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The state Assembly held its final session day of the 2025-2026 regular legislative session on February 20, 2026, followed by the Wisconsin State Senate’s final session day on March 17, 2026. In addition, the Legislature reconvened for a special session on May 13, which is addressed in the next item below.
The following are highlights from the current biennial budget law, as well as other relevant legislation introduced during the 2025-2026 legislative session. In particular, WiAHC’s budget advocacy was successful in securing a Medicaid rate increase for home health skilled nursing services from $96.96 per home visit to $117.86 per home visit – additional details are noted below.
Fiscal Year 2025-2027 Biennial Budget Law
2025-2026 Lobbying Registrations - Highlights
Updating Department of Health Services Regulations
Major Political and Budget Dates
On May 11, Governor Tony Evers (D) announced that he had come to an agreement with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) on legislation to increase K-12 education funding and provide tax relief in response to the state’s $2.5 billion budget surplus. As originally introduced, the bill included the following provisions:
The Legislature’s budget-writing Joint Finance Committee voted to advance this bill on May 12. On May 13, the Assembly amended the bill to include provisions expanding a property tax credit for veterans and their surviving spouses and creating a disaster assistance grant program in response to severe flooding and storms that have taken place in Wisconsin since August 2025. Subsequently, the Assembly passed this amended bill with a bipartisan 61-32 vote. However, the Senate then voted 15-18 to reject this amended bill.
[NOTE: The list of elected officials below is an exhaustive list (as this is written) of state legislators who are not running for re-election in their current respective positions in 2026. The inclusion of any particular elected official below does not in any way reflect the views of WiAHC, Hoven Consulting, Badger Bay Management Company or its employees or representatives.]
During the 2025-2026 Legislative Session, Republicans control both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature. In the State Assembly, there are 54 Republicans and 45 Democrats. In the State Senate, there are 18 Republicans and 15 Democrats. Due to redistricting that occurred in 2024 and the national political climate, the 2026 general election is expected to be quite competitive – likely the most competitive election in Wisconsin since 2010. In this year’s general election, Democrats only need to win two additional state Senate seats to win control of the Senate – there is likely a higher than 50% chance that will occur. While it is possible that the Democrats could also take control of the state Assembly – they would need to win 5 new seats to do so – it is viewed as less likely. The significant number of Republican legislators retiring – listed below – could increase the probability of Democrats taking control of one or both chambers of the Legislature.
The following incumbent state legislators have announced that they will not run for re-election in 2026:
State Senate
State Assembly
On May 14, in the midst of Hepatitis Awareness Month, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced a plan to eliminate hepatitis A, B, and C. To assist in monitoring that goal, it unveiled an online dashboard to track the progress towards meeting this goal. For more information on this plan, as well as the online dashboard, please visit the DHS website.
On March 17, 2026, the Wisconsin State Senate completed its final session day for the 2025-2026 regular legislative session, and the State Assembly held its final session day on February 20. While the legislature has concluded their scheduled session, there remains the possibility that the Assembly and Senate could reconvene for a special session (called by the Governor) or an extraordinary session (called by the Legislature itself) to address a major topic (e.g., a tax cut and/or school spending plan in response to the $2.5 billion state surplus).
Following the end of the 2025-2026 legislative session, Governor Tony Evers (D) has taken action on the following bills:
Senate Bill 214 (registration of out-of-state health care providers to provide telehealth services)
Senate Bill 264 (Requires health insurers to cover diagnostic breast exams and screening exams for those at increased risk of breast cancer)
Senate Bill 822 (Allows discounts for the prompt payment of health care fees)
Senate Bill 832 (Allowing any pharmacy to be operated as a remotely supervised pharmacy, if the pharmacist complies with the Pharmacy Examining Board’s rules)
On March 24, 2026, Marquette University Law School Poll released its most recent poll, which surveyed 850 registered Wisconsin voters between March 11-18, 2026. The margin of error is +/-4.4 percentage points. Marquette’s most recent prior Wisconsin state-specific poll was released in February 2026. This new poll covers political approval ratings, 2026 candidates, as well as various policy areas.
The following March 2026 poll findings may be of interest:
Elected Officials
President Trump (R) Job Approval
Governor Tony Evers (D) Job Approval
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R) Favorability
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D) Favorability
Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidates – 2026 August Primary Election
The following are the polling results of Wisconsin Republican primary voters when asked for whom they would vote:
The following are the polling results of Wisconsin Democratic primary voters when asked for whom they would vote:
General Issues
The most important issue among registered voters:
[NOTE: Candidates referenced in the following political update were selected to reflect information of general interest to WiAHC members. The inclusion of any particular item does not in any way reflect the views of WiAHC, Hoven Consulting, Badger Bay Management Company or its employees or representatives.]
State Supreme Court
Madison-Based State Appeals Court Judge and former Democratic State Representative Chris Taylor prevailed decisively over Waukesha-Based State Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar in the spring election held on April 7. With 99% of the votes counted, the results for this technically non-partisan race are as follows:
Key Points in this Race
As of April 15, 2026, the following state Senators have announced that they are not running for re-election this year:
As of April 15, 2026, the following state Representatives have announced that they are not running for re-election this year:
For the last several years, WiAHC has been advocating to eliminate this outdated requirement in state regulations that require home health agencies to create professional advisory bodies and hold annual meetings. WiAHC has been advocating for this change since professional advisory committees were removed from federal regulations in 2017, as home health agencies are already overseen by a governing body pursuant to federal regulations. In addition, home health agencies are also overseen by governing bodies in Wisconsin regulations. In 2017, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also put in place federal regulations requiring home health agencies to implement ongoing quality assessment and performance improvement (QAPI) programs. Essentially, CMS replaced professional advisory committees in federal regulations with the creation of the QAPI program.
In January 2023, WiAHC formally requested that DHS eliminate professional advisory bodies for home health care agencies in the agency’s biennial rules review – a process by which DHS makes technical changes and updates to existing state regulations. DHS agreed to include this change in their 2023 biennial rules review. Subsequently, WiAHC submitted written and verbal testimony to DHS in 2025 supporting the elimination of professional advisory bodies.
According to the state Administrative Code, which includes all Wisconsin state regulations, the state Department of Health Services (DHS) 2023 biennial rules review that eliminates home health agency professional advisory bodies from state regulations took effect on March 1, 2026. Therefore, as is reflected in the state Administrative Code, there is no longer a requirement for home health agencies in Wisconsin to put in place professional advisory bodies and hold annual meetings. Thanks to the advocacy of WiAHC members, WiAHC was successful in advocating to eliminate this duplicative and burdensome requirement in state regulations! However, WiAHC members may want to consider seeking independent legal counsel when implementing this change.
On Friday, February 20, the Wisconsin State Assembly concluded its work for the 2025-2026 regular legislative session and the state Senate is expected to conclude their final action on March 17.
As this is written, the Legislature proved the following bills of interest to WiAHC:
Medicaid Postpartum Legislation
Senate Bill 264 (Requires health insurers to cover diagnostic breast exams and supplemental breast screening exams for those who are at increased risk of breast cancer or have heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue) passed the legislature.
Senate Bill 822 (Allows discounts for the prompt payment of health care fees) passed the legislature.
Once the state Senate has adjourned for the 2025-2026 regular legislative session, we will provide you with an appropriate update.
[NOTE: Individuals and topics referenced in the following poll summary were selected to reflect information of general interest to WiAHC members. The inclusion of any particular item does not in any way reflect the views of WiAHC, Hoven Consulting, Badger Bay Management Company or its employees or representatives.]
On February 25, 2026, Marquette University Law School Poll released its most recent poll, which surveyed 818 registered Wisconsin voters between February 11-19, 2026. The margin of error is +/-4.3 percentage points. This poll is the first Wisconsin state-specific Marquette poll since October 2025. This new poll covers political approval ratings, 2026 candidates, as well as various policy areas.
The following February 2026 poll findings may be of interest:
President Trump Job Approval
Governor Tony Evers Job Approval
Wisconsin Legislature Job Approval
NOTE: 63 percent of Republican primary voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for governor.
NOTE: 65 percent of Democratic primary voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for governor.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates – 2026 Spring Election
The following are the polling results of Wisconsin registered voters when asked for whom they would vote in the April State Supreme Court election:
NOTE: 66% of Wisconsin registered voters indicated that they have not made up their minds on a preferred candidate for the state Supreme Court.
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