Article from Urban Milwaukee:

Press Release, Feb. 13th

Rep. Ryan Clancy Announces Tenant Protections Including Right to Counsel During Evictions

...Bill package also creates new discrimination protections, other evictions reforms

Madison, WI – Today, Rep Ryan Clancy (D-19) released his 2025-26 Tenant Protection Package, bills written to provide new, critical protections for Wisconsin renters in an increasingly unstable economy. Several of the bills provide new powerful protections for people facing evictions, including establishing a statewide Right to Counsel (LRB-1214).

Other bills in the package authored by Rep. Clancy include:

• LRB-4229 – Tenants’ right to organize, protecting tenants’ right to self-organization without retaliation
• LRB-0358 – Automatic record cleanup, providing protections for tenants who defeat eviction actions
• LRB-0362 – Extending the cure periods for termination with cause
• LRB-0363 – Disposition of property in evictions, preventing landlords from seizing tenants’ personal property during evictions
• LRB-0511 – Allowing small claims to hear illegal lockout cases
• LRB-0438 – Repeal prohibition on certain waivers re private promises not to evict
• LRB-0439 – Procedural safeguards before judgment is entered in a small claims eviction
• LRB-0391 – Recognizing discrimination as defense to eviction

Please find a bill explainer here — it will be updated with assembly bill numbers as they are assigned!

Rep. Ryan Clancy released the following statement:

“Right now, landlords and developers have plenty of allies in Wisconsin’s legislature – unfortunately, that’s led to very few protections for renters while rents are spiraling out-of-control around Wisconsin.

That’s why we’re introducing this package of tenant protection bills, including a statewide right to counsel for people facing eviction in Wisconsin. Right to Counsel has been wildly successful in Milwaukee County. It’s kept hundreds of people in their homes since I authored and passed it in 2021– it should be in place statewide along with other critical protections in this package.

People who rent their homes in Wisconsin deserve fair treatment and dignity every bit as much as homeowners. Right now, though, they’re often subject to terrible living conditions, unfair eviction actions, discrimination, and other inexcusable treatment from landlords and their agents. In places like Minnesota, under siege by the federal government, many are facing evictions because they’re unable to leave their homes to work. We can and should act now to prevent similar tragedies in Wisconsin.

Our communities need quality, public and social housing, resources enjoyed in countries with far less wealth than the United States. As we pursue that, this tenant protection package is a necessary investment in housing justice and equity. I’m proud to continue leading on making these bills into law.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

We saw a similar Tenant Protection Package of Bills like this come out in October of 2023, leading up to the 2024 election year.  And of course, 2026 is an election year once again.

Many proposed ideas would exacerbate the current supply vs. demand issues in housing. All of this will only serve to make housing affordability and availability worse. These concepts have been tried and failed in other states and even in foreign countries, often hurting residents, owners, and managers alike.  

However, we pledge to work with our legislators, across both sides of the aisle, including as well the various housing advocacy groups, to see where we have common ground, and explore collectively where we can come up with proposals that address the root causes of some of what is causing bills such as these to be proposed in the first place.

In order for affordable housing to be available "and" sustainable...owners must be allowed to be successful, and our residents need to have a clean and stable housing environment.  A sustainable rental housing marketplace needs both owners and residents to be successful...WE MUST work on these challenges together.

Best Regards,

Apartment Association of Northeast Wisconsin, Inc.

Fox Valley Apartment Association, Inc.