The 2025-26 session has ended. We achieved a great deal this session, even if we did not accomplish everything we set out to do. It was a successful session marked by big bipartisan agreements, a responsible state budget, EMS reforms, and progress made on many local priorities of southern and southwestern Wisconsin.

I am happy to report that this session, 21 of my bills passed the legislature. Each bill passed with bipartisan support, and 18 were signed into law by the Governor. These bills included a package of EMS reforms to reduce barriers for volunteers and provide local departments with tools for recruitment and retention. We also passed bills I authored to strengthen protections for victims of sexual assault, speed up large road and bridge construction projects, and address a number of local priorities such as adding signage for the Great River Road bike trail, and the Mount Horeb Veterans Memorial, as well as and fixing an administrative error that was hurting Oregon’s EMS service.

We also passed a responsible, bipartisan state budget that cut taxes while making historic investments in special education and healthcare. The budget put over $1 billion of new money into roads and bridges, including renewed funding for the popular Ag Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) and Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP). It also delivered important investments for our region, including support for Taliesin Preservation, building projects at the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Platteville and UW-Madison, a childcare center in Platteville, improvements at local correctional facilities, and much more.

On top of that, we passed legislation to expand healthcare coverage for new mothers up to one year postpartum, released funding to address PFAS contamination in the water, while protecting innocent farmers, and banned cell phone use by students during the school day.

There were also several proposals I am disappointed did not pass. The bipartisan agreement between legislative leaders and the Governor, which I strongly supported, failed to pass the legislature. This deal would have sent more than $1 billion back to taxpayers while investing hundreds of millions into our school districts. I was also disappointed that a compromise to extend the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, an environmental program that allows the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to purchase and conserve land, failed to pass the entire legislature after I voted to advance it out of committee. Finally, despite receiving a public hearing, we were unable to pass legislation that would have required large scale wind and solar projects to receive local approval before they go through the Public Service Commission (PSC).

We accomplished a great deal on behalf of southern and southwestern Wisconsin this session, especially considering how heavily my team and I were involved in the state budget process during the first half of 2025. Our success in advancing meaningful reforms is a testament to the good ideas and advocacy of the people of the 17th Senate District.

If you need assistance with any state-related matters, please call my team at the State Capitol – 608-266-0703 – or email me – Sen.Marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov. My team is ready and willing to help navigate your state government, clear obstacles, and receive your input.