Green Bay Reporter

The new bill authored by State Rep. Behnke seeks to align Wisconsin policy with federal initiatives by waiving vehicle admission fees for families visiting state parks with an Every Kid Outdoors pass, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "fee waivers for state park vehicle admission receipts to pupils with Every Kid Outdoors passes. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to waive the annual vehicle admission fee for state parks for vehicles that are registered in Wisconsin and are owned by a parent or guardian of a child with a valid Every Kid Outdoors pass from the U.S. National Park Service. The pass already grants free admission to national parks for fourth graders and their families. The waiver will apply to all vehicle types except motor buses and includes any issuing fees. This initiative aligns state policy with federal efforts to encourage outdoor recreation among families and young children.

The bill was co-authored by Senator André Jacque (Republican-1st District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Brienne Brown (Democrat-43rd District), Representative Jenna Jacobson (Democrat-50th District), Representative Rob Kreibich (Republican-28th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District) and Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), along four other co-sponsors.

Elijah R. Behnke has co-authored or authored another eight bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Behnke graduated from Toccoa Falls College in 2005 with an AA.

Behnke, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 6th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Peter Schmidt.

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
AB18	02/06/2025	Fee waivers for state park vehicle admission receipts to pupils with Every Kid Outdoors passes. (FE)
AB4	02/03/2025	Required instruction in civics in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation requirements, and private school educational program criteria. (FE)
AB3	02/03/2025	Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE)