summary
Introduced
02/26/2026
02/26/2026
In Committee
02/26/2026
02/26/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
03/23/2026
03/23/2026
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill prohibits the operation of a data center in Wisconsin unless all of the following are provided by law, as determined by the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection: 1. The establishment of a statewide data center planning authority. 2. A prohibition on shifting data center energy and water costs to residential customers. 3. A prohibition on shifting data center energy infrastructure costs to residential customers. 4. The creation of a land and community recovery funding mechanism. 5. The elimination of state and local financial subsidies. 6. Mandatory data center public reporting of water and electricity usage. 7. The creation of data center specific safeguards concerning air, water, and noise pollution to protect the environment and people’s health. 8. A requirement that 100 percent of energy derived for data centers must be provided for by newly built, directly accessible renewable energy. 9. A requirement that the contractor constructing the newly built, directly accessible renewable energy projects required for purposes of the bill pay either a prevailing wage or collectively bargained wages. LRB-6391/1 MPG:cdc&emw 2025 - 2026 Legislature SENATE BILL 1061 10. A requirement that the contractor constructing any data center pay either a prevailing wage or collectively bargained wages. 11. The restoration of the Public Service Commission’s integrated resource planning authority. 12. A prohibition on nondisclosure agreements between data centers, data center developers, utilities, and local government officials. 13. A requirement that data centers must receive prior approval by referendum of the electors of the municipality where the data center is to be located. 14. The creation of an enforcement and penalty structure specific to data centers. For purposes of the bill, a data center is a facility having a primary purpose of storing, managing, and processing digital data and that has at least 5,000 servers, occupies at least 10,000 square feet, or has an electricity demand of at least 100 megawatts.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a moratorium on the operation of data centers in Wisconsin, which are defined as facilities primarily for storing, managing, and processing digital data that meet certain size or energy demand thresholds, unless specific legal requirements are met, as determined by the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. These requirements include establishing a statewide data center planning authority, prohibiting the shifting of energy and water costs, as well as energy infrastructure costs, to residential customers, and creating a funding mechanism for land and community recovery. The bill also mandates the elimination of state and local financial subsidies for data centers, requires public reporting of their water and electricity usage, and establishes safeguards for air, water, and noise pollution. Furthermore, it mandates that 100% of a data center's energy must come from newly built, directly accessible renewable energy sources, with contractors for both the renewable energy projects and the data centers themselves required to pay prevailing or collectively bargained wages. The bill also restores the Public Service Commission's integrated resource planning authority, prohibits nondisclosure agreements between data centers, developers, utilities, and local officials, requires prior approval by local referendum for data center location, and creates a specific enforcement and penalty structure for data centers.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (8)
Tim Carpenter (D)*,
Chris Larson (D)*,
Ryan Clancy (D),
Angelina Cruz (D),
Francesca Hong (D),
Darrin Madison (D),
Supreme Moore Omokunde (D),
Angelito Tenorio (D),
Last Action
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (on 03/23/2026)
Bill Topics
Energy
- ‐ Alternative and Renewable Energy
- ‐ Electricity and Hydroelectricity
Space, Science, Technology, and Communications
- ‐ Internet and Computer Issues
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb1061 | 02/26/2026 |
| SB1061 ROCP for Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/records/senate/utilities_technology_and_tourism/1986689.pdf | 04/01/2026 |
| BillText | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/SB1061.pdf | 02/26/2026 |
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