State Sen. Pfaff and State Rep. Billings propose legislation to lower college tuition

Oct. 16, 2025

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic legislators introduced a pair of bills aimed at making higher education more accessible and affordable for middle-class and working families, citing the state’s poor national ranking for college costs. State Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and State Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse), who were joined by other state Democrats unveiled the Wisconsin Tuition Promise and the College Savings Fairness Act at a press conference held at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus on Oct. 16.

WHY THE LEGISLATION IS NEEDED

The sponsors argue that rising costs are putting a college education out of reach for many Wisconsinites, particularly middle-class families. The legislative push comes after a new report ranked Wisconsin 46th in the nation for college affordability.

Senator Pfaff stressed that making college affordable is an investment in the state’s workforce and helps address labor shortages.

“Wisconsin, like every other state, is experiencing a labor shortage, but we know that Wisconsin students who attend a Wisconsin school are likely to stay and work in Wisconsin upon graduation,” Pfaff said. He added that the proposals aim to “level the playing field” for students who cannot afford to save for college upfront.

Representative Billings noted that the state’s workforce relies on graduates from universities and technical colleges. “We need to do more to keep higher education within the reach of middle-class families,” Billings stated.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED BILLS

The two bills aim to provide financial relief for families and students through grants and tax fairness.

1. The Wisconsin Tuition Promise (LRB 4919)

The Wisconsin Tuition Promise is designed as a commitment to keep public universities accessible and affordable for middle-class families.

• Funding Mechanism: The bill would direct state funds toward first-year college student tuition payments. It provides “last-dollar, gap funding” for tuition after all federal grants and scholarships have been applied.
• Eligibility: The support is intended for students from households with an adjusted gross income of $71,000 or less. Eligible students must also have applied for all federal grants and scholarships.
• Scope: The funding would apply to students attending any University of Wisconsin school, except for UW-Madison, which currently funds its own similar initiative, “Bucky’s Tuition Promise,” internally. The proposed state legislation seeks to help maintain funding for these promises to ensure the program’s longevity.

2. The College Savings Fairness Act (LRB 1242)

This act aims to level the playing field for all Wisconsin students, regardless of whether their families were able to save for college or if the student must take out loans.

• Tax Deduction Change: The College Savings Fairness Act would create a new individual income tax deduction for both the principal and interest paid on qualified education loans.
• Current Law vs. Proposal: Currently, Wisconsin provides an income tax deduction up to $3,860 for contributions made to an Edvest 529 college savings plan. The new legislation would allow borrowers to qualify for up to $3,860 in tax deductions off principal and interest paid on education loans, regardless of having a savings plan. Current law only allows a $2,500 deduction for interest payments only. Pfaff stated that this provides “tax fairness to those who don’t have access to pay for higher education on the front end”.

CALL FOR BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

While seeking bipartisan support on the bills, Representative Billings noted the difficulty Democratic-authored bills face in receiving hearings in the Legislature.

Senator Pfaff expressed a willingness to compromise, stating he is happy to see the debate move forward, even if it means supporting similar legislation introduced by Republican colleagues. “I really do believe we need to move this debate on higher education and job training away from just an ideological battle to an actual meat and potatoes conversation of what we can do in order to help our students and our workforce,” Pfaff said.