I was named the “2026 Legislator of the Year” by the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association (WSFCA) on Friday, August 7, 2026.

Chief Steve Denzien, WSFCA President, along with WSFCA Vice President Robert Goplin, and Platteville Fire Chief Ryan Simmons, presented the award at the Platteville Fire Station for my work supporting local fire departments across Wisconsin.

I am honored to be named the State Fire Chiefs 2026 Legislator of the Year. During an emergency, our local fire departments are always there to answer the call and I am proud to support their work and be someone they can count on in the Legislature.

“Sen. Marklein has been a strong advocate in the State Legislature for our local fire departments and we are proud to give him this recognition,” Chief Denzien said. “He was instrumental in advocating for additional tools and funding for our departments, securing long-term, sustainable funding for Wisconsin’s specialized emergency response teams, and protecting our members from threats faced on the job.”

I received the “2026 Legislator of the Year” Award for my work during the 2025-2027 legislative session to support Wisconsin’s fire departments. I championed three successful pieces of legislation (2025 Wisconsin (WI) Acts 35, 36, and 212) to bolster training options and provide funding and additional flexibility for local departments. I also authored 2025 WI Act 197, which protects fire department members from threats faced on the job. In the state budget, I led the effort to secure long-term funding for Wisconsin Task Force 1, an all-hazards emergency response team, and Regional Hazardous Materials Response Teams, which respond to incidents involving hazardous materials.