WisconsinProposal would set animal fees and quarantine some horses
The failed proposal would set fees for animal certifications and deer registrations, require annual fee reports, and quarantine some horses.
What it does
The proposal would charge fees to apply for certain disease-free or disease-monitored herd and flock certifications. Owners would have to meet animal-health standards to qualify and keep a certification.
The proposal would set yearly deer registration fees by herd size, with a lower fee for some small herds that meet strict conditions. It would also charge certain surcharges, late fees, and a hunting ranch certificate fee.
The proposal would quarantine horses that test positive for a contagious blood disease. It would also require permits and controlled quarantine for horses imported from certain countries.
The proposal would require the department to report animal-related fee revenue and spending to lawmakers each year.
Argument forAnnual reports could help lawmakers see how much animal-related license revenue comes in and how the department spends it.
Argument againstDeer owners might face higher costs from registration, inspection, and late fees, especially if they keep deer at an unregistered location.
More detail
The proposal would charge application fees for certain herd and flock certifications. These certifications cover tuberculosis in cattle, farm-raised deer, and goats; brucellosis in cattle, swine, goats, sheep, and farm-raised deer; and pseudorabies in swine. The department may certify animals only when they meet the applicable disease-control standards. Application fees are nonrefundable, and owners must follow the applicable standards to keep a certification. Cattle tuberculosis certifications would last two years, and farm-raised deer tuberculosis and brucellosis certifications would last three years. Other certifications described here would be annual.
The proposal would set annual registration fees for farm-raised deer and fees for hunting ranch certificates. These fees apply to people registering farm-raised deer or applying for a hunting ranch certificate. Herds with 15 or fewer deer would pay $85 only if no live deer leave except for slaughter, the stated on-premises slaughter conditions are met, and the herd is not in the department's chronic wasting disease status program. Other herds with 15 or fewer deer would pay $162; larger herds would pay $325. A $250 surcharge would apply if, in the 365 days before a complete application, the applicant kept deer at a location without a required registration. Late applications would owe a fee equal to 20 percent of registration fees. A hunting ranch certificate requires a valid annual registration. A hunting ranch certificate would last 10 years, but would stop being valid if its holder no longer has a valid annual deer registration.
The proposal would quarantine horses in certain disease cases and restrict some imported horses. The rules cover equine animals that test positive for equine infectious anemia and stallions or mares imported from countries where contagious equine metritis has been reported. The department would quarantine every horse that tests positive for equine infectious anemia. The horse could move only as the department allows. The department must retest it if the owner requests a retest in writing within 10 days after notice and pays $25. A stallion or mare from a country where contagious equine metritis has been reported could be received in Wisconsin only with a permit, in a federally sealed vehicle, and through an approved quarantine station. The department must release the quarantine before the animal leaves. The imported horse would remain quarantined until the department releases it. A quarantine station would need a current annual permit.
The proposal would require yearly reports on specified animal-related fee revenue and spending. The report would cover fees for animal market, dealer, and trucker licenses; transport vehicle registrations; and listed animal, farm, and feed lot registrations. The report would go to the legislature's finance committee and the relevant standing committees. The report would be due by August 1 and cover the preceding fiscal year.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 13Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82Latest
- May 12Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- Apr 6Report vetoed by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-3-2026Major
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 25Report correctly enrolledMinor
- Mar 25LRB correction (Assembly Substitute Amendment 7)
- Mar 17Action ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded Assembly Substitute Amendment 7 concurred in, Ayes 20, Noes 13. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 7 concurred in, Ayes 20, Noes 13
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 18Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly Substitute Amendment 7 adoptedMajor
- Feb 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded CONCURRENCE AS AMENDED. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 57, Noes 42Passed House
- Feb 17Rules suspended
- Feb 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 7 adoptedMajor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 7 offered by Representative TranelMinor
- Feb 17Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 17Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take upMajor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 6 offered by Representative NeubauerMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 5 offered by Representative Rivera-WagnerMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 4 offered by Representative SnodgrassMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 offered by Representative JohnsonMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative BareMinor
- Feb 17Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative BrownMinor
- Feb 13Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026Minor
- Feb 13Read first time and referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Feb 12Received from SenateMinor
- Feb 11Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Read a third time and passed, Ayes 22, Noes 11Passed Senate
- Feb 11Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 11Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 11Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adoptedMajor
- Feb 11Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15Minor
- Feb 11Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 11Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Pfaff, Spreitzer, Keyeski, Smith, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Ratcliff and RoysMinor
- Feb 11Senate Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Senators Pfaff, Spreitzer, Keyeski, Smith, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Ratcliff and RoysMinor
- Feb 9Placed on calendar 2-11-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 9Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and rereferred to committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)Minor
- Jan 29Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)Minor
- Jan 22Representative Tucker added as a cosponsor
- Jan 20Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Jan 14Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 5, Noes 3. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 5, Noes 3. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 14Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 5, Noes 3Minor
- Jan 14Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, Ayes 5, Noes 3Major
- Jan 14Executive action taken
- Jan 13Public hearing held
- Jan 9Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator QuinnMinor
- 2025
- Nov 6Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and RevenueMinor
- Nov 6Introduced by Senators Quinn, Marklein, Jagler, Nass and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Tranel, Moses, Novak, Behnke, Brill, Brooks, Callahan, Dittrich, Goeben, Green, B. Jacobson, Kitchens, Kreibich, Krug, Kurtz, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Neylon, O'Connor, Penterman, Pronschinske, Rodriguez, Spiros, VanderMeer, Wichgers and KnodlIntroduced
Agriculture