AB 998 — An Act to amend 118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) and 118.015 (1m) (b) 1. of the statutes;

-Date 2026of LEGISLATUREenactment: LRB-6019/1 FFK:cdc&klm ASSEMBLY BILL 998 February 2, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives W ITTKE, KREIBICH, M AXEY, M OSES, BEHNKE and K NODL , cosponsored by Senator ARKLEIN .

ReferredAssembly toBill Committee998 onDate Stateof Affairs.publication*:

WISCONSIN ACT A N A CT to amend 118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) and 118.015 (1m) (b) 1.

AnalysisThe bypeople of the Legislativestate Referenceof BureauWisconsin, Underrepresented currentin law,sen- eachment school year, the Council on Early Literacy Curricula must recommend early literacy curricula and instructional materialsmate- forate useand inassembly, thedo followingenact schoolas yearfollows: to the Department of Public Instruction.

Withinrials 30that dayssatisfy of receiving CELC’s recommendations, DPI must submit proposed recommendations for early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the followingcriteria schoolunder yearpar. to the Joint Committee on Finance for approval using the 14-day passive review process.

DPI must adopt the proposed recommendations, as approved by JCF.

Current law requires DPI to award a grant to a school board, charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program that, after January 1, 2024, adopts a literacy curriculum included in the approved recommendations.

Under this bill, CELC must recommend early literacy curricula and instructional materials to DPI at least once every three school years, and the recommendations are not limited to use in the following school year.

The bill also shortens the deadline for DPI to submit its recommendations to JCF from no later than 30 days after receiving CELC’s recommendations to no later than 14 days after receiving the recommendations.

Finally, the bill requires DPI to submit - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-6019/1 FFK:cdc&klm ASSEMBLY BILL 998 SECTION 1 CELC’s recommendations and any of its own recommendations, with an indication as to which entity made each recommendation, to the appropriate legislative standing committees at the same time it submits the recommendations to JCF.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) Beginning in the 2023-24 2025-26 school year and annually at least once every 3 school years thereafter, the council on early literacy curricula shall recommend to the department early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the following school year in grades kindergarten to 3.

The council on early literacy curricula may recommend only early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the following criteria:

SECTION 2.

118.015 (1m) (b) 1.

of the statutes is amended to read:

118.015 (1m) (b) 1.

By no later than 30 14 days after the department receives recommendations under par.

(a), the department shall simultaneously submit to the joint committee on finance proposed and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s.

13.172 (3) the recommendations received under par.

(a) and any additional recommendations from the department on early literacy curricula and instructional materials that satisfy the criteria under par.

for useSECTION in1. the following school year.

In118.015 the(1m) submission(a) under(intro.) thisof subdivision, the departmentstatutes shalluse notein which recommendations are made by the councilfollowing onschool earlyyear. literacy curricula and which are made by the department.

IfIn the cochairpersonssubmission ofun- theis jointamended committee on finance do not notify the department within 14 working days after the date of the submittal of the proposed recommendations that the committee has scheduled a meeting to reviewread: the proposed recommendations, the department - 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-6019/1 FFK:cdc&klm ASSEMBLY BILL 998 S ECTION 2 shall adopt the proposed recommendations for use in the following school year.

If,der withinthis 14subdivision, working days after the datedepartment ofshall thenote submittalwhich of118.015 the(1m) proposed(a) recommendations,(intro.) theBeginning cochairpersonsin of the committee2023-24 notifyrecommendations theare departmentmade thatby the committeecouncil hason scheduledearly aliter- meetingacy tocurricula reviewand thewhich proposedare recommendations,made theby department may not adopt the proposeddepartment. recommendations unless the committee approves or modifies the proposed recommendations.

If 2026-27 school year and annually at least once every 3 the cochairpersons of the joint committee modifieson finance do school years thereafter, the plan,council on early literacy cur- ricula shall recommend to the department mayearly adoptliteracy not notify the recommendationsdepartment onlywithin as14 modifiedworking bydays after curricula and instructional materials for use in the committee.fol- the date of the submittal of the proposed recommenda- lowing school year in grades kindergarten to 3.

ENDThe )tions that the committee has scheduled a meeting to re- council on early literacy curricula may recommend only view the proposed recommendations, the department early literacy curricula and instructional materials that shall adopt the proposed recommendations for use in the following school year.

If, within 14 working days after satisfy the following criteria:

SECTION 2.

118.015 (1m) (b) 1.

of the statutes is the date of the submittal of the proposed recommenda- amended to read:

tions, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the 118.015 (1m) (b) 1.

By no later than 30 14 days af- department that the committee has scheduled a meeting ter the department receives recommendations under par.

to review the proposed recommendations, the depart- (a), the department shall simultaneously submit to the ment may not adopt the proposed recommendations un- less the committee approves or modifies the proposed joint committee on finance proposed and the appropri- ate standing committees of the legislature under s.

recommendations.

If the committee modifies the plan, 13.172 (3) the recommendations received under par.

(a) the department may adopt the recommendations only as and any additional recommendations from the depart- modified by the committee.

* Section 991.11, ISCONSINSTATUTES: