Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: SB1037: Bill Text
Skip navigation
Home
Documents
Senate
Assembly
Committees
Service Agencies
Docs
Options
Help
2025 Biennium
Statutes
Admin. Rules
Indices
Miscellaneous
Archives
Home
Bill, Rule, and Appointment Histories
Senators
Representatives
Committees
Text of Introduced Proposals
Amendment Text
Acts
Veto Messages
Enrolled Bills
Votes
Assembly and Senate Floor Calendars
Schedule of Committee Activities
Assembly and Senate Journals
Committee Records (ROCPs)
Legislative Rules
All Session-Related Documents
Subject Index to Acts
Subject Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Journals
Author Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Clearinghouse Rules
Miscellaneous Budget Documents
Executive Orders
Rulings of the Chair
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules
Opinions of the Attorney General
Town Law Forms
Law
Districts
Session
Drafting Files
Feeds
Preferences
Show tree
Hide tree
Feedback
Help
Home
Senate Home
Senators
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Civics Education
Human Resources
Assembly Home
Representatives
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Human Resources
Schedule
Joint
Senate
Assembly
Study
Legislative Audit Bureau
Legislative Council
Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Legislative Human Resources Office
Legislative Reference Bureau
Legislative Technology Services Bureau
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SB1037: Bill Text
Up
Up
2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-6437/1
KP:cdc
2025 SENATE BILL 1037
February 24, 2026 - Introduced by Senators
Smith
,
Ratcliff
,
Spreitzer
,
Roys
and
Larson
, cosponsored by Representatives
Udell
,
Fitzgerald
,
Anderson
,
Stubbs
,
Sinicki
,
Moore Omokunde
,
Brown
,
Bare
,
DeSmidt
,
Joers
,
McCarville
,
Roe
,
Tenorio
,
Stroud
and
Sheehan
. Referred to Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism.
SB1037,1,4
1
An Act
to amend
196.504 (2) (a);
to create
20.155 (3) (g), 196.504 (1) (aa),
2
196.504 (2g) and 196.504 (2r) of the statutes;
relating to:
requirements for
3
broadband expansion grants, granting rule-making authority, and making an
4
appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes changes to the broadband expansion grant program administered by the Public Service Commission. Under current law, PSC makes grants to eligible applicants for constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. The bill defines “broadband infrastructure,” which is not defined under current law, as infrastructure that provides broadband service at the following speeds, whichever is faster: 1) a minimum download speed of 100 megabits per second and a minimum upload speed of 20 megabits per second or 2) minimum download and upload speeds designated by the Federal Communications Commission under federal law. Under the bill, infrastructure is eligible for a broadband expansion grant only if it satisfies the foregoing definition. The bill requires an applicant for a grant to specify the broadband infrastructure the applicant intends to construct with a grant and also requires a grant recipient to reimburse PSC for the grant if 1) the person fails to complete construction of the infrastructure or 2) the infrastructure that is constructed fails to provide the foregoing minimum download or upload speeds. Any reimbursed amounts are used to make additional grants.
In addition, the bill requires grant recipients to submit reports to PSC on the progress of broadband infrastructure construction, the number of broadband service connections provided by that infrastructure, and the average download and upload speeds for those service connections. Finally, beginning on January 1, 2027, the bill requires the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct biennial performance audits of the broadband expansion grant program.
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:
SB1037,1
1
Section
1
.
20.155 (3) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1037,2,4
2
20.155
(3)
(g)
Broadband expansion grants; program revenue funding.
All
3
moneys received as broadband grant reimbursements under s. 196.504 (2g) (b) for
4
making broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504.
SB1037,2
5
Section
2
.
196.504 (1) (aa) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1037,2,7
6
196.504
(1)
(aa) “Broadband infrastructure” means infrastructure for the
7
provision of broadband service at the following speeds, whichever is faster:
SB1037,2,9
8
1. A minimum download speed of 100 megabits per second and a minimum
9
upload speed of 20 megabits per second.
SB1037,2,13
10
2. The minimum upload and download speeds for advanced
11
telecommunications capability as designated by the federal communications
12
commission in its most recent inquiry regarding advanced telecommunications
13
capability under
47 USC 1302
(b).
SB1037,3
14
Section
3
.
196.504 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1037,3,5
15
196.504
(2)
(a) To make broadband expansion grants to eligible applicants for
16
the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in unserved areas designated
1
under par. (e).
An eligible applicant shall specify in its application for a grant the
2
broadband infrastructure the applicant intends to construct with the grant.
Grants
3
awarded under this section shall be paid from the appropriations under ss. 20.155
4
(3)
(g),
(r)
,
and (rm) and 20.866 (2) (z), in the amount allocated under s. 20.866 (2) (z)
5
5.
SB1037,4
6
Section
4
.
196.504 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1037,3,12
7
196.504
(2g)
(a) The commission shall require a person who receives a grant
8
under sub. (2) (a) to submit reports to the commission on the progress of
9
construction activities for the broadband infrastructure specified in the person’s
10
grant application, the number of broadband service connections provided by that
11
infrastructure after construction is completed, and the average download and
12
upload speeds for those service connections.
SB1037,3,14
13
(b) A person who receives a grant under sub. (2) (a) shall reimburse the
14
commission an amount equal to the grant if any of the following applies:
SB1037,3,16
15
1. The person fails to complete construction of the broadband infrastructure
16
specified in the person’s application under sub. (2) (a).
SB1037,3,18
17
2. The broadband infrastructure constructed with the grant fails to provide
18
broadband service at speeds specified in sub. (1) (aa).
SB1037,3,22
19
(c) The commission shall promulgate rules for submitting reports under par.
20
(a) and making reimbursements under par. (b). If a person fails to make a
21
reimbursement as required under the rules, the person is not eligible for any other
22
grant under sub. (2) (a).
SB1037,5
23
Section
5
.
196.504 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1037,4,3
1
196.504
(2r)
Biennially, beginning on January 1, 2027, the legislative audit
2
bureau shall conduct a performance evaluation audit of the broadband expansion
3
grant program under sub. (2) (a).
SB1037,4,4
4
(end)
Down
Down
/2025/related/proposals/sb1037
true
proposaltext
/2025/related/proposals/sb1037
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB1037
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB1037
section
true
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SB1037: Bill Text
×
Details for
PDF view
Link
(Permanent link)
Bookmark this location
View toggle
Go to top of document
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Search in this agency
Search in this chapter group
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Cross references for section
Acts affecting this section
References to this
1970 Statutes Annotations
Appellate Court Citations
Administrative Code Index
Reference lines
Clear highlighting