The start of a new year means the start of some new laws in the state of Wisconsin.
In some states, January 1 or July 1 are the standard dates for new laws to take effect, Wisconsin’s Legislative Reference Bureau told the Journal Sentinel.
But in Wisconsin, most laws take effect almost immediately. The day after the governor signs a bill, the Legislative Reference Bureau publishes the new law online. The law comes into effect the following day.
Lawmakers can specify in their bill whether they want it to take effect on a certain date, such as January 1, but that is not very common. They can delay the implementation of a bill to give affected agencies or industries more time to prepare.
For example, 21 states have minimum wage increases in effect starting January 1, 2025. But Wisconsin is not among the states that automatically raise the minimum wage at the start of a new year.
More: What is the minimum wage in Wisconsin, and why hasn’t it changed while other states have?
Many key policies signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers over the past two years went into effect immediately, or at least many parts of them. That includes the state’s new legislative plans and a plan to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin.
Some laws taking effect in Wisconsin on January 1 are a little more unclear or flew under the radar during the last legislative session. Many of them also had strong bipartisan support. Here’s a look at some of the more interesting ones.
More: Wisconsin lawmakers are setting priorities. Here’s what you need to know from leaders of both parties.
Paddleboarders take to the water at Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Annual state park stickers now valid for 12 months from purchase
Under current law, an annual state park admission sticker is valid for the calendar year in which it is purchased. The new law, which comes into effect on January 1, says the sticker is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
For example, if someone bought a sticker in early June, it would expire by the end of December. According to the new law, the sticker would be valid until the end of June next year.
The bill received broad support and was authored by both Republicans and Democrats. Lawmakers proposed the changes after learning that people would lose incentives to buy passes in the later months of the year because they would have less time to use them.
More: Wisconsin state park passes will change in January. Here’s what you need to know
This makes it more difficult to postpone or block affordable housing developments
Parts of a larger bill that will address Wisconsin’s affordable housing shortage and prevent opposition from “NIMBYs” — short for “not in my backyard” residents who oppose developments near their homes — will be approved early this year in force.
One of the new policies requires local governments to approve housing projects if they meet all requirements. There will also now be a faster way for a developer to go to court and ask a judge to order approval for the project.
“Simply put, the bill would help prevent a proposed development that complies with a local government’s regulations from being unnecessarily delayed or halted entirely on obstructionist grounds,” Senator Duey Stroebel, a Saukville Republican, testified during a hearing on the measure .
In addition, only a simple majority vote will now be required to make changes to a zoning ordinance, with some exceptions. For example, zoning changes could include allowing residential uses in the downtown and Main Street districts. Previously, if 50% of affected landowners protested the change, a three-quarters majority vote was required.
The bill was written mainly by Republicans, but received broad support from Democrats. Lawmakers worked with the Wisconsin Builders Association, the Wisconsin Realtors Association and groups representing counties, cities and towns to develop the bill.
More: State lawmakers have proposed solutions to the state’s housing crisis. Here’s what you need to know
A new electric vehicle charging tax in Wisconsin
From January 1, owners of electric vehicles will receive a new excise tax of 3 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. The tax does not apply to charging stations at someone’s home.
Lawmakers explained that the tax creates the equivalent of the gas tax on electric vehicles. The Department for Transport said the tax is a “crucial source of revenue” and “creates a fairer system where all drivers contribute to the cost of maintaining the roads”.
Owners and operators of electric charging stations must register with the state through the Wisconsin Online Business Tax Registration portal.
The tax is part of a larger new law regulating electric vehicles, which was drafted by Republicans but received near-unanimous support in both the General Assembly and the Senate. Stakeholders including Kwik Trip, Madison Gas & Electric, Tesla and the Wisconsin Fuel & Retailers Association worked with lawmakers on the bill.
More: Electric vehicle owners in Wisconsin will have to pay a new tax at the charging station. What you need to know
Physiotherapists can now provide a disabled parking certificate
To obtain a special license plate or card to park in reserved, accessible spots, a health care provider must certify to the state Department of Transportation that the person has a disability that limits his or her ability to walk.
This law adds physical therapists to the list of health care professionals who can provide this certification, which includes already licensed physicians, advanced practice nurses, podiatrists, chiropractors and more.
The bill was written by members of both parties and passed with broad support in February. The Ministry of Transport requested that the effective date of the law be postponed by several months so that it could make the necessary IT updates.
More: A more evenly divided state legislature will convene next year. Does this lead to compromises?
A state tax form describes how filers can deduct contributions to ABLE accounts from income taxes. Wisconsin residents can open the accounts, but the state does not offer its own program.
Creating an ABLE account program in Wisconsin for people with disabilities
The state Department of Financial Services will begin implementing an ABLE program in Wisconsin early this year.
ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts allow people with disabilities to save and invest money for expenses such as housing and transportation without losing their federal benefits.
Wisconsin was the only state in the country that had not implemented an ABLE program, and only about 0.2% of those eligible in Wisconsin opened accounts in other states. Members of both parties worked to establish ABLE in Wisconsin.
More: Wisconsin is an outlier in savings accounts for people with disabilities. That could change soon.
More: What are ABLE accounts, who is eligible, and learn more about tax-free savings plans
ABLE bills were added as an amendment to a broader bill that updates regulations for the money transmission industry — such as collection agencies and currency exchanges — bringing Wisconsin in line with other states. The law comes into effect on January 1.
The department previously testified that the bills would be available in Wisconsin “within months” of the law’s enactment. Wisconsin will likely join a multi-state partnership offering ABLE accounts, rather than creating an independent program.
Provisional licenses for internationally trained physicians to reduce the shortage
This law creates a provisional license for physicians who have completed their residency abroad to practice medicine and surgery in Wisconsin.
Applicants must meet certain requirements, including receiving an offer of employment in Wisconsin. The Medical Examination Board still has the authority to issue, suspend or revoke the permits.
Lawmakers who introduced the bill have cited the shortage of doctors in Wisconsin and across the country. Current state law requires doctors trained in another country to redo their residency in the U.S., which the bill’s authors call unnecessary.
The change will allow physicians and physician assistants to begin practicing in Wisconsin without years of delays, lawmakers said. The bill was led primarily by Republicans, but also received support from Democrats.
More: Wisconsin is aging and a “silver tsunami” of baby boomers is coming. Are hospitals ready?
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here are Wisconsin’s laws that take effect Jan. 1; State Park stickers, EVs
