Four climate change education bills in Wisconsin die

WIsconsin State Capitol.

Two pairs of climate change education bills died in the Wisconsin legislature on April 15, 2024, when "any proposals that had not been enrolled or signed into law were adversely disposed."

Assembly Bill 833 and Senate Bill 794 would, if enacted, have "authorize[d] the state superintendent of public instruction to adopt model academic standards related to climate change," which would have "incorporate[d] a) an understanding of climate, b) the interconnected nature of climate change, c) the potential local and global impacts of climate change, and d) the individual and societal actions that may mitigate the harmful effects of climate change."

Assembly Bill 829 and Senate Bill 786 would, if enacted, have created a program to award "scholarships to resident students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education [in Wisconsin] and who are engaged in studies directly related to programs preparing the students for careers in occupational areas addressing or responding to climate change." The bill would have provided $5 million biennially to fund the scholarships.

A "parental rights" bill that might have harmed climate education in Wisconsin, Assembly Bill 510, was passed by the legislature but vetoed by the governor, as NCSE previously reported.

Glenn Branch
Short Bio

Glenn Branch is Deputy Director of NCSE.

branch@ncse.ngo