Eric Wimberger, Wisconsin State Senator for 2nd District | Official Facebook
Eric Wimberger, Wisconsin State Senator for 2nd District | Official Facebook
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "funding for the War Memorial Center and making an appropriation. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes a continuing appropriation from the Department of Veterans Affairs to support the War Memorial Center in Milwaukee County, the only Wisconsin county with over 750,000 residents. The memorial board may request funds detailing their intended use and confirm securing equal matching funds for their projects. The requested funds can cover operational expenses like salaries and insurance or maintenance, repairs, and improvements of the memorial's facilities and properties. Each year, the memorial board must report its fund usage to the Joint Committee on Finance and legislative committees overseeing veterans' matters. The bill takes effect the day after publication or the second day after enacting the 2025 biennial budget act.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Tony Kurtz (Republican-41st District), Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District), Senator LaTonya Johnson (Democrat-6th District), and Senator Brad Pfaff (Democrat-32nd District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Brienne Brown (Democrat-43rd District), and Representative Ben DeSmidt (Democrat-65th District), along with 29 other co-sponsors.
Eric Wimberger has authored or co-authored another 28 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Wimberger graduated from St. Cloud State University in 2001 with a BS and again in 2005 from Marquette Law School with a JD.
Wimberger, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2025 to represent the state's 2nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Robert Cowles.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB254 | 05/09/2025 | Funding for the War Memorial Center and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB198 | 04/14/2025 | Various changes to the unemployment insurance law and requiring approval by the Joint Committee on Finance of certain federally authorized unemployment benefits. (FE) |
| SB189 | 04/14/2025 | An optional final hearing by affidavit for the dissolution of a marriage |
| SB162 | 03/27/2025 | Bid requirement for publication and printing of county board proceedings, notices, and advertisements in counties having a population of 250,000 or more and at least two English newspapers published daily |
| SB161 | 03/27/2025 | A presumption that equalizing physical placement to the highest degree is in the child’s best interest |
| SB144 | 03/21/2025 | Eliminating a judgeship from district IV of the court of appeals and establishing an additional judgeship for district III of the court of appeals |
| SB128 | 03/14/2025 | Programs and requirements to address PFAS |
| SB127 | 03/14/2025 | Exempting certain persons from PFAS enforcement actions under the spills law. (FE) |
| SB84 | 02/26/2025 | Exempting certain conveyances between grandparents and grandchildren from the real estate transfer fee. (FE) |
| SB80 | 02/26/2025 | Statutory recognition of specialized treatment court and commercial court dockets |
| SB55 | 02/21/2025 | Prohibiting the Department of Justice from using the legal services of nongovernmental employees. (FE) |
| SB51 | 02/21/2025 | Flags flown at state and local government buildings and eliminating a related administrative rule |
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