Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB408

Introduced
8/29/25  
Refer
8/29/25  
Report Pass
11/20/25  
Refer
11/20/25  

Caption

An Act to amend 1.10 (4); to create 1.10 (3) (w) of the statutes; Relating to: designating the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin state microbe.

Summary

AB408 would add a new state symbol to Wisconsin law by designating the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin state microbe. The bill also updates the section of statute governing state symbols so that the Wisconsin Blue Book must include information about the state microbe, alongside the other official state symbols already listed in law. The measure is narrow and largely ceremonial. It does not create a regulatory program, impose duties on private parties, or change substantive public policy beyond the official recognition of Lactococcus lactis and the related Blue Book reference.

Impact

The bill would amend Wisconsin Statutes section 1.10 by creating a new subsection establishing Lactococcus lactis as the state microbe and by revising the Blue Book reporting requirement to include microbe-related state symbol information. Its legal effect is limited to the state’s official symbols and publication requirements, with no direct impact on taxation, licensing, criminal law, or agency enforcement.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, the bill appears to have been introduced as a symbolic recognition measure and there is no evidence of organized opposition or debate in the provided materials. The absence of committee transcripts or recorded votes suggests little documented controversy, though the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.

Contention

No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided transcripts or vote history. If any disagreement existed, it is not captured in the available record. The only potentially debatable issue is the choice of Lactococcus lactis as the official microbe, but no opposing arguments are documented here.

Companion Bills

WI SB402

Crossfiled An Act to amend 1.10 (4); to create 1.10 (3) (w) of the statutes; Relating to: designating the bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the Wisconsin state microbe.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.