Kelda Helen Roys, Wisconsin State Senator for 26th District | www.facebook.com
Kelda Helen Roys, Wisconsin State Senator for 26th District | www.facebook.com
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "a Department of Children and Families program to make payments to child care programs, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill authorizes the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families to create a program for making monthly payments to certified child care providers, licensed centers, and school board-contracted programs, supplementing the current Wisconsin Shares system. It mandates the department to devise rules for program implementation, eligibility, payments, and usage, including the authority to issue emergency rules lasting until July 1, 2027, or until permanent rules are established. The bill eliminates the current method of adjusting maximum payment rates based on the YoungStar quality rating system and funds the program through a new appropriation and federal moneys, including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Renuka Mayadev (Democrat-77th District), Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), and Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), along 48 other co-sponsors.
Kelda Roys has authored or co-authored another 37 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Roys graduated from New York University in 2000 with a BA and again in 2004 from University of Wisconsin Law School with a JD.
Roys, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 to represent the state's 26th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Fred Risser.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB322 | 06/12/2025 | A Department of Children and Families program to make payments to child care programs, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB314 | 06/04/2025 | The pupil participation limit in the state parental choice program |
| SB301 | 06/02/2025 | Rehired annuitants. (FE) |
| SB271 | 05/21/2025 | Right to bodily autonomy, elimination of certain abortion-related regulations, and coverage of abortion under certain health care coverage plans. (FE) |
| SB268 | 05/20/2025 | Prohibiting corporal punishment in public and private schools |
| SB247 | 05/09/2025 | Local and private regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE) |
| SB195 | 04/14/2025 | Serving maple syrup in a public eating place |
| SB142 | 03/21/2025 | Algorithmic software for residential housing, and providing a penalty |
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