Wisconsin Senate Bill SB186

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/14/25
• Refer: 4/14/25
• Report Pass: 6/5/25
• Failed: 3/23/26

Caption

An Act to amend 16.25 (2), 16.25 (3) (a), 16.25 (3) (b), 16.25 (3) (c), 16.25 (3) (d), 16.25 (3) (e), 16.25 (3) (f), 16.25 (3) (j), 16.25 (3) (k) and 16.25 (4) (b); to create 16.25 (1) (ag) and 16.25 (3) (L) of the statutes; Relating to: training completion awards for volunteer firefighters. (FE)

Impact

The bill proposes a $250 completion award for volunteer firefighters who undergo at least 60 hours of training, with the intent to boost motivation for training and service retention. It requires that any excess funds received by volunteer fire departments over their expenditures for these awards be returned to the Department of Administration (DOA) to help ensure fiscal responsibility. Additionally, the DOA is mandated to report on the program's effectiveness starting six years post-implementation, examining how many individuals continue to serve as firefighters after receiving the grant.

Summary

Senate Bill 186, introduced in the 2025-2026 legislative session, focuses on enhancing support for volunteer firefighters in Wisconsin by establishing a new training completion award system. This bill amends existing statutes and creates provisions for providing grants to volunteer fire departments, aiming to incentivize training and retention among volunteer firefighters. Under SB186, municipalities are required to have an ordinance that matches the awards provided by the state, thus encouraging local investment in firefighter training programs.

Contention

Although SB186 aims to support volunteer firefighters, potential points of contention could arise regarding the financial implications for municipalities that may need to allocate additional funds for matching grants. Questions regarding the administrative burden of tracking the use of these grants and the requirement for local ordinances could also surface, as some may argue this imposes undue constraints on local governance and flexibility in resource allocation.