Promoting Limited Government
The State Senate concluded its regular legislative session this week and passed a myriad of approved Assembly Bills. These will all now proceed to the Governor’s desk, where I encourage him to sign them into law.
AB 248 addresses vacancies in appointive state offices with fixed terms, ensuring that when an appointee’s term ends, their time in office also concludes. Closing the loophole that permits unelected employees to serve past their terms allows the government to operate fairly and efficiently. The bill restores accountability and common sense to state government by ensuring that appointed officials with fixed terms vacate their positions upon expiration. This will prevent indefinite holdovers that undermine the intent of limited terms and elections, and avoid the creation of permanent bureaucracy during stalemates of split government.
SB 622 mandates legislative approval for fee increases, such as the 1,700% increase on livestock producers previously proposed by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. This measure protects our farmers, livestock markets, and agricultural businesses from sudden and excessive fee increases and ensures proper governance for such proposals.
AB 461 creates an income tax exemption on overtime wages. This subtraction applies to documented overtime pay shown on a worker’s standard wage statement. Single filers will be able to subtract up to $12,500 of overtime earnings each year from their state taxable income. Married couples filing jointly can subtract $25,000 under the bill. The credit phases out as income increases. Workers throughout the state, covering shifts above and beyond standard hours, will benefit from this alignment with the federal tax code, which will facilitate easier filing and provide direct, tangible tax relief.
Supporting Local Communities
AB 130 and AB 131 permit the administration of PFAS remediation efforts through funding allocated to the DNR. The bills put innocent communities and landowners on the best path forward to remediate PFAS while ensuring they are not punished or forced into bankruptcy over pollution they did not cause. They establish grant programs with regulatory certainty to assist eligible entities in cleaning up contaminated wells while including reasonable exemptions to support communities with public works and construction projects with PFAS-contaminated groundwater. The programs will provide financial support to communities to help with testing, cleanup, disposal, and the restoration of clean water while creating new protections for victims of pollution.
AB 326 establishes a grant program for municipalities with populations under 7,500 to receive financial assistance for grant writing and compliance related to transportation infrastructure, public works, public safety, utility costs, or cybersecurity. This bill will help ensure small communities don’t miss out on vital funding opportunities simply because of limited staff, time, or a lack of more experienced writers. Connecting smaller municipalities to available funding for essential services ensures they keep pace with larger counterparts.
AB 208 creates a tax exemption for all federal broadband grants, as well as state and local broadband funding. The exemption enables broadband developers to access an estimated $70 million in additional federal funding. Broadband connection is critical for economic development and modernization in today’s environment. This legislation will promote increased investment in broadband expansion, connecting more households to their workplaces, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and vital sectors of today’s economy.
Along with many other bills passed this week, these all represent Legislative Republicans’ focus on lowering taxes and fees, limiting governmental authority and entrenched bureaucracy, and ensuring adequate support for small and rural communities. I hope to see these proposals enacted to move our state in the right direction.
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Contact Me
My office is always available to help with any state-related questions or concerns you may have. You can reach my office at (608) 237-9104, or email me at Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.
