October 19–25, 2026
A quiet week for passed legislation with no state or local bills moving, but one federal law now gives clergy a rare second chance to join Social Security.
For religious workers and their families. The clearest change this week touches a specific group of Wisconsin residents: ordained ministers, nuns, and Christian Science practitioners who previously opted out of Social Security and Medicare. A new federal law (HR 227) is now on the books, giving those workers a two-year window to reverse that decision. If they opt back in, they'll pay self-employment taxes on their ministerial income going forward and become eligible for Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare coverage down the road. It's a one-time opening; the law doesn't say a window like this will come again. This is now law.
Worth knowing but not Wisconsin-specific. Two other federal bills signed this week don't change much for most residents here. One (HR 7022) is actually worth a look if you live in a rural area with spotty cell service: it allows wireless carriers to send emergency alerts, like severe weather or missing-persons notices, over satellite networks in addition to cell towers. Carriers can opt in, and you'd have the option to opt out of satellite delivery. The coverage gap that makes this relevant in parts of Wisconsin is real, even if the law doesn't guarantee your carrier participates. That bill has passed both chambers and is now law. A third bill directed the federal Bureau of Land Management to sell a small land claim in Sacramento, California; it doesn't touch Wisconsin.
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Coming up next week:
San Francisco Bay restoration funding. HR 1382 would let federal money cover a larger share of wetland and habitat restoration projects around San Francisco Bay and would open those federal dollars to private businesses and nonprofits, not just government agencies. The bill cleared committee and is headed to a full House floor vote, though no firm date is set for that vote. The bill's scope is regional to California, so it's one to note but not one that directly affects Wisconsin residents.
See what's up for a vote now · Find your representatives