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AB881 • 2025

water diversion or elevation projects in towns

water diversion or elevation projects in towns

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representatives Tucker and Born, cosponsored by Senator Quinn
Last action
2026-05-13
Official status
A - Veto Sustained
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

water diversion or elevation projects in towns

water diversion or elevation projects in towns Status: A - Veto Sustained

What This Bill Does

  • water diversion or elevation projects in towns Status: A - Veto Sustained

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-13 Asm.

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

  2. 2026-05-12 Asm.

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  3. 2026-04-08 Asm.

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-8-2026

  4. 2026-04-02 Asm.

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  5. 2026-03-20 Asm.

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-20-2026

  6. 2026-03-18 Asm.

    Received from Senate concurred in

  7. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Read a second time

  8. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Ordered to a third reading

  9. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  10. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Read a third time and concurred in

  11. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  12. 2026-03-16 Sen.

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  13. 2026-03-09 Sen.

    Executive action taken

  14. 2026-03-09 Sen.

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry , Ayes 3, Noes 2

  15. 2026-03-09 Sen.

    Available for scheduling

  16. 2026-03-02 Sen.

    Public hearing held

  17. 2026-02-20 Sen.

    Read first time and referred to committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry

  18. 2026-02-19 Sen.

    Received from Assembly

  19. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Neubauer

  20. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Read a second time

  21. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative Tucker

  22. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 adopted

  23. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Rules suspended

  25. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Read a third time and passed

  26. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. 2026-02-17 Asm.

    Made a special order of business at 1:28 PM on 2-18-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 13

  28. 2026-02-09 Asm.

    Senator Stafsholt added as a cosponsor

  29. 2026-02-02 Asm.

    Representative Moses added as a coauthor

  30. 2026-01-30 Asm.

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Environment , Ayes 4, Noes 2

  31. 2026-01-30 Asm.

    Referred to committee on Rules

  32. 2026-01-29 Asm.

    Executive action taken

  33. 2026-01-21 Asm.

    Public hearing held

  34. 2026-01-20 Asm.

    Representative Kurtz added as a coauthor

  35. 2026-01-16 Asm.

    Introduced by Representatives Tucker and Born ; cosponsored by Senator Quinn

  36. 2026-01-16 Asm.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Environment

Official Summary Text

water diversion or elevation projects in towns
Status: A - Veto Sustained

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: AB881: Text as Enrolled

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Vetoed in Full
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AB881: Text as Enrolled

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Date of enactment:
2025 Assembly Bill 881

Date of publication*:
2025 WISCONSIN ACT
An Act

to amend
30.18 (8), 31.02 (1) and 87.02 (1);
to create
31.16 of the statutes;
relating to:
water diversion or elevation projects in towns.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB881,1
Section

1
.
30.18 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
30.18
(8)

Department may raise water elevations.
If after examination and investigation the department determines that it is necessary to raise water elevations in any navigable stream or lake for conservation purposes, the department may, if funds are available from any source other than license fees
and subject to the requirement under s. 31.16
, determine and establish the elevations to which the water may be raised or maintained, but the water elevation may not be established below the normal elevation. If any lands are damaged by raising the water levels above normal and the department cannot acquire the right to flow the lands by agreement with the owner, the department may
, subject to the requirement under s. 31.16,
acquire the lands or the right to flow the lands by condemnation under ch. 32.
AB881,2
Section

2
.
31.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
31.02
(1)
The department, in the interest of public rights in navigable waters, to promote safety, and to protect life, health, property, property values, and economic values may
, subject to the requirement under s. 31.16,
regulate and control the level and flow of water in all navigable waters and may erect, or may order and require bench marks to be erected, upon which shall be designated the maximum level of water that may be impounded and the lowest level of water that may be maintained by any dam heretofore or hereafter constructed and maintained and which will affect the level and flow of navigable waters; and may by order fix a level for any body of navigable water below which the same shall not be lowered except as provided in this chapter; and shall establish and maintain gauging stations upon the various navigable waters of the state and shall take other steps necessary to determine and record the characteristics of such waters.
AB881,3
Section

3
.
31.16 of the statutes is created to read:
31.16

Projects involving water diversion.
Except in the case of an emergency, the department may not initiate, authorize, or issue a permit for a project located in a town that involves the use of stationary or portable pumps or other mechanisms that divert water to locations where water is not naturally occurring or that raise the water elevation of a body of water above what is naturally occurring unless the town board of the town in which the activity will occur approves the project by resolution.
AB881,4
Section

4
.
87.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
87.02
(1)
To order the straightening, widening, altering, deepening, changing or the removing of obstructions from the course of any river, watercourse, pond, lake, creek
,
or natural stream, ditch, drain
,
or sewer, and the concentration, diversion
,
or division of the flow of water therein; provided, that in the case of navigable waters no such work shall substantially impair the navigability thereof
and that any such project located in a town is subject to s. 31.16
.

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vetoedenrolledbills

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