Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: To Executive 2 R cosponsors

SB 532 — Relating to: course fees at University of Wisconsin System institutions. (FE)

Last action — Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

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

This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced October 09, 2025. It awaits signature.

Vetoed by Governor Tony Evers (Democratic) on March 20, 2026.

Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · moderate confidence

  • To Executive

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 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 amend 36.27 (1) (a); to create 36.27 (1) (c) of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

38 added · 45 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Senate Bill 532 clarify how the University of Wisconsin System can charge fees for online courses. Specifically, it now prohibits institutions from charging additional fees for enrolling in courses that are offered exclusively online unless those fees cover specific costs that wouldn't be present if the course was taught in-person. This matters because it aims to protect students from unexpected expenses and ensure that online education remains accessible and affordable.

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Latest
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-3143/1 ARG:ajk&emw SENATE BILL 532 October 9, 2025 - Introduced by Senators H UTTON and N ASS, cosponsored by Representatives M ELOTIK, MURPHY , BEHNKE , GUNDRUM , KNODL , KREIBICH, O'CONNOR , IWOWARCZYK , DITTRICH and W ICHGERS .
Date of enactment:
Referred to Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.
Senate Bill 532 Date of publication*:
A N A CT to amend 36.27 (1) (a);
WISCONSIN ACT A N A CT to amend 36.27 (1) (a);
to create 36.27 (1) (c) of the statutes;
to create 36.11 (59) and 36.27 (1) (c) of the statutes;
course fees at University of Wisconsin System institutions.
course fees and disclosure of course format at University of Wisconsin System institutions.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Current law authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to establish tuition and fees for educational programs, including special course fees.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in sen- fering tuition and fees incidental to enrollment in educa- ate and assembly, do enact as follows:
This bill prohibits a UW System institution from charging a student an online course fee for enrolling in a course offered exclusively online unless the fee is charged to cover the institution’s actual costs in offering the course online that would not be incurred if students attended the course in person.
tional programs or use of facilities in the system.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
Except SECTION 1c.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
36.11 (59) of the statutes is created to as otherwise provided in this section, the board may charge any student who is not exempted by this section a read:
SECTION 1.
nonresident tuition.
36.27 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
The board may establish special 36.11 (59) D ISCLOSURE OF COURSE FORMAT .
36.27 (1) (a) Subject to par.
(a) In this subsection, “course format” means any of the rates of tuition and fees for the extension and summer following:
pars.
sessions and such other studies or courses of instruction 1.
(b) and (c), the board may establish for different classes of students differing tuition and fees incidental to enrollment in - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-3143/1 ARG:ajk&emw SENATE BILL 532 SECTION 1 educational programs or use of facilities in the systExcept as otherwise provided in this section, the board may charge any student who is not exempted by this section a nonresident tuition.
The course is offered exclusively for in-person as the board deems advisable.
The board may establish special rates of tuition and fees for the extension and summer sessions and such other studies or courses of instruction as the board deems advisable.
attendance.
S ECTION 2.
SECTION 2.
36.27 (1) (c) The board shall ensure that no student is charged an incidental or supplemental fee for enrolling in a course offered exclusively online unless any of the following applies:
1.
The fee is charged to cover actual costs incurred by an institution that are specifically attributable to offering the course online and that would not be incurred by the institution if students attended the course in person.
The fee is also charged for enrolling in an equivalent course offered for in- person attendance.
The course is offered exclusively for online attendance.
S ECTION 3.
36.27 (1) (c) The board shall ensure that no student 3.
Course attendance is hybrid, requiring both in- is charged an incidental or supplemental fee for en- person and online attendance at different times during rolling in a course offered exclusively online unless any the semester or session.
of the following applies:
(b) The board shall ensure that, at the time an insti- 1.
The fee is charged to cover actual costs incurred by an institution that are specifically attributable to of- tution first publishes a listing of courses offered for a se- mester or session, the institution discloses the course fering the course online and that would not be incurred format for each course listed.
Subject to par.
(c), the in- by the institution if students attended the course in stitution shall promptly update a course listing if the person.
course format changes.
2.
The fee is also charged for enrolling in an equiva- (c) An institution may not change a course format lent course offered for in-person attendance.
after the enrollment period for the course begins.
SECTION 3.
(1) This act first applies to the first semester or session beginning at least 30 days after the effective date of this subsection.
SECTION 1m.
(END)
36.27 (1) (a) of the statutes is (1) The treatment of s.
36.27 (1) (a) and (c) first ap- amended to read:
plies to the first semester or session beginning at least 30 36.27 (1) (a) Subject to par.
pars.
(b) and (c), the days after the effective date of this subsection.
board may establish for different classes of students dif- (2) The treatment of s.
36.11 (59) first applies to the ernor's partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.” Wisconsin Act - 2 - 2025 Senate Bill 532 first semester or session beginning at least 90 days after the effective date of this subsection.
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Action History

  1. Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

  2. Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  3. Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-20-2026

  4. Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2026

  5. Report correctly enrolled

  6. LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)

  7. Action ordered immediately messaged

  8. Assembly Amendment 1 concurred in

  9. Placed on calendar 2-18-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  11. Ordered immediately messaged

  12. Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 53, Noes 45

  13. Rules suspended

  14. Ordered to a third reading

  15. Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Read a second time

  17. Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  18. Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Melotik

  19. Placed on calendar 2-12-2026 by Committee on Rules

  20. Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  21. Received from Senate

  22. Ordered immediately messaged

  23. Read a third time and passed, Ayes 18, Noes 15

  24. Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  25. Ordered to a third reading

  26. Read a second time

  27. Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  28. Fiscal estimate received

  29. Available for scheduling

  30. Report passage recommended by Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  31. Executive action taken

  32. Public hearing held

  33. Read first time and referred to Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges

  34. Introduced by Senators Hutton and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Melotik, Murphy, Behnke, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Dittrich and Wichgers

Sponsors

  • Melotik · Cosponsor
  • Murphy · Cosponsor
  • Behnke · Cosponsor
  • Gundrum · Cosponsor
  • Knodl · Cosponsor
  • Kreibich · Cosponsor
  • O'Connor · Cosponsor
  • Piwowarczyk · Cosponsor
  • Dittrich · Cosponsor
  • Wichgers · Cosponsor
  • Steve Nass · Cosponsor
  • Rob Hutton · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on · 55 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

  • Melotik
  • Murphy
  • Behnke
  • Gundrum
  • Knodl
  • Kreibich
  • O'Connor
  • Piwowarczyk
  • Dittrich
  • Wichgers
  • Nass, Steve Republican

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 120 →

"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 concurred in as amended

Passed 53 Yea · 45 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 52001
Democrat 04300
Unaffiliated 1200
Total 534501
% of votes cast 54%45%0%1%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
JOHNSON — Nay
MOORE OMOKUNDE — Nay
SPEAKER — Yea
Anderson, Clinton Democrat Nay
Andraca, Deb Democrat Nay
Arney, Margaret Democrat Nay
Bare, Mike Democrat Nay
Billings, Jill Democrat Nay
Brown, Brienne Democrat Nay
Clancy, Ryan Democrat Nay
Cruz, Angelina Democrat Nay
DeSanto, Karen Democrat Nay
DeSmidt, Ben Democrat Nay
Doyle, Steve Democrat Nay
Emerson, Jodi Democrat Nay
Fitzgerald, Joan Democrat Nay
Goodwin, Russell Democrat Nay
Haywood, Kalan Democrat Nay
Hong, Francesca Democrat Nay
Hysell, Andrew Democrat Nay
Jacobson, Jenna Democrat Nay
Joers, Alex Democrat Nay
Kirsch, Karen Democrat Nay
Madison, Darrin Democrat Nay
Mayadev, Renuka Democrat Nay
McCarville, Maureen Democrat Nay
McGuire, Tip Democrat Nay
Miresse, Vincent Democrat Nay
Neubauer, Greta Democrat Nay
Ortiz-Velez, Sylvia Democrat Nay
Palmeri, Lori Democrat Nay
Phelps, Christian Democrat Nay
Prado, Priscilla Democrat Nay
Rivera-Wagner, Amaad Democrat Nay
Roe, Ann Democrat Nay
Sheehan, Joe Democrat Nay
Sinicki, Christine Democrat Nay
Snodgrass, Lee Democrat Nay
Spaude, Ryan Democrat Nay
Stroud, Angela Democrat Nay
Stubbs, Shelia Democrat Nay
Subeck, Lisa Democrat Nay
Taylor, Sequanna Democrat Nay
Tenorio, Angelito Democrat Nay
Udell, Randy Democrat Nay
Vining, Robyn Democrat Nay
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 →

Read a third time and passed

Passed 18 Yea · 15 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 18000
Democrat 01200
Unaffiliated 0300
Total 181500
% of votes cast 55%45%0%0%
How each member voted (33)
Member Party Vote
JOHNSON — Nay
DASSLER-ALFHEI — Nay
HABUSH SINYKIN — Nay
Carpenter, Tim Democrat Nay
Drake, Dora Democrat Nay
Hesselbein, Dianne Democrat Nay
Keyeski, Sarah Democrat Nay
Larson, Chris Democrat Nay
Pfaff, Brad Democrat Nay
Ratcliff, Melissa Democrat Nay
Roys, Kelda Democrat Nay
Smith, Jeff Democrat Nay
Spreitzer, Mark Democrat Nay
Wall, Jamie Democrat Nay
Wirch, Robert Democrat Nay
Bradley, Julian Republican Yea
Cabral-Guevara, Rachael Republican Yea
Felzkowski, Mary Republican Yea
Feyen, Dan Republican Yea
Hutton, Rob Republican Yea
Jacque, André Republican Yea
Jagler, John Republican Yea
James, Jesse Republican Yea
Kapenga, Chris Republican Yea
LeMahieu, Devin Republican Yea
Marklein, Howard Republican Yea
Nass, Steve Republican Yea
Quinn, Romaine Republican Yea
Stafsholt, Rob Republican Yea
Testin, Patrick Republican Yea
Tomczyk, Cory Republican Yea
Wanggaard, Van Republican Yea
Wimberger, Eric Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

housing education
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 532 do?
An Act to amend 36.27 (1) (a); to create 36.27 (1) (c) of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 532?
SB 532 is sponsored by Melotik, Murphy, Behnke, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Dittrich, Wichgers, Nass, Steve (Republican), and Hutton, Rob (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 532?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced October 09, 2025. It awaits signature.
Where can I track SB 532?
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