2025 WISCONSIN ACT 15
(Vetoed in Part)
An Act; relating to: state finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2025 legislature.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
15,1Section 1. 13.48 (20x) of the statutes is created to read: 13.48 (20x) Grants for local construction projects. (a) The building commission shall establish and operate a grant program under this subsection to assist nonstate organizations to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose. The building commission is prohibited from awarding a grant for a construction project under this subsection unless the commission finds that the project is in the public interest and serves one or more statewide public purposes.
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.867 (3) (m), the building commission may award a grant to any nonstate organization for a construction project that satisfies par. (a).
(c) Before the building commission’s initial review of each application for a grant under par. (b), the grant applicant shall demonstrate to the commission’s satisfaction that the nonstate organization carrying out the project has secured additional funding for the project from nonstate revenue sources in an amount that is equal to at least 50 percent of the total cost of the project.
(d) If the building commission awards a grant under par. (b), and if, for any reason, the space that is constructed with funds from the grant is not used for one or more statewide public purposes determined by the building commission under par. (a), the state shall retain an ownership interest in the constructed space equal to the amount of the state’s grant.
(e) The building commission is prohibited from awarding a grant under par. (b) unless the department of administration has reviewed and approved plans for the construction project associated with the grant. Notwithstanding ss. 16.85 (1) and 16.855 (1m), the department of administration is prohibited from supervising any services or work or let any contract for the project. Section 16.87 does not apply to the project.
(f) The building commission may not award grants under par. (b) totaling more than $50,000,000 in the aggregate.
15,2Section 2. 13.48 (31m) of the statutes is created to read: 13.48 (31m) Medical College of Wisconsin eye institute. (a) The legislature finds and determines that expanding research on eye disorders, developing new vision care treatments, enhancing vision education, addressing the growing demand for vision care and research, and creating jobs in this state is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., to construct and equip a new eye institute in the city of Wauwatosa.
(b) The building commission may authorize up to $10,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing to assist the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., with the eye institute construction project specified in par. (a). The state funding commitment shall be in the form of a grant to the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc. Before approving any state funding commitment for the project, the building commission shall determine that the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., has secured additional funding for the project of at least $31,599,000 from nonstate revenue sources.
(c) If the building commission authorizes a grant to the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., under par. (b), and if, for any reason, the facility that is constructed with funds from the grant is not used for purposes of an eye institute, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the facility equal to the amount of the state’s grant.
15,3Section 3. 13.94 (1) (t) of the statutes is amended to read: 13.94 (1) (t) Annually conduct a financial audit of the University of Wisconsin System. This audit shall also include an evaluation of compliance with the requirements under s. 36.11 (3) (b). The legislative audit bureau shall file a copy of each audit report under this paragraph with the distributees specified in par. (b).
15,4Section 4. 13.94 (1) (zm) of the statutes is created to read: 13.94 (1) (zm) Biennially, beginning in 2027, prepare a performance evaluation audit of the program to accredit productions for purposes of ss. 71.07 (5f) and (5h), 71.28 (5f) and (5h), and 71.47 (5f) and (5h) by the state film office.
15,5Section 5. 15.448 of the statutes is created to read: 15.448 Same; offices. (1) State film office. There is created a state film office in the department of tourism. The director of the office shall be appointed by the secretary of tourism.
15,6Section 6. 16.004 (22) (b) of the statutes is amended to read: 16.004 (22) (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.855 (4) (dt), if the joint committee on finance approves a request for funding made jointly by the secretary and WisconsinEye, the secretary shall make a payment one or more payments in the form of a grant to WisconsinEye for the establishment of an endowment fund.
15,7Section 7. 16.004 (22) (c) of the statutes is amended to read: 16.004 (22) (c) The department is prohibited from making a payment under par. (b) unless prior to June 1, 2025 the date of the payment, WisconsinEye has raised for the endowment fund from nonstate funding sources total amounts that at least equal the amount of the payment, up to $10,000,000.
15,8Section 8. 16.007 (2m) of the statutes is created to read: 16.007 (2m) Timeline for certain claims. Any claim referred to the board that relates to a contract with the department of transportation for transportation infrastructure improvement or to a contract with the department of administration or the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System that is awarded under s. 16.855 shall be heard by the claims board, and the claims board shall make a final determination upon the claim within 6 months from the date that the claim was referred to the claims board.
15,9Section 9. 16.07 of the statutes is created to read: 16.07 County grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (kv), annually, the department shall award grants in equal amounts to each county in this state in which a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band is headquartered.
15,10bSection 10b. 16.088 (1) of the statutes is amended to read: 16.088 (1) Award grants to the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin to support the Healing to Wellness Court program at the Oneida Nation, in an amount up to $259,100 annually and in an amount up to $60,000 annually to conduct an intergovernmental training program.
15,11Section 11. 16.5185 (3m) of the statutes is created to read: 16.5185 (3m) In addition to the transfer under sub. (3), on December 30, 2025, and on each December 30 thereafter, the secretary shall transfer from the local government fund to the transportation fund $2,451,200.
15,12Section 12. 16.5185 (5) of the statutes is created to read: 16.5185 (5) Beginning on June 30, 2026, in each fiscal year, the secretary shall transfer from the general fund to the transportation fund all moneys lapsed to the general fund under s. 20.145 (1) (g), but not to exceed $6,000,000 in a fiscal year.
15,13Section 13. 16.705 (1b) (g) of the statutes is created to read: 16.705 (1b) (g) The department of workforce development for the worker’s compensation fee schedule activities specified under s. 102.423 (3) (am).
15,14Section 14. 16.867 (2) of the statutes is amended to read: 16.867 (2) If the estimated cost of a construction project under the department’s supervision is $7,400,000 or more, the selection committee appointed under sub. (1) shall use a request-for-proposal process established by the department to select an architect or engineer for the project based on qualifications. Beginning in fiscal year 2025-26, this amount is $15,000,000.
15,15Section 15. 20.005 (1) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read: 20.005 (1) Summary of all funds. The budget governing fiscal operations for the state of Wisconsin for all funds beginning on July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2027, is summarized as follows: [See Figure 20.005 (1) following]
Figure: 20.005 (1)
GENERAL FUND SUMMARY
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS — ALL FUNDS
SUMMARY OF COMPENSATION RESERVES — ALL FUNDS
LOTTERY FUND SUMMARY
15,16Section 16. 20.005 (2) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read: 20.005 (2) State borrowing program summary. The following schedule sets forth the state borrowing program summary: [See Figures 20.005 (2) (a) and (b) following]
Figure: 20.005 (2) (a)
