Kenosha Reporter

A new bill authored by State Sen. Robert W. Wirch seeks to expand acceptable voter identification by aligning state requirements with federal REAL ID standards, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "forms of proof of identification for voting".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill expands the acceptable forms of identification for voting by including a valid operator's license or identification card that meets federal REAL ID requirements. Such identification must be issued by a state of the United States or territories including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. This change is intended to widen the scope of documents that can be used to verify the identity of voters, aligning state voting identification standards with federal guidelines as outlined in the federal REAL ID Act.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Karen Kirsch (Democrat-7th District), Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), Senator Mark Spreitzer (Democrat-15th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), and Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District), along 10 other co-sponsors.

Robert W. Wirch has co-authored or authored another 47 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.

Wirch graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Parkside in 1970 with a BA.

Wirch, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1997 to represent the state's 22nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Joseph F. Andrea.

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
SB362	06/27/2025	Forms of proof of identification for voting
SB313	06/04/2025	Providing permanency plan and comments to out-of-home care providers in advance of a permanency plan review or hearing. (FE)
SB246	05/09/2025	A special observance day in schools for Armenian Genocide Awareness Day
SB193	04/14/2025	Revoking a transfer of real property on death, obtaining evidence of the termination of a decedent’s property interests, disbursing deposits after rescission of real property wholesaler contracts, and filing satisfactions of judgment
SB153	03/21/2025	Expanding the treatment alternatives and diversion programs. (FE)