Karen Kirsch

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 living51 with · 1 against52 votes

  Most contested

  • No

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

    On the version voted Oct 14, 2025: 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.

    Sep 11, 2025 · Passed 51–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: requirements for proposed administrative rules that impose any costs.

    Lowers the threshold at which an agency must halt a proposed rule from $10 million in expected two-year compliance costs to any amount, unless it removes the costs, offsets them with another rule that year, or a bill allows the rule.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 53–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: the expiration of administrative rules.

    Makes each administrative code chapter expire on January 1 of the seventh year after it takes effect unless the agency readopts it by notice or rule; the rules committee may extend a deadline by up to one year, with a second extension for some chapters.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 53–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All jobs & cost of living votes
• ›Education & families47 with · 1 against48 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: admission to University of Wisconsin System institutions.

    Requires University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduate admission decisions, starting 2027-28, to be predominantly based on ACT, SAT or similar test performance or objective testing measures, except for applicants admitted through the guaranteed admission program.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 52–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

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

    On the version voted Feb 11, 2026: 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.

    Mar 20, 2025 · Passed 50–43 · 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.

    Mar 20, 2025 · Passed 50–43 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All education & families votes
• ›Rights & public safety40 with · 3 against43 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting funding for health services for unlawfully present individuals.

    Prohibits state, local and pass-through federal funds from paying for health care for people not lawfully present in the U.S., unless federal law requires payment or federal funds would be lost.

    Sep 11, 2025 · Passed 51–44 · 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.

    Mar 20, 2025 · Passed 50–43 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: race-based higher education programs and requirements.

    Changes higher education programs for minority students to cover disadvantaged students instead, defined by a student's demonstrated economic and social disadvantage (personal narrative, net worth statement) without regard to race or sex, and repeals minority enrollment targets for a medical school and a dental school.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 53–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All rights & public safety votes
• ›Health & care15 with · 1 against16 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting funding for health services for unlawfully present individuals.

    Prohibits state, local and pass-through federal funds from paying for health care for people not lawfully present in the U.S., unless federal law requires payment or federal funds would be lost.

    Sep 11, 2025 · Passed 51–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting gender transition medical intervention for individuals under 18 years of age.

    Bans health care providers from performing or referring minors under 18 for medical treatment meant to align the body with a sex other than their biological sex, with exceptions, and requires licensing boards to revoke violators' licenses.

    Mar 20, 2025 · Passed 50–43 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: a civil cause of action for a minor injured by a gender transition procedure.

    Lets a person injured by a gender transition procedure performed as a minor sue the provider before age 33. Defense: two years of documented perceived gender, two providers certifying it is the only treatment for any mental health concern, and consent of minor and parent.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 53–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All health & care votes
• ›Climate & energy11 with · 0 against11 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program, a major land acquisitions program, and making an appropriation.

    Reauthorizes the Knowles-Nelson stewardship program through 2027-28 with a combined annual limit of $13.25 million, ends forestry account transfers to the capital improvement fund, and appropriates forestry account money directly for small land purchases, property development and grants.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and a major land acquisitions program.

    Reauthorizes the Knowles-Nelson stewardship land conservation program through 2027-28, cutting yearly borrowing limits to $1 million for land acquisition and $9.25 million for development and local aid, and adds wildlife habitat grants.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting rights of nature ordinances.

    Bars cities, villages, towns and counties from enacting ordinances that give legal rights to natural resources to exist, be protected against pollution, or maintain a healthy ecosystem.

    Feb 19, 2026 · Passed 54–41 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All climate & energy votes
• ›Technology & privacy10 with · 0 against10 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting critical telecommunications infrastructure from including equipment manufactured by a foreign adversary.

    Bars state agencies and other operators from contracts or technology giving foreign-adversary-linked entities access to critical infrastructure, bars telecom providers from using FCC-banned equipment (removal, annual certification, fines), and bars foreign nationals from contributing to referendum committees.

    Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 54–45 · 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.

    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.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

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

    On the version voted Feb 18, 2026: 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.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All technology & privacy votes
• ›Foreign affairs & defense9 with · 0 against9 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: prohibiting critical telecommunications infrastructure from including equipment manufactured by a foreign adversary.

    Bars state agencies and other operators from contracts or technology giving foreign-adversary-linked entities access to critical infrastructure, bars telecom providers from using FCC-banned equipment (removal, annual certification, fines), and bars foreign nationals from contributing to referendum committees.

    Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 54–45 · 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.

    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.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: penalty enhancer for crimes committed by a person acting as an agent of a foreign government or terrorist organization with the intent to silence or punish persons for their political view, criminalizing the enforcement of foreign laws without federal or state approval, and providing a penalty.

    Raises a crime's penalty class one level when committed as an agent of a foreign government or terrorist group to intimidate or silence dissidents and others, makes unapproved enforcement of foreign laws a Class E felony (three-year minimum prison term), and requires DOJ training.

    Jan 22, 2026 · Passed 53–44 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

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

  Most contested

  • No

    Relating to: pay for performance grant requirements.

    Requires the state to withhold 10 to 50 percent of homelessness grants for nine months, paying it only if recipients meet housing, employment or reduced-return-to-homelessness goals, and requires recipients to report data.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 52–46 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

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

    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.

    Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 56–42 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    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.

    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.

    Oct 7, 2025 · Passed 55–39 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All housing & rent votes
• ›Transportation2 with · 0 against2 votes

  Most contested

  • 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.

    On the version voted Jun 18, 2025: 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.

    Feb 20, 2026 · Passed 56–37 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    Relating to: alternative methods of providing pupil transportation services.

    Raises the number of passengers a non-school-bus vehicle may carry for school transportation from 9 to 14 besides the driver, and the emergency-exception threshold from 10 to 15 or more.

    Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 60–39 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All transportation votes

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 4 of 210 party-divided votes on file.

• Relating to: financing certain infrastructure by special charge approved by a neighborhood improvement district.

  What it does: Lets a municipality create a neighborhood improvement district, petitioned by all taxable property owners in it, that can request a special assessment on its properties to fund infrastructure for residential development.

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 10–35, Republicans 54–0

  Feb 17, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: consideration of a certain definition of antisemitism for purposes of laws, ordinances, policies, or criminal penalty enhancers concerning discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin.

  What it does: Requires state and local governments to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's 2016 definition of antisemitism when judging discriminatory intent under anti-discrimination and hate-crime laws, wit…

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 12–33, Republicans 54–0

  Feb 17, 2026Official record ↗

• Relating to: exempting tobacco bars from the public smoking ban.

  What it does: On the version voted Nov 18, 2025: Exempts tobacco bars opened on or after June 4, 2009 from the indoor smoking ban if only cigars and pipes are smoked, they are not retail food establishments, under-21s are barred, n…

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 7–37, Republicans 50–0

  Sep 11, 2025Official record ↗

• Relating to: theft crimes and providing a penalty.

  Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 18–26, Republicans 53–0

  Mar 13, 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

  Relating to: flags flown, hung, or displayed from a flagpole or the exterior of state and local buildings and eliminating a related administrative rule.

  With most of their party · Passed 50–44 · Yes 50–No 44 · Democrats 0–44, Republicans 50–0

  Sep 11, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: admission to University of Wisconsin System institutions.

  With most of their party · Passed 52–45 · Yes 52–No 45 · Democrats 0–45, Republicans 52–0

  Feb 12, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  SUSPENSION OF RULES PROMULGATED BY STATE AGENCIES

  With most of their party · Passed 52–45 · Yes 52–No 45 · Democrats 0–45, Republicans 52–0

  Feb 12, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: prohibiting funding for health services for unlawfully present individuals.

  With most of their party · Passed 51–44 · Yes 51–No 44 · Democrats 0–44, Republicans 51–0

  Sep 11, 2025Official record ↗

• No

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

  With most of their party · Passed 51–44 · Yes 51–No 44 · Democrats 0–44, Republicans 51–0

  Sep 11, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  Relating to: prohibiting gender transition medical intervention for individuals under 18 years of age.

  With most of their party · Passed 50–43 · Yes 50–No 43 · Democrats 0–43, Republicans 50–0

  Mar 20, 2025Official record ↗

• No

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

  With most of their party · Passed 50–43 · Yes 50–No 43 · Democrats 0–43, Republicans 50–0

  Mar 20, 2025Official record ↗

• No

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

  With most of their party · Passed 50–43 · Yes 50–No 43 · Democrats 0–43, Republicans 50–0

  Mar 20, 2025Official record ↗