Signed by Governor: Last Bills of 2017-18 Session

Gov. Scott Walker has signed the last bills of the 2017-18 legislative session. With signatures on the last of this session’s 367 Acts, Walker and legislators will switch gears into study committees and upcoming fall elections.

The final bill signed this session was the $100 child tax rebate and sales tax holiday proposed in Walker’s State of the State address. Walker used his veto power to extend the sales tax holiday from two days to five days (August 1-5, 2018). The sales tax holiday exempts from sales taxes purchases of 1) clothing priced up to $75, 2) personal computers priced up to $750, 3) school computer supplies priced up to $250, and 4) school supplies priced up to $75. (Act 367).

Gov. Scott Walker signs Act 278.

Gov. Scott Walker signs Act 319.

Also part of his 2018 agenda, Walker signed a $6.8 million talent attraction plan (Act 318). Other bills signed related to economic and workforce development were Act 278 that prohibits discrimination in licensing based on certain arrest or conviction records and Act 319 that waives fees for initial occupation credentials for people whose incomes are beneath 180 percent of the federal poverty line and expands fee waivers for veterans.

Other legislation of note enacted at the final bill signings of the year included

  • Act 279, requiring the Department of Health Services (DHS) to create a program to reimburse participating hospitals and health care systems for intensive care coordination services provided to Medical Assistance (MA) recipients.
  • Act 283, providing criminal penalties for child neglect.
  • Act 296, creating training requirements and grants for dispatcher-assisted CPR.
  • Act 305, requiring health insurance policies to cover certain prescription eyedrop refills.
  • A package of victim prevention bills by Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) (Acts 308-311).
  • Act 344, using excess money from the budgeted dental reimbursement pilot in the MA program to expand the pilot to more counties.

For highlights of all bills signed this session, please see our 2017-18 Session Overview.