A number of bills put forth by Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R- Tomahawk) have been signed into law recently by Gov. Tony Evers.

The Forestry Revitalization Act, authored by Felzkowski and Rep. Chanz Green (R-Grand View) is one of those that has been signed. According to Felzkowski, the legislation, which will provide tax credits for a plant to turn woody biomass into sustainable aviation fuel, is the largest investment in northern Wisconsin in state history.

“This legislation will be transformative for the Northwoods economy and the forest products industry across Wisconsin,” Felzkowski said. “I’m thrilled that, after months of hard work from all our Northwoods legislators, we were able to get this across the finish line. It’s a great day for the Northwoods.”

She also said the new facility is projected to have billions of dollars of impact on the area’s economy and will create thousands of direct jobs at the new plant. The project will also create and support an untold number of jobs in adjacent industries.

“This bipartisan legislation will create hundreds of high-paying jobs in rural communities, while positioning Wisconsin as a national leader in the production of sustainable aviation fuel,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “By leveraging our state’s strength in forestry products, Wisconsin is well-positioned to meet demand in this growing market, providing a high-value, low-carbon energy source that will drive economic growth and environmental progress.”

The demand for sustainable aviation fuel is growing globally. By 2050, the European Union will require 70% sustainable aviation fuel, and domestic airlines are phasing in requirements as well.

Other bills signed

A series of bills penned by Felzkowski that also were recently signed into law are included below.

Assembly Bill 598 became 2025 Wisconsin Act 115. This new law implements hospital price transparency requirements and protects said requirements against potential future changes from the federal government.

If current federal hospital price transparency regulations were to disappear, Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services would be required to implement hospital price transparency standards to protect patients.

In addition, Assembly Bill 180 became 2025 Wisconsin Act 116. This new legislation modifies SNAP benefits to prohibit the purchase of candy and soft drinks with FoodShare benefits.

Felzkowski said SNAP is designed to provide healthy meals to low-income families; it is not meant to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize foods that contribute to the declining health of Americans. This change will go into effect following the granting of a waiver from the federal government.

Assembly Bill 89 became 2025 Wisconsin Act 106 and addresses the growing problem of retail theft and ensures that repeat offenders are held accountable.
Under previous law, penalties for theft were based on the value of goods stolen per theft incident. The new law allows for aggregation of the value of stolen property over a six-month period during prosecution, ensuring that repeat offenders face appropriate penalties.

Lastly, Assembly Bill 572 became 2025 Wisconsin Act 111. This new law clarifies the definition of “bingo” in state law, making clear that games using free cards and prizes offered at no cost to participants are not subject to the state’s bingo-licensing requirements.

Felzkowski said that under previous law, there was uncertainty around whether, if a hosting establishment pays for equipment, promotional support, or prizes, an otherwise free game should be regulated bingo. This new law is a simple fix to provide clarity and support Wisconsin small businesses.