The League's 2025-2026 End of Session Summary

The 2025-2026 Legislative Session will be one to be remembered. From start to finish, actions in the Wisconsin State Capitol over the past 16 months will have notable impacts on municipalities for decades to come. With the League’s efforts and stern member engagement, most of these impacts will be positive, not only with what was signed into law, but with what never had an opportunity to make it to the Governor thanks to the League and member opposition. 

It Is Time to Start Engaging with Your Legislators!

The League is here to keep you informed about happenings in state government relevant to municipalities and to advocate for your interests, but we should not be your only advocate. It is important that municipal officials in communities of all sizes throughout the state take time to engage with their city or village’s legislators. Your communication will ensure state elected officials hear firsthand about important municipal issues and keep local perspectives in mind while legislating.

Whether you are looking to form a new professional relationship with your municipality’s legislators or are working to sustain your existing partnership, there is no better time than now! With legislators’ obligations in the State Capitol slowing as the 2025-2026 Regular Session is adjourned, please strongly consider scheduling time with legislators in your community.

Allow legislators to give their legislative recap as an informational item at a governing body meeting, provide legislators with a tour of municipal infrastructure highlighting the successes and challenges, sit in a meeting with your legislators to allow for open discussion on issues of local importance, or even just grab a cup of coffee at a local diner. The only wrong way to engage is by not engaging at all! So what are you waiting for?

Big things are in store for the 2027-2028 Legislative Session, and while that may seem like a long way away, it will be here before we know it. If League members have not formed relationships with their legislators, our ambitions could be hampered. So please, don’t wait. Your constituents are their constituents, and building a shared perspective and common goals to best serve your residents does not happen overnight. It starts today!

If you need any tips on how to engage with your legislators, be sure to join us this Thursday, May 7th for the lunch general session at the Spring Exchange where the Government Affairs Team will present on legislative engagement. If you are not able to join us in the Wisconsin Dells, please review this article from the June 2025 issue of The Municipality. 

State Seeks Disaster Assessment of Recent Storms

Last Wednesday, Governor Evers announced that he directed Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) to submit a request for a formal preliminary damage assessment (PDA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This formal assessment will determine whether the level of damage to private property and public facilities from the recent severe weather in communities across Wisconsin may qualify for a federal disaster declaration and recovery assistance. The dates for PDAs have not yet been announced. More information on the PDA process may be found on FEMA’s website.

Municipalities that have experienced significant damage to their roadways from recent storms should also be aware of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) Disaster Damage Aids (DDA). This program provides financial assistance to local governments to repair roadways that were closed or rendered impassable due to a disaster event. While local governments may apply for both, DDAs are available in lieu of federal assistance but may not be combined with federal disaster relief funding.

Petitions for DDA funding must be submitted within 60 days of the disaster event to qualify (unless an extension is offered by WisDOT due to pending requests for federal disaster relief). More information on Disaster Damage Aids may be found on WisDOT’s website. The Disaster Damage Aids Guidelines and Requirements publication also includes regional staff that local officials are encouraged to contact prior to submitting a petition. Information on other Emergency Roadway Aid Programs may be found here. 

Agency Actions

Building Inspectors Apprentice Program

Last week, the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) launched a new Commercial Building Inspector Registered Apprenticeship Program. This program is the first apprenticeship for building inspectors in Wisconsin! It was created due to a shortage of building inspectors.

Beginning in fall 2026, the one-year program will include 288 hours of instruction and 2,288 hours of on-the-job training. Instructional hours will be delivered virtually and participants will be prepared to attain both residential and commercial building inspection licenses following program completion. Additional details on the recruitment of apprentices will be available in June. Learn more from DSPS’s press release. 

Workforce Housing Loan Programs Open

This Wednesday, May 6th, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will open the next round of applications for the Infrastructure Access, Restore Main Street, and Vacancy-to-Vitality Loan Programs. This will be the first round of applications since 2025 Wisconsin Act 237 made significant modifications to these programs, substantially easing access for developers and municipalities (eligible for the Infrastructure Access Loan Program). Learn more about the changes in Act 237 in the legislative recap above.

Aligning with the 2026 Housing Tax Credit award timeline, loan applications will be due by 5pm on Friday, June 19th. Additionally, parties that intend on applying for these programs must submit a Procorem WorkCenter Request Form by Friday, June 12th. With substantial sums of low-interest funding remaining to close financing gaps and the newly revised program requirements from Act 237, we expect to see a lot more interest in these programs in this and future rounds to create more workforce and senior housing in communities of all sizes across the state! 

ARIP Opens for Next Application Round

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has opened Round 2 of applications to the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP). Local governments are eligible to apply to complete projects on local roads with weight restrictions that provide access to agricultural lands or facilities (such as processors).

In Round 1 of the 2026-2027 Solicitation, three League municipalities received funding, including the City of Shawano and Villages of Reedsville and Wrightstown. $70 million in 90% state cost share grants are available for Round 2, with applications due by 5pm on Monday, June 29th. More details may be found on WisDOT’s website.

Important: For municipalities interested in applying for a road used by a co-op, processor, or similar agricultural facility, please work with that facility manager to determine the total number of farmers using their facility. For project scoring, you may utilize the total number of farmers using the facility (e.g., 40) instead of listing just one for the facility itself. This modification will ensure your application is scored correctly!

PSC Grant Program Webinar on Wednesday

In the latest edition of the Legislative Bulletin, we included information on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) opening applications for the Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP). This program is offering $10 million to local governments and certain other eligible entities to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy resiliency, or energy planning projects.

This Wednesday, May 6th, the PSC will be hosting a webinar from 10am to 11am on the EIGP. Register for that webinar here. Applications are due by Tuesday, June 30th. More information on this program including the application may be found on the PSC’s website.

Traffic Control Device Manual Webinars

WisDOT recently published the 11th edition of the Wisconsin Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (WMUTCD). This Manual reflects the Federal Highway Administration’s MUTCD with supplemental language specific to Wisconsin included in blue throughout the document. Statutes require local compliance with the WMUTCD.

To educate transportation stakeholders on these revisions, WisDOT will be offering five “Lunch and Learn” webinars throughout May detailing major changes to the Manual and how these changes will impact Wisconsin roadways. The webinar dates, times, and topics are included below, and links to register may be found here. For those that cannot attend, the webinars will be recorded and posted online.

• Tuesday, May 5th from 11:30am to 1:00pm
• Wednesday, May 6th from 11:30am to 1:00pm
• Tuesday, May 12th from 11:30am to 12:30pm
• Wednesday, May 13th from 11:30am to 12:30pm
• Thursday, May 14th from 11:30am to 1:00pm 

Municipal Assessment Reports Due in June

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has posted the 2026 Municipal Assessment Report (MAR) form on its website. This form must be completed by assessors to report annual assessed values within a taxation district. MARs are due on Monday, June 8th. The form and filing instructions may be found on DOR’s website. 

Creating Community Third Places Webinar

Third places, or social environments separate from the home and workplace, are crucial for strong communities. These spaces foster pride in the city or village your residents call home by creating a sense of community cohesion. But developing third places can often be a challenge.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, June 3rd from 12pm to 1pm titled “Finding Your Third Place.” Richart Kyte will present possible solutions to the development of more third places in our communities. Registration for the webinar may be found here. You may also read Richard’s article titled Third Places are Key in the December 2025 issue of The Municipality. 

Federal Forecast

Federal Water Infrastructure Financing

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting office hours in the next three months to serve as open forums for questions on Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funding. WIFIA provides supplemental low-cost financing for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects that may be combined with the Clean Water Fund Program or Safe Drinking Water Loan Program financing from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

WIFIA funding is available on an ongoing basis with loans available at nearly any stage of project completion, including loans for planning and design. Additional information on the WIFIA program, including details on how to apply, may be found on the EPA’s website. Links to their upcoming office hours on Wednesday, May 13th at 1pm Central Time, Wednesday, June 10th at 1pm CT, and Wednesday, July 8th at 1pm CT may also be found on the EPA’s website.

ADA Website Accessibility Rule Delayed

In case you missed it in a recent League Legal Alert, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has extended the compliance deadlines under its Title II ADA website accessibility rule. In April 2024, DOJ published a final rule establishing technical standards for website accessibility of public entities, including local governments.

As originally published, public entities with a population of at least 50,000 had a compliance deadline of April 24, 2026, and those with a population under 50,000 had a deadline of April 26, 2027. Under a new DOJ interim final rule, the deadlines will be extended by one year to April 26, 2027 and April 26, 2028, respectively. 

Safe Streets and Toads for All Program

In the April 7th edition of the Legislative Bulletin, we highlighted the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) releasing their Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program. With almost $1 billion available to local governments for transportation projects (including planning or implementation) aimed at preventing roadway deaths and serious injuries, this program could be appealing to many Wisconsin municipalities.

USDOT held three webinars in April covering safety action plans, supplemental planning and demonstration activities, and implementation grants. Webinar recordings are available on USDOT’s website. Applications for the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program are due on Tuesday, May 26th by 4pm. Award recipients are required to provide a 20% match. Detailed instructions on how to apply may be found on USDOT’s website.