WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 874

Relating to: report on environmental impacts to vulnerable communities and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by LaTonya Johnson and 2 co-sponsors

Wisconsin bill mandates state agencies report environmental impacts on vulnerable communities and empowers DNR to establish reporting standards through rulemaking.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 874

Legislative bill overview

SB 874 requires state agencies to report on how environmental policies and pollution disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, and grants the Department of Natural Resources rule-making authority to implement these reporting requirements. The bill focuses on documenting environmental justice impacts rather than mandating specific pollution reductions or remediation.

Why is this important

Environmental hazards—including air pollution, industrial facilities, and waste sites—are often concentrated in low-income and communities of color, creating documented health disparities. This bill creates systematic documentation of those impacts, which could inform future policy decisions and provide baseline data for environmental justice initiatives.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs and burden: Agencies must develop new reporting systems and methodologies, which requires resources and staff expertise that some may view as unfunded mandate
  • Rule-making scope: Granting DNR broad rule-making authority raises questions about whether the legislature should define specific reporting standards or allow agency discretion
  • Data definition challenges: "Vulnerable communities" and environmental "impacts" require clear definitions; different methodologies could produce conflicting or contested results
  • Limited remedial authority: The bill documents problems but doesn't require specific corrective actions, which critics may see as insufficient and supporters may view as appropriately cautious

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.