MADISON, WI – As the 2025-2026 legislative session nears its end, the Wisconsin State Assembly met on Tuesday, February 17, to pass a variety of legislation, including two proposals introduced by State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake).
“One of my top priorities as a legislator has been working to increase access to affordable childcare and housing, which are essential for a healthy economy. Nobody wants to work where they can’t afford to live and there’s no one to watch the kids,” Representative Armstrong said. “I have introduced several childcare and housing bills session, and I am happy that the Assembly passed two today, with a few more likely to receive votes before session ends.”
The Assembly first voted to concur on Senate Bill 376, the companion to Representative Armstrong’s Assembly Bill 369. AB 369/SB 376 creates a state tax credit for businesses who provide childcare services for their employees, either in-house or through an outside provider. The state credit mirrors an existing federal tax credit that expanded under the Big Beautiful Bill Act. Due to Assembly amendments, SB 376 must return to the Senate for a final vote.
The Assembly also passed Assembly Bill 737, which allows developers to use the neighborhood improvement district mechanism to defray the initial costs of residential infrastructure through special assessments on subsequent property owners. This would help to reduce the upfront price for homebuyers. AB 737 will now go to the Senate, which has placed it and its companion, Senate Bill 735, on the February 18 calendar.
In addition to childcare and housing legislation, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 619, to attract a $1.5 billion wood-processing facility to the Hayward area, which would be a game-changer for northern Wisconsin and revitalize the forestry industry. Representative Armstrong worked on AB 619 with lead author State Rep. Chanz Green (R-Grand View) and State Sens. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) and Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood).
Later that day, the Assembly and Senate met in joint session for Governor Evers’ final State of the State address.
“It’s always amusing to hear the Governor take credit for Republican tax cuts,” Representative Armstrong said afterward. “After every budget, he tries to gaslight Wisconsin taxpayers into forgetting that if he’d had his way, taxes would have gone up by billions of dollars.”
