A bill authored by State Rep. Joe Sheehan in the Wisconsin Assembly aims to tighten family income verification for students in the state’s parental choice programs, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “verification of a pupil’s family income for participation in a parental choice program”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill changes the requirements for family income verification for students participating in Wisconsin’s parental choice programs, including the Milwaukee and Racine Parental Choice Programs. Currently, if a pupil’s family income exceeds the specified limits, they may still continue in the program. However, the bill stipulates that if the family’s income increases beyond the maximum levels of 300% and 220% of the federal poverty level, depending on the program, the student will no longer be eligible. Additionally, it mandates that family income must be verified each year through the Department of Revenue, regardless of whether the student had previously attended a private school under a choice program. The new provisions will first apply to applications for the 2026-27 school year.
The bill was co-authored by Sen. Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Rep. Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Rep. Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Rep. Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District), and Rep. Angelina M. Cruz (Democrat-62nd District). It was co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), and Sen. Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), along with 15 other co-sponsors.
Joe Sheehan has co-authored or authored another 77 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Sheehan graduated from Michigan State University in 1981 with a BA.
Sheehan, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 26th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Terry Katsma.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB496 | 10/09/2025 | Verification of a pupil’s family income for participation in a parental choice program |
| AB464 | 09/26/2025 | Prevailing wage, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| AB48 | 02/17/2025 | Providing state aid to reimburse public and private schools that provide free meals to all pupils for the costs of those meals and making an appropriation. (FE) |
