Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced Bipartisan · 4 D · 3 R cosponsors

SB 809 — Relating to: the opportunity attraction and promotion program administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

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

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced January 02, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 34% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 18 sponsors

    1 primary, 17 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 3 R) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to repeal 238.143 (2) and 238.143 (3) (c); to amend 238.143 (3) (a), 238.143 (3) (b) (intro.), 238.143 (4) and 238.143 (6); to repeal and recreate 238.143 (3) (title); to create 238.143 (3) (cm) of the statutes;

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

8 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill repeals the existing grant program for opportunity attraction and promotion and modifies the requirements for sponsorships instead.

  • 238.143 (2)

    This subsection is repealed.

    The existing grant program under this subsection is eliminated.

  • 238.143 (3) (title)

    Opportunity attraction and promotion grants. → OPPORTUNITY ATTRACTION AND PROMOTION SPONSORSHIPS.

    The title of the section is changed to reflect the new sponsorship focus.

  • 238.143 (3) (a)

    The corporation shall award grants to eligible applicants for major opportunities and events initiatives as provided under pars. (b) and (cm). → The corporation shall award grants to sponsor eligible applicants for major opportunities and events projects initiatives as provided under pars. (b) and (cm).

    Changes the focus from granting funds to sponsoring eligible applicants.

  • 238.143 (3) (b) (intro.)

    an eligible applicant shall expend all grant moneys on a project. → an eligible applicant shall expend all sponsorship moneys on a project.

    Replaces 'grant moneys' with 'sponsorship moneys' to align with the new program.

  • 238.143 (3) (c)

    This paragraph is repealed.

    Removes an entire paragraph that regulated specific conditions for the grants.

  • 238.143 (3) (cm)

    An eligible applicant may expend sponsorship moneys on an initiative, as specified in the application, to attract to this state or host in this state, or both, a major opportunity or event that is not open to the public if the corporation determines that the opportunity or event will attract national exposure to this state or contribute substantially to statewide or regional economic growth. The corporation shall give special consideration to applications for sponsorship moneys under this paragraph for initiatives the corporation determines would occur during a tourist offseason or a period of economic need for the state. No sponsorship moneys may be expended under this paragraph for opportunities or events that the corporation determines are regularly scheduled in this state or rotate destinations within the state.

    Introduces new conditions under which sponsorship moneys can be expended for events not open to the public.

  • 238.143 (4)

    The corporation may not award a grant under sub. (3) unless the eligible applicant has secured from nonstate sources cash or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to the amount of the proposed grant award. → The corporation may not award a sponsorship under sub. (3) unless the eligible applicant has secured from nonstate sources cash or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to the amount of the proposed sponsorship award.

    Changes 'grant' to 'sponsorship' and allows matching contributions to be cash or in-kind.

  • 238.143 (6)

    that includes a detailed description of each grant awarded under sub. (3), including the corporation’s estimate concerning the opportunity or event. → that includes a detailed description of each sponsorship awarded under sub. (3), including the eligible applicant’s analysis corporation’s estimate concerning the opportunity or event.

    Updates reporting requirements to refer to 'sponsorships' instead of 'grants' and modifies the information to be included.

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor

  3. Representative Billings added as a cosponsor

  4. Representative Brown added as a cosponsor

  5. Representative Anderson added as a cosponsor

  6. Senator Wirch added as a coauthor

  7. Public hearing held

  8. Representative Udell added as a cosponsor

  9. Representative Joers added as a cosponsor

  10. Senator Hesselbein added as a coauthor

  11. Read first time and referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development

  12. Introduced by Senators Testin, Dassler-Alfheim, Feyen, Keyeski, Ratcliff, Spreitzer and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Kurtz, Armstrong, Brill, Green, Kaufert, Kitchens, Mursau, Novak, Sinicki, Stubbs and Knodl

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 17 co-sponsors · 114 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (17)

Not signed on (114)

114 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 114 →

"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

Subjects

finance housing labor technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 809 do?
An Act to repeal 238.143 (2) and 238.143 (3) (c); to amend 238.143 (3) (a), 238.143 (3) (b) (intro.), 238.143 (4) and 238.143 (6); to repeal and recreate 238.143 (3) (title); to create 238.143 (3) (cm) of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 809?
SB 809 is sponsored by Kurtz, Armstrong, Brill, Green, Kaufert, Kitchens, Mursau, Novak, Sinicki, Stubbs, Knodl, Testin, Patrick (Republican), Dassler-Alfheim, Kristin (Democrat), Feyen, Dan (Republican), Keyeski, Sarah (Democrat), Ratcliff, Melissa (Democrat), Spreitzer, Mark (Democrat), and Tomczyk, Cory (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 809?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced January 02, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 809?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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