Bill would bar Wisconsin school referendums unless DPI certifies financial filings

Senate Bill 451, introduced Sept. 29, 2025, would require the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to certify that a school district is in compliance with specified financial-reporting requirements before a board may adopt a resolution to exceed its revenue limit or to raise money by a bond issue, sponsors said. If a board or the electors adopt such a resolution without the required DPI certification, the bill says the resolution and any referendum based on it are void.

The measure amends two existing statutory frameworks. It revises 67.05 (6a) (a) 2. by adding a new subd. 3. that blocks initial resolutions for bond issues unless the department certifies compliance with financial-submission duties. It similarly amends 121.91 (3) (a) 1. and creates 121.91 (3) (a) 3., adding a parallel certification requirement for resolutions to exceed the revenue limit under that chapter. The bill text specifies that the department's certification must be as of a date no earlier than 14 days before the school board or electors adopt the resolution.

The Legislative Reference Bureau's analysis included in the draft explains the bill's practical effect: it would prevent a school board from moving forward with either an operating referendum (recurring or nonrecurring excess revenue) or a capital referendum (debt approved by referendum) unless DPI confirms the district has submitted required financial information. The draft cites the financial-reporting provisions implicated as ss. 119.44 (1), 120.08, 120.14, and 121.05.

Senators Steven Hutton, Robert Nass and Paul Tomczyk introduced the bill; the filing lists numerous House cosponsors. The draft was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Local Government. The printed draft contains a placeholder for the effective date ("[LRB inserts date]") and notes that a state and local fiscal estimate will be appended to the bill.

The bill does not, in the text provided, set any penalties beyond voiding uncertified resolutions or referendums. It also does not specify a timeline or process for how the Department of Public Instruction will administer the certification beyond the 14-day lookback described in the statutory language. The Legislative Reference Bureau analysis included with the draft frames the provision as an additional compliance check tied to existing reporting duties.

Next steps: the bill, as introduced, will proceed to committee consideration. Committee staff typically prepare the fiscal estimate and may schedule hearings or solicit testimony before any committee vote.