2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-6292/1
MJW:ajk
March 13, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives Anderson, Brown, Arney, DeSanto, Fitzgerald, Palmeri, Roe and Sinicki, cosponsored by Senators Ratcliff and Spreitzer. Referred to Committee on Local Government.
AB1129,1,4
1An Act to create 20.370 (4) (ab) and 281.565 of the statutes; relating to: an
2assistance program for water infrastructure in 3rd class and 4th class cities,
3villages, and towns; granting rule-making authority; and making an
4appropriation. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates a water infrastructure assistance program for 3rd class and 4th class cities, villages, and towns, and sanitation districts that serve 3rd class or 4th class cities, villages, or towns, for the purpose of financing the construction of water infrastructure system upgrades that are necessary to comply with federal water quality standards.
The bill provides the Department of Natural Resources a $10,000,000 continuing appropriation for the purpose of operating the assistance program and providing assistance payments under the program.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB1129,1
1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, 2insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: AB1129,29Section 2. 20.370 (4) (ab) of the statutes is created to read: AB1129,2,121020.370 (4) (ab) Water infrastructure - 3rd class and 4th class cities, villages, 11and towns. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule to operate 12the assistance program and provide assistance payments under s. 281.565. AB1129,313Section 3. 281.565 of the statutes is created to read: AB1129,2,2014281.565 Water infrastructure assistance; 3rd class and 4th class cities, 15villages, and towns. (1) There is established a state program of assistance to 3rd 16class and 4th class cities, villages, and towns, and sanitation districts that 17predominantly serve 3rd class or 4th class cities, villages, or towns, for the purpose 18of financing the construction of water infrastructure system upgrades that are 19necessary to comply with federal water quality standards. The program shall be 20administered by the department. AB1129,3,221(2) The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the 22program under this section. The department shall establish, by rule, criteria to 23determine which projects are eligible for the program under sub. (1), priorities for
1which projects may receive assistance, and the application process to receive 2assistance. AB1129,3,63(3) (a) Cities, villages, towns, and sanitation districts may submit an 4application for participation in the program under sub. (1) to the department. The 5application shall be in such form and include such information as the department 6prescribes. AB1129,3,107(b) The department shall review applications for the program under sub. (1), 8determine which applications meet the criteria it established under sub. (2), 9arrange the applications in appropriate priority order, and approve applications in 10priority order until funds are depleted for a program cycle. AB1129,3,1711(4) (a) Upon approval of an application, the department may enter into an 12agreement with the city, village, town, or sanitation district to pay from the 13appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (ab) an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the 14estimated reasonable costs of the approved project. The agreement shall be for such 15duration and subject to such terms as the department may prescribe, except that 16the department may not provide payments for costs incurred before 2 years before 17the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date]. AB1129,3,1918(b) The department shall review and approve the plans and specifications of 19all projects designed and constructed by agreement under this section.
