MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin State Assembly held its first session of 2026 today and passed a series of resolutions and bills, including a proposal by State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice) to update the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program (LIHTC).
“LIHTC is an important tool for encouraging investment in low-to-moderate-income housing, which Wisconsin desperately needs, in rural areas as well as big cities,” Representative Armstrong explained. “Today’s bill, Assembly Bill 182, requires the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to set aside at least 35% of its annual LIHTC allocations for qualified projects in rural areas. Current law does require WHEDA to give preference to projects in ‘smaller communities’, but the definition it uses covers cities like Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, and Appleton – not what most people think of when they think ‘smaller’, unless you live in Milwaukee or Madison! AB 182, on the other hand, makes sure truly small, rural towns aren’t overlooked.”
The Assembly passed AB 182 99-0.
“The need for housing cuts across party lines, and I’m thrilled AB 182 got unanimous support,” Representative Armstrong said.
The Assembly also passed two constitutional amendments that, if concurred in by the Senate, will go to Wisconsin voters in a referendum:
- Assembly Joint Resolution 10, which prohibits state and local governments from closing houses of worship during states of emergency, protecting congregations’ First Amendment rights.
- Assembly Joint Resolution 102, which prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, individuals or groups on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.
Elsewhere on today’s agenda, the Assembly voted to require the state and certain contractors to use the federal E-Verify program to confirm their employees’ legal status (Assembly Bill 281) withhold pay for judges who have been suspended for alleged criminal misconduct (Assembly Bill 380), and criminalizes the grooming of children for sexual purposes (Assembly Bill 677).
