WisconsinWisconsin agencies would review fine and fee amounts for inflation
The proposal would require Wisconsin state agencies to report fines and fees every six years and recommend whether amounts should reflect inflation.
What it does
Wisconsin state agencies would review their fines and fees every six years. They would report current amounts, calculate inflation adjustments, and recommend whether to change amounts.
Agencies would weigh service costs when recommending fees and people's financial burden when planning increases. The proposal would not automatically raise amounts, and agencies could recommend no change.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau would publish 50 years of inflation figures for agency reviews. Agencies could ask the bureau for help calculating inflation-adjusted fines and fees.
Argument forReviewing service costs and the impact on people paying could help agencies weigh their funding needs against people's ability to pay.
Argument againstPreparing recurring inventories, inflation calculations, and separate reports could take agency staff time away from other work.
More detail
State agencies would report their fines and fees and calculate amounts adjusted for inflation. The duty would cover agencies required to submit state budget requests and the fines, forfeitures, fees, charges, and surcharges they impose under law. Reports would list amounts, legal authority, adjustment history, and how much collected money agencies may spend. Agencies would send separate recommendations to the governor for amounts they may set or adjust that are not fixed by state law. Reporting would begin with budget requests in 2026 and repeat every third two-year budget cycle.
Agencies would prepare plans for carrying out recommendations sent to the governor and legislature. Amounts agencies may set or adjust that are not fixed by state law would receive separate recommendations to the governor. Recommendations for service fees would account for the cost of providing the service. Plans would account for the financial impact of increases on people paying. Plans could phase in an increase over no more than four years.
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau would publish inflation tables and help agencies calculate adjusted amounts when asked. The tables would show the annual consumer price index, a measure of inflation, for the preceding 50 years. Calculation help would depend on an agency request. The first table would be due within 60 days after this provision takes effect. Later tables would be due by January 31 every six years.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 6Fiscal estimate receivedLatest
- Apr 3Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Mar 23Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1Minor
- Mar 13Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 17Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 16Read first time and referred to committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal AffairsMinor
- Feb 13Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 12Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 12Read a third time and passedPassed Assembly
- Feb 12Rules suspended
- Feb 12Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 12Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 12Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 11Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 11Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 10Placed on calendar 2-12-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 9Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 9Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 6Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 5Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 5Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 5Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Feb 3Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 6, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Report passage recommended by Committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 6, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 3Executive action taken
- Feb 2Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Jan 29Representatives Ortiz-Velez and Brill added as coauthors
- Jan 29Public hearing held
- Jan 28Representative Stubbs added as a coauthor
- Jan 26Read first time and referred to Committee on Consumer ProtectionMinor
- Jan 26Introduced by Representatives O'Connor, Bare, Piwowarczyk, Allen, Armstrong, Brooks, Knodl, Nedweski, Andraca and MurphyIntroduced
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