online public access, on a continuous basis, to the network’s live broadcasts and digital archives.
before “minority” insert “one designee each of the minority leader of the assembly,”.
Page 3, line 1:
Submit an annual financial report to the legislature and JCF.
after “senate,” insert “chief justice of the supreme court, and secretary,”.
Finally, under the bill, if WisconsinEye ceases operations and divests its assets, WisconsinEye must pay back the grants and transfer all of its archives to the state historical society.
5.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
Page 3, line 2:
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
after “legislature.” insert “The speaker of the assembly and majority leader of the senate shall maintain partisan parity between the members - 2026 Legislature - 2 - EKL&MPG:ajk1 of the board by their appointments, and the parity shall be certified by the chair of the board.”.
SECTION 1.
6.
16.004 (22) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, is repealed.
Page 3, line 2:
SECTION 2.
after that line insert:
16.004 (22m) of the statutes is created to read:
“1m.
16.004 (22m) GRANTS FOR W ISCONSIN EYE.
Open all meetings of its board of directors to the public, provide a live broadcast of those meetings, and provide and maintain free online public access to unedited digital archives of those broadcasts.”.
(a) In this subsection, “WisconsinEye” means the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, Inc.
7.
(b) From the appropriation under s.
Page 3, line 7:
20.505 (1) (t), the secretary shall make payments in the form of a grant to WisconsinEye to be used for WisconsinEye’s operating costs to broadcast live state government proceedings, news conferences, and civic events and to maintain and provide free online public access to unedited digital archives of the broadcasts.
after “to the” insert “secretary and to the”.
(c) As a condition for receiving any payment under par.
8.
(b), WisconsinEye shall meet all of the following requirements:
Page 3, line 9:
1.
after that line insert:
Appoint to its board of directors one designee each of the speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the assembly, majority leader of the senate, and - 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-5844/1 EKL&MGP:skw ASSEMBLY BILL 974 SECTION 2 minority leader of the senate, except that no designee under this subdivision may be a member of the legislature.
“(cm) The state shall own all video cameras, audio equipment, connecting cables, and wireless transmission equipment that is operated or maintained by WisconsinEye in the capitol or otherwise used by WisconsinEye to conduct the live broadcasting and other activities described in par.
2.
(b).”.
Focus its coverage primarily on official state government meetings and business.
9.
3.
Page 3, line 13:
Provide online public access, on a continuous basis, to WisconsinEye’s live broadcasts and digital archives without any charge.
delete “the total” and substitute “any unused grant funds from the”.
4.
10.
Submit an annual financial report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s.
Show all 76 changed rows (36 more)
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Latest
Page 3, line 14:
13.172 (2) and to the joint committee on finance.
after that line insert:
(d) If, after a payment under par.
“(e) If WisconsinEye ceases operations and divests its assets, the secretary, in consultation with the investment board, shall transfer the principal and any other amounts remaining in the public affairs network fund under s.
(b), WisconsinEye ceases operations and divests its assets, WisconsinEye shall do all of the following:
25.79 to the general fund.”.
1.
Pay to the secretary for deposit into the general fund an amount equal to the total amount paid under par.
(b).
2.
Transfer all of the WisconsinEye archives to the state historical society.
S ECTION 3.
20.505 (1) (t) of the statutes is created to read:
20.505 (1) (t) Grants to WisconsinEye.
All moneys received as interest earnings of the public affairs network fund to make grants to the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, Inc., under s.
16.004 (22m).
S ECTION 4.
20.855 (4) (dt) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, is repealed.
S ECTION 5.
25.17 (1) (m) of the statutes is created to read:
25.17 (1) (m) Public affairs network fund (s.
25.79);
S ECTION 6.
25.79 of the statutes is created to read:
25.79 Public affairs network fund.
There is established a separate - 2026 Legislature - 4 - LRB-5844/1 EKL&MGP:skw ASSEMBLY BILL 974 SECTION 6 nonlapsible trust fund designated as the public affairs network fund, to consist of all of the following:
(1) All appropriations and transfers of state funds to the fund.
(2) All donations, gifts, and bequests made to the fund.
(3) All income and interest earned by the fund.
S ECTION 7.
Nonstatutory provisions.
(1) No later than 30 days after the effective date of this subsection, the secretary of administration shall transfer any unencumbered balance in s.
20.855 (4) (dt) to the public affairs network fund under s.
25.79.
S ECTION 8.
Effective dates.
This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:
(1) The treatment of s.
20.855 (4) (dt) takes effect on the day after the secretary of administration transfers funds pursuaECTION7 (1) of this act.
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Action History

  1. Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor

  3. Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development

  4. Received from Assembly

  5. Ordered immediately messaged

  6. Read a third time and passed, Ayes 96, Noes 0

  7. Representatives Moore Omokunde, Sheehan and Vining added as coauthors

  8. Rules suspended

  9. Ordered to a third reading

  10. Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  11. Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Neubauer

  12. Read a second time

  13. Fiscal estimate received

  14. Placed on calendar 2-10-2026 by Committee on Rules

  15. Referred to committee on Rules

  16. Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0

  17. Representative Tranel added as a coauthor

  18. Executive action taken

  19. Public hearing held

  20. Representatives Rivera-Wagner, Palmeri and DeSmidt added as coauthors

  21. Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs

  22. Introduced by Representatives Neubauer, Vos, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Behnke, Billings, Dittrich, Donovan, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Goeben, Goodwin, Gundrum, Hong, Hurd, Hysell, Joers, Johnson, Kitchens, Knodl, Krug, Mayadev, McCarville, Melotik, Miresse, Murphy, Novak, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Phelps, Piwowarczyk, Prado, Rodriguez, Roe, Snodgrass, Snyder, Sortwell, Spaude, Stroud, Stubbs, Subeck, Taylor, Udell, Wittke, Madison, Kaufert, Sinicki and DeSanto

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 48 co-sponsors · 83 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (48)

Not signed on (83)

83 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 83 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Read a third time and passed

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 52001
Democrat 41002
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 96003
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
JOHNSON — Yea
MOORE OMOKUNDE — Yea
SPEAKER — Yea
Anderson, Clinton Democrat Yea
Andraca, Deb Democrat Yea
Arney, Margaret Democrat Yea
Bare, Mike Democrat Yea
Billings, Jill Democrat Yea
Brown, Brienne Democrat Yea
Clancy, Ryan Democrat Yea
Cruz, Angelina Democrat Yea
DeSanto, Karen Democrat Yea
DeSmidt, Ben Democrat Yea
Doyle, Steve Democrat Not Voting
Emerson, Jodi Democrat Yea
Fitzgerald, Joan Democrat Yea
Goodwin, Russell Democrat Not Voting
Haywood, Kalan Democrat Yea
Hong, Francesca Democrat Yea
Hysell, Andrew Democrat Yea
Jacobson, Jenna Democrat Yea
Joers, Alex Democrat Yea
Kirsch, Karen Democrat Yea
Madison, Darrin Democrat Yea
Mayadev, Renuka Democrat Yea
McCarville, Maureen Democrat Yea
McGuire, Tip Democrat Yea
Miresse, Vincent Democrat Yea
Neubauer, Greta Democrat Yea
Ortiz-Velez, Sylvia Democrat Yea
Palmeri, Lori Democrat Yea
Phelps, Christian Democrat Yea
Prado, Priscilla Democrat Yea
Rivera-Wagner, Amaad Democrat Yea
Roe, Ann Democrat Yea
Sheehan, Joe Democrat Yea
Sinicki, Christine Democrat Yea
Snodgrass, Lee Democrat Yea
Spaude, Ryan Democrat Yea
Stroud, Angela Democrat Yea
Stubbs, Shelia Democrat Yea
Subeck, Lisa Democrat Yea
Taylor, Sequanna Democrat Yea
Tenorio, Angelito Democrat Yea
Udell, Randy Democrat Yea
Vining, Robyn Democrat Yea
Allen, Scott Republican Yea
Armstrong, David Republican Yea
August, Tyler Republican Yea
Behnke, Elijah Republican Yea
Born, Mark Republican Yea
Brill, Lindee Republican Yea
Brooks, Robert Republican Yea
Callahan, Calvin Republican Yea
Dallman, Alex Republican Yea
Dittrich, Barbara Republican Yea
Donovan, Bob Republican Yea
Duchow, Cindi Republican Yea
Franklin, Benjamin Republican Yea
Goeben, Joy Republican Yea
Green, Chanz Republican Yea
Gundrum, Rick Republican Yea
Gustafson, Nate Republican Yea
Hurd, Karen Republican Yea
Jacobson, Brent Republican Yea
Kaufert, Dean Republican Yea
Kitchens, Joel Republican Yea
Knodl, Daniel Republican Yea
Kreibich, Rob Republican Yea
Krug, Scott Republican Yea
Kurtz, Tony Republican Yea
Maxey, Dave Republican Yea
Melotik, Paul Republican Yea
Moses, Clint Republican Yea
Murphy, David Republican Yea
Mursau, Jeffrey Republican Yea
Nedweski, Amanda Republican Yea
Neylon, Adam Republican Yea
Novak, Todd Republican Yea
O'Connor, Jerry Republican Yea
Penterman, William Republican Yea
Petersen, Kevin Republican Yea
Piwowarczyk, Jim Republican Yea
Pronschinske, Treig Republican Yea
Rodriguez, Jessie Republican Yea
Snyder, Patrick Republican Yea
Sortwell, Shae Republican Yea
Spiros, John Republican Yea
Steffen, David Republican Yea
Summerfield, Rob Republican Yea
Swearingen, Rob Republican Yea
Tittl, Paul Republican Yea
Tranel, Travis Republican Yea
Tucker, Duke Republican Yea
Tusler, Ron Republican Yea
VanderMeer, Nancy Republican Yea
Wichgers, Chuck Republican Yea
Wittke, Robert Republican Yea
Zimmerman, Shannon Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

finance
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 974 do?
An Act to repeal 16.004 (22) and 20.855 (4) (dt); to create 16.004 (22m), 20.505 (1) (t), 25.17 (1) (m) and 25.79 of the statutes;
Who sponsors AB 974?
AB 974 is sponsored by Neubauer, Greta (Democrat), Vos, Robin (Republican), Anderson, Clinton (Democrat), Andraca, Deb (Democrat), Arney, Margaret (Democrat), Behnke, Elijah (Republican), Billings, Jill (Democrat), Dittrich, Barbara (Republican), Donovan, Bob (Republican), Emerson, Jodi (Democrat), Fitzgerald, Joan (Democrat), Goeben, Joy (Republican), Goodwin, Russell (Democrat), Gundrum, Rick (Republican), Hong, Francesca (Democrat), Hurd, Karen (Republican), Hysell, Andrew (Democrat), Joers, Alex (Democrat), Johnson, Tara (Democrat), Kitchens, Joel (Republican), Knodl, Daniel (Republican), Krug, Scott (Republican), Mayadev, Renuka (Democrat), McCarville, Maureen (Democrat), Melotik, Paul (Republican), Miresse, Vincent (Democrat), Murphy, David (Republican), Novak, Todd (Republican), O'Connor, Jerry (Republican), Ortiz-Velez, Sylvia (Democrat), Phelps, Christian (Democrat), Piwowarczyk, Jim (Republican), Prado, Priscilla (Democrat), Rodriguez, Jessie (Republican), Roe, Ann (Democrat), Snodgrass, Lee (Democrat), Snyder, Patrick (Republican), Sortwell, Shae (Republican), Spaude, Ryan (Democrat), Stroud, Angela (Democrat), Stubbs, Shelia (Democrat), Subeck, Lisa (Democrat), Taylor, Sequanna (Democrat), Udell, Randy (Democrat), Wittke, Robert (Republican), Madison, Darrin (Democrat), Kaufert, Dean (Republican), Sinicki, Christine (Democrat), and DeSanto, Karen (Democrat).
What is the current status of AB 974?
This bill has passed the Assembly. Introduced January 30, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track AB 974?
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