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WI AB994

WI AB994
Review by state agencies of administrative rules and enactments; an expedited process for repealing rules an agency no longer has the authority to promulgate; and the rule-making authority of certain agencies. (FE)


summary

Introduced
01/30/2026
In Committee
02/16/2026
Crossed Over
02/12/2026
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill modifies biennial reporting requirements for agencies on administrative rules, restricts agencies from promulgating rules if they are delinquent in complying with the reporting requirement, and expands the availability of an expedited, alternative rule-making process that can be used to repeal certain rules. Current law requires each agency with any rules published in the code to biennially submit a report to the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) listing all of the following rules promulgated or otherwise administered by that agency: 1. “Unauthorized rules,” which are defined as rules that an agency lacks the authority to promulgate due to the repeal or amendment of the law that previously authorized their promulgation. 2. Rules for which the authority to promulgate has been restricted. 3. Rules that are obsolete or that have been rendered unnecessary. 4. Rules that are duplicative of, superseded by, or in conflict with another rule, a state statute, a federal statute or regulation, or a court ruling. 5. Economically burdensome rules. Current law also allows for the use of an expedited repeal process for unauthorized rules, as defined above, whereby an agency can repeal an unauthorized rule without needing to use the full rule-making process. Under the expedited repeal process, an agency can petition JCRAR to repeal the unauthorized rule, and, if JCRAR approves the petition, the agency may then repeal the rule by filing the final rule with the Legislative Reference Bureau. This bill makes a number of changes to these and related provisions, including the following: 1. The bill provides that an agency that is delinquent with its biennial reporting requirement is restricted from taking any action with respect to the promulgation of any rules until the agency submits its delinquent report. 2. The bill requires an agency, before preparing its biennial rules report, to hold a public hearing and solicit public comment from the public on rules promulgated or otherwise administered by that agency that may satisfy any of the above criteria. The agency must then take that feedback into account before finalizing its biennial rules report. 3. The bill allows an agency to use the expedited repeal process to repeal any rule listed in its biennial rules report, subject to approval by JCRAR. For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

This bill modifies how state agencies review and repeal administrative rules, aiming to streamline the process for removing outdated or unnecessary regulations. It requires agencies to conduct public hearings and gather public input on rules that might be considered "qualifying rules" – meaning they are unauthorized (the law allowing them has changed), their authority has been restricted, they are obsolete, duplicative, or economically burdensome. Agencies that fail to submit their required biennial reports on these rules will be temporarily barred from creating new rules until they comply. The bill also expands the use of an expedited process, overseen by the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR), allowing agencies to repeal these qualifying rules more quickly than through the standard rule-making procedure. This expedited process involves petitioning JCRAR, and if approved, the agency can repeal the rule by filing it with the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (17)

Last Action

Fiscal estimate received (on 02/17/2026)

bill text


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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab994
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From ETHC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_ethc.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From DOC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_doc.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From WTCS https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_wtcs.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From DNR https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_dnr.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From DVA https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_dva.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From DFI https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_dfi.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From RRC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_rrc.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From LWSRB https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_lwsrb.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From PSC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_psc.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From ETF https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_etf.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From ELEC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_elec.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From OCI https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_oci.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From DMA https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_dma.pdf
AB994 ROCP for Committee on Government Operations, Accountability, and Transparency https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/records/assembly/government_operations_accountability_and_transparency/1970594.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From SWIB https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_swib.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From ERC https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_erc.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From WHS https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_whs.pdf
Fiscal Note - AB994: Fiscal Estimate From JUDCM https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/ab994/ab994_judcm.pdf
BillText https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB994.pdf
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