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AB1221: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-6079/1
CMH/ARG/JK:wlj
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 1221
March 19, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives
Madison
,
Hong
,
Clancy
,
Phelps
,
Cruz
,
Sinicki
and
Prado
. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
AB1221,1,10
1
An Act
to amend
7.33 (1) (c), 13.172 (1), 13.62 (2), 13.94 (4) (a) 1., 13.95 (intro.),
2
16.002 (2), 16.004 (4), 16.004 (5), 16.004 (12) (a), 16.01 (1), 16.045 (1) (a), 16.41
3
(4), 16.417 (1) (b), 16.52 (7), 16.528 (1) (a), 16.53 (2), 16.54 (9) (a) 1., 16.70 (2),
4
16.75 (1m), 16.765 (1), 16.765 (2), 16.765 (4), 16.765 (5), 16.765 (6), 16.765 (7)
5
(intro.), 16.765 (7) (d), 16.765 (8), 16.838 (1) (b), 16.85 (2), 16.865 (8), 23.175 (1)
6
(b), 25.50 (1) (d), 71.26 (1) (be), 77.54 (9a) (a), 100.45 (1) (dm), 230.03 (3),
7
281.75 (4) (b) 3., 285.59 (1) (b) and 323.265 (1) (a);
to create
19.42 (10) (qm),
8
20.194, 40.02 (54) (k), 70.11 (38p) and chapter 235 of the statutes;
relating to:
9
creating the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority and making an
10
appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority. The bill provides that the mission of the authority is to ensure universal access to affordable, nutritious food by supporting local governments in the development and operation of public grocery stores and operating a statewide public food distribution network that lowers costs, stabilizes prices, supports workers, and prioritizes food-insecure communities.
Under the bill, the authority must administer a statewide public food distribution network to distribute products and services to public grocery stores, cooperatives and employee-owned grocery stores, public schools, and state buildings and programs. Under the bill, the services that the authority provides include 1) bulk purchasing of groceries, using local farmers and small businesses; 2) negotiating purchase prices of food and products; 3) funding and management of the shipping of groceries; and 4) assistance, training, and operational and administrative support. The bill also requires the authority to support the planning, development, and ongoing operations of public grocery stores and allows the authority to award grants for public grocery stores. The bill requires the authority to prioritize financial support for communities the authority determines to be food insecure. The bill requires the authority to define small, medium, and large categories for public grocery stores and provide different requirements for small, medium, and large public grocery stores, including cost-sharing, operating hours, and amenities. The bill requires the authority to establish standards for public grocery stores, including all of the following: 1) functionality, cleanliness, and ease of use for shoppers; 2) accessibility requirements; 3) environmentally sustainable, cost-effective construction practices; and 4) a consistent visual identity and architectural character. The bill also requires the authority to establish pricing for products in public grocery stores. Under the bill, the price of a product generally may not exceed 5 percent of the amount paid to acquire the product. Additionally, the authority may authorize a price that is up to 30 percent under the amount paid to acquire a product for food-insecure areas that the authority determines are priority; for products that the authority designates as staple goods; for limited promotional periods; for states of emergency; or for other periods, as determined by the authority. Finally, the bill requires the authority to report annually to the legislature on performance metrics for public grocery stores, financial status information, and recommendations for statutory changes.
The bill provides a process under which a local governmental unit may apply to the authority to be a member of the food distribution network and house a public grocery store. A local governmental unit must submit the following information: 1) the location and size of the public grocery store; 2) a financing plan for the development and operation of the public grocery store, including requests for financial support from the authority; and 3) an explanation of how the applicant will further the authority’s mission. The authority must complete a feasibility review of an application within 60 days of receipt and assess all of the following with regard to the local governmental unit: 1) its food insecurity index; 2) the ratio of grocery cost to income in the local governmental unit; and 3) the distance to the nearest full-service grocery store. If the authority approves the application, the authority must notify the applicant when construction or logistical setup will begin. The authority may award a grant to the local governmental unit.
The bill sets forth requirements for public grocery stores, including requiring all public grocery stores to accept benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or the food stamp program) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (the WIC program); to provide customers with wireless Internet access, high quality food, a fresh food section, medication and medical supplies, and free high-quality, nontoxic menstrual products; and to compensate employees with prevailing or collectively bargained wages.
The bill also allows the authority to require larger stores, as determined by the authority, to offer additional amenities such as a full-service section with hot food prepared daily, a cafeteria and a seating area for shoppers to eat meals, a coffee shop, a full-service bakery, a full-service pharmacy, a community center, a study area, childcare, an affordable public or social housing development, and access to health care or mental health care.
Under the bill, the authority may order temporary closure, restructuring, or transfer of management of a public grocery store if, in the authority’s opinion, continued operation poses a financial risk or the public grocery store fails to meet goals or violates standards set by the authority.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB1221,1
1
Section
1
.
7.33 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,2,4
2
7.33
(1)
(c) “State agency” has the meaning given under s. 20.001 (1) and
3
includes an authority created under subch. II of ch. 114 or ch. 231, 232, 233, 234,
4
235,
or 237.
AB1221,2
5
Section
2
.
13.172 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,2,11
6
13.172
(1)
In this section, “agency” means an office, department, agency,
7
institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state
8
government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that
9
is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the
10
courts, and any authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 233, 234,
235,
11
238, or 279.
AB1221,3
12
Section
3
.
13.62 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,3,5
1
13.62
(2)
“Agency” means any board, commission, department, office, society,
2
institution of higher education, council, or committee in the state government, or
3
any authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 232, 233, 234,
235,
237,
4
238, or 279, except that the term does not include a council or committee of the
5
legislature.
AB1221,4
6
Section
4
.
13.94 (4) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,3,23
7
13.94
(4)
(a) 1. Every state department, board, examining board, affiliated
8
credentialing board, commission, independent agency, council or office in the
9
executive branch of state government; all bodies created by the legislature in the
10
legislative or judicial branch of state government; any public body corporate and
11
politic created by the legislature including specifically the Fox River Navigational
12
System Authority, the Lower Fox River Remediation Authority, the Wisconsin
13
Aerospace Authority,
the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority,
the
14
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, a professional baseball park
15
district, a local professional football stadium district, a local cultural arts district
16
and a long-term care district under s. 46.2895; every Wisconsin works agency under
17
subch. III of ch. 49; every provider of medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49;
18
technical college district boards; every county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437;
19
every nonprofit corporation or cooperative or unincorporated cooperative
20
association to which moneys are specifically appropriated by state law; and every
21
corporation, institution, association or other organization which receives more than
22
50 percent of its annual budget from appropriations made by state law, including
23
subgrantee or subcontractor recipients of such funds.
AB1221,5
24
Section
5
.
13.95 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,4,13
1
13.95
Legislative fiscal bureau.
(intro.) There is created a bureau to be
2
known as the “Legislative Fiscal Bureau” headed by a director. The fiscal bureau
3
shall be strictly nonpartisan and shall at all times observe the confidential nature
4
of the research requests received by it; however, with the prior approval of the
5
requester in each instance, the bureau may duplicate the results of its research for
6
distribution. Subject to s. 230.35 (4) (a) and (f), the director or the director’s
7
designated employees shall at all times, with or without notice, have access to all
8
state agencies, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, the
9
Wisconsin Aerospace Authority,
the Wisconsin Public Food Administration
10
Authority,
the Lower Fox River Remediation Authority, the Wisconsin Economic
11
Development Corporation, and the Fox River Navigational System Authority, and to
12
any books, records, or other documents maintained by such agencies or authorities
13
and relating to their expenditures, revenues, operations, and structure.
AB1221,6
14
Section
6
.
16.002 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,4,19
15
16.002
(2)
“Departments” means constitutional offices, departments, and
16
independent agencies and includes all societies, associations, and other agencies of
17
state government for which appropriations are made by law, but not including
18
authorities created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 232, 233, 234,
235,
237, 238,
19
or 279.
AB1221,7
20
Section
7
.
16.004 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,5,2
21
16.004
(4)
Freedom of access.
The secretary and such employees of the
22
department as the secretary designates may enter into the offices of state agencies
23
and authorities created under subch. II of ch. 114 and under chs. 231, 233, 234,
235,
24
237, 238, and 279, and may examine their books and accounts and any other matter
1
that in the secretary’s judgment should be examined and may interrogate the
2
agency’s employees publicly or privately relative thereto.
AB1221,8
3
Section
8
.
16.004 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,5,8
4
16.004
(5)
Agencies and employees to cooperate.
All state agencies and
5
authorities created under subch. II of ch. 114 and under chs. 231, 233, 234,
235,
6
237, 238, and 279, and their officers and employees, shall cooperate with the
7
secretary and shall comply with every request of the secretary relating to his or her
8
functions.
AB1221,9
9
Section
9
.
16.004 (12) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,5,17
10
16.004
(12)
(a) In this subsection, “state agency” means an association,
11
authority, board, department, commission, independent agency, institution, office,
12
society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the
13
constitution or any law, including the legislature, the office of the governor, and the
14
courts, but excluding the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority,
15
the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority,
the Wisconsin Public Food Administration
16
Authority,
the Lower Fox River Remediation Authority, the Wisconsin Economic
17
Development Corporation, and the Fox River Navigational System Authority.
AB1221,10
18
Section
10
.
16.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,5,24
19
16.01
(1)
In this section, “agency” means any office, department, agency,
20
institution of higher education, association, society or other body in state
21
government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law which
22
is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the
23
courts, and any authority created under subch. II of ch. 114 or ch. 231, 233
or
,
234
,
24
or 235
.
AB1221,11
1
Section
11
.
16.045 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,6,7
2
16.045
(1)
(a) “Agency” means an office, department, independent agency,
3
institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state
4
government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that
5
is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the
6
courts, but not including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231,
7
232, 233, 234,
235,
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,12
8
Section
12
.
16.41 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,6,10
9
16.41
(4)
In this section, “authority” means a body created under subch. II of
10
ch. 114 or under ch. 231, 233, 234,
235,
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,13
11
Section
13
.
16.417 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,6,13
12
16.417
(1)
(b) “Authority” means a body created under subch. II of ch. 114 or
13
ch. 231, 232, 233, 234,
235,
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,14
14
Section
14
.
16.52 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,7,2
15
16.52
(7)
Petty cash account.
With the approval of the secretary, each
16
agency that is authorized to maintain a contingent fund under s. 20.920 may
17
establish a petty cash account from its contingent fund. The procedure for
18
operation and maintenance of petty cash accounts and the character of
19
expenditures therefrom shall be prescribed by the secretary. In this subsection,
20
“agency” means an office, department, independent agency, institution of higher
21
education, association, society, or other body in state government created or
22
authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that is entitled to expend
23
moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the courts, but not
1
including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 233, 234,
235,
2
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,15
3
Section
15
.
16.528 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,7,9
4
16.528
(1)
(a) “Agency” means an office, department, independent agency,
5
institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state
6
government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that
7
is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the
8
courts, but not including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231,
9
233, 234,
235,
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,16
10
Section
16
.
16.53 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,7,19
11
16.53
(2)
Improper invoices.
If an agency receives an improperly completed
12
invoice, the agency shall notify the sender of the invoice within 10 working days
13
after it receives the invoice of the reason it is improperly completed. In this
14
subsection, “agency” means an office, department, independent agency, institution
15
of higher education, association, society, or other body in state government created
16
or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, that is entitled to expend
17
moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature and the courts, but not
18
including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 233, 234,
235,
19
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,17
20
Section
17
.
16.54 (9) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,8,2
21
16.54
(9)
(a) 1. “Agency” means an office, department, independent agency,
22
institution of higher education, association, society or other body in state
23
government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law,
24
which is entitled to expend moneys appropriated by law, including the legislature
1
and the courts, but not including an authority created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in
2
ch. 231, 233, 234,
235,
237, 238, or 279.
AB1221,18
3
Section
18
.
16.70 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,8,5
4
16.70
(2)
“Authority” means a body created under subch. II of ch. 114 or under
5
ch. 231, 232, 233, 234,
235,
237, or 279.
AB1221,19
6
Section
19
.
16.75 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,8,20
7
16.75
(1m)
The department shall award each order or contract for materials,
8
supplies or equipment on the basis of life cycle cost estimates, whenever such action
9
is appropriate. Each authority other than the University of Wisconsin Hospitals
10
and Clinics Authority, the Lower Fox River Remediation Authority,
and
the
11
Wisconsin Aerospace Authority
, and the Wisconsin Public Food Administration
12
Authority
shall award each order or contract for materials, supplies or equipment
13
on the basis of life cycle cost estimates, whenever such action is appropriate. The
14
terms, conditions and evaluation criteria to be applied shall be incorporated in the
15
solicitation of bids or proposals. The life cycle cost formula may include, but is not
16
limited to, the applicable costs of energy efficiency, acquisition and conversion,
17
money, transportation, warehousing and distribution, training, operation and
18
maintenance and disposition or resale. The department shall prepare documents
19
containing technical guidance for the development and use of life cycle cost
20
estimates, and shall make the documents available to local governmental units.
AB1221,20
21
Section
20
.
16.765 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1221,9,8
22
16.765
(1)
Contracting agencies, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and
23
Clinics Authority, the Fox River Navigational System Authority, the Wisconsin
24
Aerospace Authority,
the Wisconsin Public Food Administration Authority,
the
1
Lower Fox River Remediation Authority, the Wisconsin Economic Development
2
Corporation, and the Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corporation shall
3
include in all contracts executed by them a provision obligating the contractor not to
4
discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age,
5
race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, developmental disability as
6
defined in s. 51.01 (5), sexual orientation as defined in s. 111.32 (13m), or national
7
origin and, except with respect to sexual orientation, obligating the contractor to
8
take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities.
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