A new bill authored by State Sen. Tim Carpenter in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to remove fees associated with personalizing gold star family plates, aiming to ease the financial burden on eligible families, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “personalized registration plate fees for gold star family special registration plates. (FE)”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill exempts gold star family special registration plates from personalized plate fees. Currently, individuals eligible for gold star family plates, which signify an immediate family member died in military service during a conflict, must pay a general registration fee but are exempt from the special registration fee. However, they are charged an additional annual fee for personalizing these plates. The bill eliminates this $15 personalization fee for gold star family plates. The change will be effective on the first day of the seventh month following the bill’s publication.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Chuck Wichgers (Republican-84th District), Senator Julian Bradley (Republican-28th District), Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), Senator Mark Spreitzer (Democrat-15th District), Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Brent Jacobson (Republican-87th District), along 11 other co-sponsors.
Tim Carpenter has co-authored or authored another five bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Carpenter graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1982 with a BA.
Carpenter, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2003 to represent the state’s 3rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Brian Burke.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB38 | 02/12/2025 | Personalized registration plate fees for gold star family special registration plates. (FE) |
| SB15 | 02/05/2025 | Increased penalties for crimes against adults at risk; restraining orders for adults at risk; freezing assets of a defendant charged with financial exploitation of an adult at risk; sexual assault of an adult at risk; and providing a penalty |
| SB14 | 02/03/2025 | Pelvic exams on unconscious patients and creating an administrative rule related to hospital requirements for pelvic exams on unconscious patients |
