Jeff Smith

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

• ›Jobs & cost of living49 with · 5 against54 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: requiring state employees to perform their work at the offices of their employer.

    Requires state agencies to have employees work in person at agency offices for at least 80 percent of scheduled hours each month, exempting duties performed off site before March 2020 and the State of Wisconsin Investment Board.

    Oct 14, 2025 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: required ratio of journeyworkers to apprentices in apprenticeship programs and contracts.

    Allows apprenticeship programs in construction trades to require up to two apprentices per journeyworker, up from one; the ratio for other trades stays at one, and the existing exception for collective bargaining agreements remains.

    Mar 17, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All jobs & cost of living votes
• ›Rights & public safety37 with · 1 against38 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    VOTER IDENTIFICATION (SECOND CONSIDERATION)

    Approves, on second consideration, a constitutional amendment requiring voters to present specified photo ID (state, federal, tribal or college), with provisional ballots for those without it, for the April 2025 ballot.

    Jan 8, 2025 · Passed 17–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: vacancies in appointive state offices.

    Makes the expiration of a fixed term for an appointive state office create a vacancy, first applying to state officers appointed on January 1, 2027.

    Mar 17, 2026 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: free speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, due process in disciplinary proceedings at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, and causes of action against the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and technical college district boards.

    On the version voted Feb 12, 2026: Sets free speech standards at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, banning free speech zones and most permit requirements, allows civil suits for violations, and sets due process standards in student discipline.

    Nov 18, 2025 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All rights & public safety votes
• ›Education & families24 with · 3 against27 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: free speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, due process in disciplinary proceedings at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, and causes of action against the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and technical college district boards.

    On the version voted Feb 12, 2026: Sets free speech standards at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, banning free speech zones and most permit requirements, allows civil suits for violations, and sets due process standards in student discipline.

    Nov 18, 2025 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: school board policies related to changing a pupil’s legal name and pronouns.

    Requires school boards to adopt policies to change a pupil's name or pronouns in school records only on a parent's or adult pupil's notarized request, and bar staff from using a minor's name or pronouns not matching biological sex without a parent's notarized authorization.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants.

    As amended, requires University of Wisconsin and technical college athletic teams to be designated male, female or coed by biological sex (sex at birth per original birth certificate), bars male-sex students from female teams, and requires one-sex locker rooms, with exceptions and accommodations.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All education & families votes
• ›Health & care23 with · 1 against24 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty.

    Requires health care providers to give a child born alive after an abortion or attempt the same care as any child of that age and have it taken to a hospital, with felony penalties, and makes intentionally killing such a child a life-sentence felony.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: parental access to health records of minors.

    As amended by the Assembly, changes parents' access to minors' health records, removing the age-14 objection exception for developmentally disabled minors, allowing access to HIV test records, and requiring online access; also requires unanimous Milwaukee council votes to modify police and fire policies.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: recognizing October as Vaccine Injury Awareness Month in Wisconsin.

    Feb 11, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All health & care votes
• ›Climate & energy11 with · 2 against13 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: the use of federal capitalization grant funds for lead service line replacement.

    May 15, 2025 · Passed 17–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state.

    Bars foreign-adversary governments and officials, citizens of foreign adversaries lacking U.S. permanent residency or a valid visa, and entities they own or control from acquiring Wisconsin real property after the effective date; interests held in violation are forfeited to the state.

    Jan 21, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: governmental restrictions based on the energy source of a motor vehicle or other device.

    Bars state agencies and local governments from restricting the use or sale of a motor vehicle or other device based on the energy source that powers it.

    Jun 18, 2025 · Passed 18–14 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All climate & energy votes
• ›Foreign affairs & defense7 with · 0 against7 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: use restrictions on state and local government electronic devices.

    Bars state agencies from using devices to access social media, software or generative AI controlled by foreign adversaries such as China and Russia, and requires state, legislative and court technology policies on such products, effective January 31, 2027.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state.

    Bars foreign-adversary governments and officials, citizens of foreign adversaries lacking U.S. permanent residency or a valid visa, and entities they own or control from acquiring Wisconsin real property after the effective date; interests held in violation are forfeited to the state.

    Jan 21, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: access to public high schools for military recruiters.

    Requires school boards and charter school governing boards to give military recruiters access to common areas of high schools, during the school day and at school-sanctioned events, though not to classrooms during instruction.

    Jun 18, 2025 · Passed 18–14 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All foreign affairs & defense votes
• ›Housing & rent7 with · 0 against7 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: increasing the maximum penalty for certain controlled substances offenses if the violation occurs near a homeless shelter and providing a penalty.

    On the version voted Feb 12, 2026: Adds homeless shelter premises and the area within 1,000 feet of them to the places where the maximum prison term for delivering or possessing with intent to deliver certain controlled substances increases by five years.

    Jan 21, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Relating to: required approvals of rezoning requests related to residential development, contents of and consistency of local ordinances with local comprehensive plans, certain tax incremental district project costs related to residential development, and tax incremental district lifespan extension.

    On the version voted Oct 7, 2025: Requires cities and villages to grant rezoning for residential development that meets plan, density and nearby-development conditions unless denial is needed to avoid overburdened public facilities or safety threats; also allows longer tax incremental district extensions for housing.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 28–5 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    Relating to: changes to the low-income housing tax credit.

    Mar 17, 2026 · Passed 30–3 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All housing & rent votes
• ›Transportation5 with · 1 against6 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: local wheel tax referenda.

    Requires approval by a majority of voters in a referendum at a regularly scheduled election for any municipal or county vehicle registration fee, including existing fees, which would need approval within 18 months.

    Jan 21, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: governmental restrictions based on the energy source of a motor vehicle or other device.

    Bars state agencies and local governments from restricting the use or sale of a motor vehicle or other device based on the energy source that powers it.

    Jun 18, 2025 · Passed 18–14 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: applying the motor vehicle fuel tax supplier’s administrative allowance to diesel fuel, a motor vehicle fuel tax refund for evaporation losses, and making an appropriation.

    Lets motor fuel suppliers keep the 1.35 percent administrative allowance on diesel fuel tax, as for gasoline, lets retailers claim a refund of 0.5 percent of fuel tax paid for evaporation and shrinkage, and credits wholesaler distributors for the resulting tax reduction.

    Jun 18, 2025 · Passed 19–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All transportation votes
• ›Technology & privacy4 with · 0 against4 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: use restrictions on state and local government electronic devices.

    Bars state agencies from using devices to access social media, software or generative AI controlled by foreign adversaries such as China and Russia, and requires state, legislative and court technology policies on such products, effective January 31, 2027.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 18–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: banning the use of genetic software from foreign adversaries in medical and research facilities, the storage of any human genome sequencing data within the borders of a foreign adversary, and providing a penalty.

    On the version voted Jan 22, 2026: Bans medical and research facilities receiving state money from using genetic sequencers or analysis software made in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia or Maduro-era Venezuela, and bars storing Wisconsin residents' genome data in those countries.

    Feb 18, 2026 · Passed 20–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: an income and franchise tax exemption for broadband expansion grants and for federal high-cost program funding for broadband expansion.

    Mar 17, 2026 · Passed 20–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All technology & privacy votes

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 9 of 183 party-divided votes on file.

Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (5), Education & families (3), Climate & energy (2)

• Relating to: requiring the Department of Health Services to seek any necessary waiver to prohibit the purchase of candy or soft drinks with FoodShare benefits.

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 7–8, Republicans 18–0

  Mar 17, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: environmental review prerequisites for certain major highway project actions.

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 6–9, Republicans 18–0

  Feb 18, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: a teacher’s authority to manage the teacher’s class, parental notification of disruptive or violent behavior at school, and a school district’s code of conduct.

  What it does: On the version voted Nov 19, 2025: Specifies teachers' authority over classroom discipline, changes when teachers may remove pupils, requires behavior plans before some return to class, and requires parent notificatio…

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 1–14, Republicans 18–0

  Feb 11, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: fees related to animal markets, animal dealers, animal truckers, and animal transport vehicles.

  What it does: On the version voted Feb 17, 2026: Sets in statute the animal market, dealer, trucker and vehicle fees, plus livestock and other registration fees, at amounts DATCP set by rule in December 2024, and requires an annual…

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–11, Republicans 18–0

  Feb 11, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: making certain child care expenditures eligible for the business development tax credit.

  What it does: Expands the refundable business development tax credit from child care capital expenditures to up to 15 percent of costs of providing child care for employees, including operating costs, reimbursements, reserved slots…

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 1–14, Republicans 18–0

  Nov 18, 2025Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

• No

  VOTER IDENTIFICATION (SECOND CONSIDERATION)

  With most of their party · Passed 17–15 · Yes 17–No 15 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–0

  Jan 8, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: vacancies in appointive state offices.

  With most of their party · Passed 17–16 · Yes 17–No 16 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

  Mar 17, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty.

  With most of their party · Passed 17–16 · Yes 17–No 16 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

  Feb 11, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: free speech and academic freedom at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, due process in disciplinary proceedings at University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, and causes of action against the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and technical college district boards.

  With most of their party · Passed 17–16 · Yes 17–No 16 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

  Nov 18, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: requiring state employees to perform their work at the offices of their employer.

  With most of their party · Passed 17–16 · Yes 17–No 16 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

  Oct 14, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: the use of federal capitalization grant funds for lead service line replacement.

  With most of their party · Passed 17–16 · Yes 17–No 16 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 17–1

  May 15, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act, voter registration data sharing agreements, removing ineligible voters from the official voter registration list, and fees for obtaining the official voter registration list.

  With most of their party · Passed 18–15 · Yes 18–No 15 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 18–0

  Mar 17, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: required ratio of journeyworkers to apprentices in apprenticeship programs and contracts.

  With most of their party · Passed 18–15 · Yes 18–No 15 · Democrats 0–15, Republicans 18–0

  Mar 17, 2026Official record ↗