2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-0057/1
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2025 SENATE BILL 2
January 24, 2025 - Introduced by Senators JACQUE, TOMCZYK, CARPENTER,
KEYESKI, PFAFF, RATCLIFF, SPREITZER, WALL, WANGGAARD and WIRCH,
cosponsored by Representatives MURPHY, SNYDER, ANDERSON, ARMSTRONG,
BARE, BEHNKE, BILLINGS, BRILL, BROWN, DESMIDT, DONOVAN, FRANKLIN,
HYSELL, B. JACOBSON, KITCHENS, KREIBICH, MAXEY, MCCARVILLE, MELOTIK,
MIRESSE, MURSAU, O'CONNOR, PALMERI, PIWOWARCZYK, RIVERA-WAGNER,
SHEEHAN, SINICKI, SPAUDE, SUBECK, TENORIO, TUCKER, TUSLER and
WICHGERS. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Veteran and
Military Affairs.
AN ACT to amend 45.44 (3) (c) (intro.) and 45.51 (2) (a) 1.; to create 36.27 (2) (b)
5., 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. g., 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. g. and 45.01 (12) (fm) of the statutes;
relating to: expanding veterans benefits to individuals who served in Laos in
support of the United States during the Vietnam War.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill expands the definition of “veteran” to include individuals who were
naturalized pursuant to the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000. The bill
extends most veterans benefits to anyone who meets this newly expanded definition
of veteran, however, admission to a state veterans home and burial in a veterans
cemetery are not included benefits as they are subject to federal regulation.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 36.27 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is created to read:
36.27 (2) (b) 5. A person who is a resident of and living in this state at the time 2025 - 2026 Legislature
SENATE BILL 2
- 2 - LRB-0057/1
MJW:cdc
SECTION 1
of registering at an institution, and who is a veteran as described under s. 45.01
(12) (fm), is entitled to the exemption under par. (a).
SECTION 2. 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. g. of the statutes is created to read:
36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. g. The person meets the criteria described under s. 45.01
(12) (fm).
SECTION 3. 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. g. of the statutes is created to read:
38.24 (8) (a) 1r. g. The person meets the criteria described under s. 45.01 (12)
(fm).
SECTION 4. 45.01 (12) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:
45.01 (12) (fm) A person who was naturalized pursuant to section 2 (1) of the
federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000, P.L. 106-207, and resides in
this state.
SECTION 5. 45.44 (3) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
45.44 (3) (c) (intro.) A veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f) (fm), or one
of the following:
SECTION 6. 45.51 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
45.51 (2) (a) 1. A veteran, other than a veteran described under s. 45.01 (12)
(fm).
(END)