Publications

Drone flight for commercial, recreational, and governmental purposes continues to expand. For lawmakers considering drone legislation, it is important to understand the existing legal framework for drone use. This information memorandum provides an overview of certain federal, state, and municipal regulations pertaining to drones. It also discusses preemption by federal and state law.

State law contemplates, but does not require, four-year-old kindergarten (4K) programs in public schools. This issue brief discusses the various approaches to 4K programs that currently exist in Wisconsin, if a school board opts to provide a 4K programs. This issue brief also summarizes a recently-enacted program that, as an alternative to school-sponsored 4K programs, provides funds to child care providers for instructional programming to four-year-old children, if certain conditions are met.

Like other states,  Wisconsin’s child welfare laws include a “safe haven” law, which allows a parent to relinquish custody of a newborn child under methods that provide immediate care for the child’s health and safety. Wisconsin’s safe haven law grants the relinquishing parent and any person assisting the parent both anonymity and immunity from liability and specifies certain procedures and protections for the person who receives a relinquished child. This issue brief summarizes Wisconsin’s safe haven law and the subsequent child welfare procedures that may apply.

Each child in Wisconsin between the ages of four and 20 is entitled to a free, public education. If a child has special educational needs, he or she is also entitled to an individualized education program designed to meet the child’s needs and educate the child to his or her greatest potential.
   
Generally, children attend schools that are located within the school district where they reside. However, under Wisconsin’s open enrollment laws, a child may attend a school that is located in a different school district following an application process, unless his or her application is denied for one or more statutorily established reasons.

While a school board has broad authority to determine its district’s course of study, state law requires that course of study to account for and include several specific topics. Generally, each school board is required to provide an instructional program designed to enable students to meet statutorily specified educational goals related to academic skills and knowledge, vocational skills, citizenship, and personal development. This issue brief outlines the various other requirements related to curriculum and instruction in public schools in Wisconsin.

In a 2025 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that an 1849 law prohibiting a person from intentionally destroying the life of an unborn child was impliedly repealed and that the law accordingly does not prohibit abortion; however, over the last several decades, the Legislature has enacted various laws relating to abortion that remain “on the books,” require compliance by physicians, and may be enforced in a prosecutor’s discretion. This issue brief provides a snapshot of some of the commonly referenced abortion restrictions and procedural requirements.

Wisconsin law establishes landlords’ and tenants’ rights and responsibilities relating to leasing, property maintenance, and rental payment and identifies provisions that may render leases unenforceable. While much landlord-tenant law applies to both residential and nonresidential rental properties, this issue brief provides an overview of the rights and responsibilities that apply to residential properties.

A noncompete agreement typically limits a departing employee’s ability to work for the former employer’s competitors, establish a competing business, or contact former clients and customers. Wisconsin law recognizes and allows an employer and an employee to enter into a noncompete agreement, which is referred to in the statutes as a "restrictive covenant."