2025-2026 STATE LegislatiON
1. ACT 102 EXTENDS MEDICAID POSTPARTUM CARE FOR MOTHERS:
On March 18, 2026, Governor Evers signed Senate Bill (SB) 23 into law as 2025 Wisconsin Act 102. The law extends Medical Assistance (Medicaid) coverage for postpartum women from 60 days to 365 days. According to health research group KFF, forty-eight states and the District of Columbia already provide twelve months of continuous Medicaid postpartum care for new mothers. With Act 102, Wisconsin becomes the 49th state to do so.
SB 23 was authored by Sen. Jesse James (R-Thorp) and Rep. Patrick Snyder (R-Weston).
2. ACT 94 EXPANDS WISCONSIN'S SAFE HAVEN LAW:
On March 13, 2026, Governor Evers signed Assembly Bill (AB) 237 into law as 2025 Wisconsin Act 94. This law expands Wisconsin's existing Safe Haven Law, allowing parents to safely and lawfully surrender their newborns at approved drop boxes (known commonly as “baby boxes”) or with an approved individual, such as a member of law enforcement, up to 30 days after birth instead of just 3 days after birth. Act 94 will save lives. Extending the time that a vulnerable mother can anonymously relinquish her newborn baby from 3 days to 30 days will allow our Safe Haven Law to have maximum effect—whether she is surrendering her baby in person with an approved individual or in a baby box.
AB 237 was authored by Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger).
3. ACT 241 CREATES INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR PARENT(S) OF A STILLBIRTH CHILD
On April 9, 2026, Governor Evers signed Assembly Bill (AB) 373 into law as 2025 Wisconsin Act 241. The law creates a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for the parent of a stillbirth. For married couples filing a joint return, a credit of up to $2,000 for each stillbirth may be claimed. Act 241 defines a “stillbirth” as a birth that occurs in this state that results in a stillbirth for which a fetal death report is required.
Parents of a stillbirth child not only suffer unexpected grief and emotional trauma, they also absorb unexpected medical costs, funeral expenses, counseling bills, and other financial burdens. The stillbirth tax credit recognizes a human life lost and provides meaningful monetary support in the most difficult of times.
AB 373 was authored by Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken) and Rep. Lindee Brill (R-Sheboygan Falls).
4. ACT 202 ADDS ADOPTION EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS:
On April 8, 2026, Governor Evers signed Assembly Bill (AB) 918 into law as 2025 Wisconsin Act 202. The law adds adoption as a required topic of education when and if a school district chooses to offer a human growth and development (HGD) instructional program.
If Wisconsin’s public school HGD programs can teach our teens how to use contraceptive drugs and devices (which PLW wholly opposes), at the very least they should teach our kids what results from promiscuous sex: pregnant young moms and their babies both of whom should be loved, protected, and supported in difficult circumstances. Adoption is a life-saving alternative that Wisconsin teens may want to choose in an unplanned pregnancy now or in the future.
Education on Wisconsin’s safe haven law for newborns is currently a required topic of discussion in school district HGD programs, so adding adoption as a required topic nicely complements current law.
AB 918 was authored by Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken) and Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer).
5. SUPPORTED BILL CLARIFYING DEFINITION OF ABORTION IN STATE STATUTES:
In October, 2025, State Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Cameron) and State Rep. Joy Goeben (R-Hobart) introduced companion legislation (Senate Bill [SB] 553/Assembly Bill [AB] 546) that provides definitional clarity in Wisconsin abortion law.
The bills do so by amending the various statutory definitions of “abortion” to make explicit that a physician’s performance of a medical procedure or treatment designed or intended to prevent the death of a pregnant woman and not designed or intended to kill the unborn child is not an abortion. Such procedures include medical emergency early induction or C-section, removal of a dead embryo or fetus (miscarriage/stillborn), or removal of an ectopic, molar, or anembryonic pregnancy.
Abortion, statutorily defined as the intentional killing of a preborn living human being, is never medically necessary to save the life or improve the health of the mother. Abortion is NOT healthcare!
The Embrace Them Both Coalition, comprised of Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Catholic Conference, Wisconsin Right to Life, and Wisconsin Family Action, strongly supported SB 553/AB 546. SB 553 passed the Senate on November 18, 2025, on an 18-15 partisan vote. AB 546 received a public hearing in the Assembly Health Committee on December 10, 2025. The bill was then recommended by the Health Committee for Assembly passage on a 10-4 partisan committee vote on January 14, 2026. SB 553 was not scheduled for an Assembly floor vote.
Regrettably, both SB 553 and AB 546 died in the Wisconsin Assembly as the 2025-2026 legislative session adjourned.