2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2644/1
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December 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Wall and Ratcliff, cosponsored by Representatives Bare, Brown, Roe, Subeck, DeSmidt, Stroud and Anderson. Referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.
SB771,1,3
1An Act to create 15.407 (19), 101.02 (7r) (h) and 101.024 of the statutes; 2relating to: creating a multifamily housing innovation council and allowing a
3multifamily dwelling up to six stories to be served by a single stairway. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill does all of the following:
1. Creates a multifamily housing innovation council consisting of one building inspector, one professional firefighter, one fire chief, one member of the Wisconsin State Fire Inspectors Association, one automatic fire sprinkler fitter, one engineer, one expert on the International Residential Code, and at least one employee of the Department of Safety and Professional Services who has expertise with the commercial building code.
2. Requires the council to develop a guidebook that establishes recommendations for the design and construction of a multifamily dwelling that is served by a single stairway. The guidebook must ensure that such dwellings are designed and constructed consistently with safe occupancy and egress satisfying National Fire Protection Association standards.
3. Requires the council to establish a model ordinance that counties, cities, villages, and towns may adopt to allow multifamily housing to be built on land zoned for commercial uses.
4. Requires the council to make recommendations to DSPS and the Commercial Building Code Council regarding any changes to the commercial building code that would facilitate multifamily housing innovation recommendations developed by the council.
5. Requires the council to meet monthly until the council completes the guidebook and model ordinance. The council must also meet on the call of the secretary of DSPS to develop recommendations regarding any matter related to multifamily housing innovation specified by the secretary.
6. Authorizes counties, cities, villages, and towns to enact ordinances consistent with the guidebook that allow a multifamily dwelling up to six stories to be served by a single stairway.
Because this bill may increase or decrease, directly or indirectly, the cost of the development, construction, financing, purchasing, sale, ownership, or availability of housing in this state, the Department of Administration, as required by law, will prepare a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.
For further information see the state 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:
SB771,1
1Section 1. 15.407 (19) of the statutes is created to read: SB771,2,5215.407 (19) Multifamily housing innovation council. There is created in 3the department of safety and professional services a multifamily housing 4innovation council consisting of the following members appointed by the secretary 5of safety and professional services for 4-year terms: SB771,2,66(a) One member who is a building inspector. SB771,2,87(b) One member who is a professional firefighter and who is recommended by 8Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, Inc., or its successor. SB771,2,109(c) One member who is a fire chief and who is recommended by Wisconsin 10State Fire Chiefs Association, Inc., or its successor. SB771,2,1211(d) One member who is a member of and who is recommended by Wisconsin 12State Fire Inspectors Association or its successor. SB771,2,1413(e) One member who is an automatic fire sprinkler fitter and who is 14recommended by Sprinkler Fitters Local 183 or its successor. SB771,3,2
1(f) One member who is an engineer and who is recommended by International 2Union of Operating Engineers or its successor. SB771,3,33(g) One member who is an expert on the International Residential Code. SB771,3,54(h) At least one member who is an employee of the department and who has 5expertise with the commercial building code, as defined in s. 101.01 (1g). SB771,26Section 2. 101.02 (7r) (h) of the statutes is created to read: SB771,3,107101.02 (7r) (h) Notwithstanding par. (a), a county, city, village, or town may 8enact and enforce an ordinance that allows a multifamily dwelling up to 6 stories to 9be served by a single stairway and that is consistent with the guidebook developed 10under s. 101.024. SB771,311Section 3. 101.024 of the statutes is created to read: SB771,3,1312101.024 Multifamily housing innovation council; duties. (1) The 13multifamily housing innovation council shall do all of the following: SB771,3,2014(a) Develop a guidebook that establishes recommendations for the design and 15construction of a multifamily dwelling that is served by a single stairway. The 16guidebook shall establish building specifications for a single stairway for a 17multifamily dwelling up to 6 stories and shall ensure that such a multifamily 18dwelling is designed and constructed in a manner that is consistent with safe 19occupancy and egress and that meets the standards of the National Fire Protection 20Association. SB771,3,2321(b) Establish a model ordinance and recommendations that will enable a 22county, city, village, or town to allow multifamily housing to be built on land zoned 23for commercial uses. SB771,4,324(c) Make recommendations to the department and the commercial building
1code council regarding any changes to the commercial building code that would 2facilitate multifamily housing innovation recommendations developed by the 3council under this section. SB771,4,84(2) (a) The multifamily housing innovation council shall meet monthly until 5the council completes its work on the guidebook and model ordinance required 6under sub. (1). Thereafter, except as provided in par. (b), the council shall meet 7annually to review and evaluate the guidebook and model ordinance and update 8them as appropriate. SB771,4,119(b) The multifamily housing innovation council shall meet on the call of the 10secretary to develop recommendations regarding any matter related to multifamily 11housing innovation specified by the secretary. SB771,412Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions. SB771,4,1613(1) Staggering of terms. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified for 14the members of the council under s. 15.407 (19), half of the initial members shall be 15appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2027, and half of the initial members shall 16be appointed for terms expiring on July 1, 2029.
