The new bill authored by State Rep. Andrew Hysell seeks to ensure state responses when federally authorized aid to Wisconsin is withheld, aiming to protect the state’s financial interests, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “withholding state payments to the federal government if federal aid to the state is withheld under certain circumstances. (FE)”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that if Wisconsin’s Secretary of Administration finds that federal aid to the state, previously authorized by Congress, is being withheld by a presidential executive order or against a court order, certain actions must be taken. The secretary is required to estimate the amount of deprived federal aid and report to the governor and state legislature within 60 days, detailing the financial impact. The state must then withhold matching payments to the federal government, not exceeding the deprived federal aid. These withheld payments are to be released only when the withheld federal aid is fully restored to Wisconsin.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District), and Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), along 22 other co-sponsors.
Andrew Hysell has co-authored or authored another 30 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Hysell graduated from Carroll University in 1993 with a BS and again in 2003 from Georgetown University Law Center with a JD.
Hysell, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 48th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Samba Baldeh.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB345 | 07/08/2025 | Withholding state payments to the federal government if federal aid to the state is withheld under certain circumstances. (FE) |
| AB344 | 07/08/2025 | Pursuing liens on federal property if federal aid to the state is withheld under certain circumstances. (FE) |
| AB331 | 07/08/2025 | Establishing a civil cause of action for civil rights violations |
