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Wisconsin Legislature: AB980: Bill Text
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AB980: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5570/2
EHS:skw
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 980
January 30, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives
Green
and
B. Jacobson
, cosponsored by Senators
Stafsholt
and
Quinn
. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.
AB980,1,2
1
An Act
to create
23.176 and 23.47 (1) (e) of the statutes;
relating to:
bicycling
2
permits, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill prohibits a person from traveling by bicycle on a groomed mountain biking trail or other trail, except highways, that is open for the use of bicycles on state-owned land unless a bicycling permit is permanently affixed in a highly visible location on the forward half of the bicycle or the person is carrying proof of a valid temporary bicycle permit receipt, which the person must exhibit to DNR or its wardens or other law enforcement officers on demand. Under the bill, a temporary bicycle permit receipt means a receipt issued by DNR or its agent that shows that an application and the required fees for a bicycle permit have been submitted.
The bill excludes from this prohibition vehicle admission areas, where, under current law, a vehicle admission receipt is generally required in order for a vehicle to enter. Vehicle admission areas include all state parks, the Richard Bong state recreation area, the Wisconsin Dells natural area, the Point Beach state forest, certain recreational areas in other state forests, certain designated use zones within recreation areas, and most roadside parks. Under the bill, a person who is authorized to bicycle on state-owned land under a separate trail pass or as part of an organized event is not required to have a bicycle permit. The bill specifies that a bicycling permit does not authorize a person to bicycle in an area on state-owned land where bicycling is prohibited.
Under the bill, DNR must issue a bicycling permit and temporary bicycling permit receipt to a person who applies for the permit and who pays the required fees, and the permit is valid for the calendar year in which it is issued. The bill authorizes DNR to directly issue the permits and receipts or appoint persons who are not DNR employees as its agents to issue the permits and receipts. The bill sets the fee for the permit at $40 for an adult, $20 for a child age 12 or older, and $0 for a child under the age of 12, with a 75 cent issuing fee for each permit issued to a person 12 years of age or older. The bill allows a DNR agent to retain 50 cents of such an issuing fee as compensation for issuing temporary bicycling permit receipts.
For further information see the state 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:
AB980,1
1
Section
1
.
23.176 of the statutes is created to read:
AB980,2,2
2
23.176
Bicycling permit.
(1)
Definitions.
In this section:
AB980,2,3
3
(a) “Highway” has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (22).
AB980,2,6
4
(b) “Proof” means the original bicycling permit or temporary bicycling permit
5
receipt issued by the department or an agent appointed under sub. (3) (d) 2. or any
6
alternative form of proof designated by rule under s. 23.47 (1).
AB980,2,10
7
(c) “Temporary bicycling permit receipt” means a receipt issued by the
8
department or an agent under sub. (3) (d) 2. that shows that an application and the
9
required fees under sub. (4) for a bicycling permit have been submitted to the
10
department or an agent appointed under sub. (3) (d) 2.
AB980,2,11
11
(d) “Vehicle admission area” has the meaning given in s. 27.01 (7) (a) 3.
AB980,3,2
12
(
2
) Permit required.
(a) Except as provided in par. (b), no person may travel
13
by bicycle on a groomed mountain biking trail or other trail that is open for the use
14
of bicycles on land owned by the state, excluding a highway and a vehicle admission
15
area, unless a bicycling permit issued under this section is permanently affixed in a
16
highly visible location on the forward half of the bicycle or the person is carrying
1
proof of a valid temporary bicycling permit receipt, which the person shall exhibit to
2
the department or its wardens or other law enforcement officers on demand.
AB980,3,4
3
(b) A person is not required to have a bicycle permit under par. (a) in order to
4
bicycle on a trail on land owned by the state if any of the following apply:
AB980,3,6
5
1. The person is authorized to bicycle on the trail as part of an organized and
6
authorized event.
AB980,3,8
7
2. The person is authorized to bicycle on a state trail under a trail pass issued
8
by the department under s. 23.175.
AB980,3,10
9
(c) A bicycling permit issued under this section does not authorize a person to
10
bicycle in an area on land owned by the state where bicycling is prohibited.
AB980,3,17
11
(
3
)
Issuance.
(a) The department shall issue a bicycling permit and a
12
temporary bicycling permit receipt to a person who applies for the permit and who
13
pays the fees required under sub. (4). The application for a bicycling permit shall be
14
on the form and contain the information required by the department. The
15
department or an agent appointed under par. (d) 2. may not issue a bicycling permit
16
or a temporary bicycling permit receipt to the applicant until the applicant complies
17
with the requirements specified in this paragraph.
AB980,3,19
18
(b) A bicycling permit issued under this section is valid for the calendar year
19
in which it is issued.
AB980,3,21
20
(c) The department shall prepare, procure the printing of, and supply all
21
necessary forms for applications and bicycling permits issued under this section.
AB980,3,23
22
(d) In the course of issuing bicycling permits and temporary bicycling permit
23
receipts under this section, the department may do any of the following:
AB980,4,2
1
1. Directly issue the bicycling permits and temporary bicycling permit
2
receipts.
AB980,4,5
3
2. Appoint persons who are not employees of the department to issue the
4
bicycling permits and temporary bicycling permit receipts as agents of the
5
department.
AB980,4,7
6
(e) The department may promulgate rules regulating the activities of persons
7
who are authorized as agents under par. (d) 2.
AB980,4,9
8
(
4
)
Fees.
(a) A person who applies for a bicycling permit under this section
9
shall pay one of the following fees to the department, whichever is applicable:
AB980,4,10
10
1. For an adult, $40.
AB980,4,11
11
2. For a child 12 years of age or older, $20.
AB980,4,12
12
3. For a child under the age of 12, $0.
AB980,4,20
13
(b) Any person, including the department, that issues a bicycling permit or
14
temporary bicycling permit receipt under this section to a person 12 years of age or
15
older shall collect, in addition to the applicable fee under par. (a), an issuing fee of
16
75 cents. An agent appointed under sub. (3) (d) 2. may retain 50 cents of each
17
issuing fee to compensate the agent for the agent’s services in issuing the
18
temporary bicycling permit receipt. Any issuing fee collected by an employee of the
19
department shall be remitted to the department together with the fee under par.
20
(a).
AB980,2
21
Section
2
.
23.47 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB980,4,23
22
23.47
(1)
(e) A bicycling permit or a temporary bicycling permit receipt under
23
s. 23.176.
AB980,4,24
24
(end)
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