Construction Lobbyists Spend Millions in Wisconsin

The state's top ten construction industry groups spent over $3.72 million on lobbying efforts during the 2025-2027 session.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Isometric editorial illustration of a steel bridge piling anchored in a concrete block, representing Wisconsin infrastructure policy. — Construction industry lobbyists directed $3.72 million toward Wisconsin transportation policy during the 2025-2027 legislative session, aiming to address critical infrastructure funding deficits. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Since January 2025, major construction industry groups have funneled more than $3.72 million into lobbying efforts in Wisconsin. This spending aims to influence legislative outcomes as the state faces a projected billion-dollar structural deficit in transportation funding.

Why it matters

Lobbying expenditures reflect ongoing efforts to influence state infrastructure policy amid significant budgetary pressures. These financial resources are directed toward advocating for legislative priorities as officials navigate looming transportation funding challenges.

Official reports from the Wisconsin Ethics Commission show the top 10 construction groups spent over $3.72 million, including $2,019,963 from Wisconsin Infrastructure Investment Now. This data reflects lobbying activity tracked since January 2025.

The players

Tony Evers

Tony Evers is the Governor of Wisconsin who has signed significant infrastructure and professional licensing legislation.

Wisconsin Infrastructure Investment Now

This organization is a major construction industry group that leads lobbying expenditures in the state.

Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association

The group represents construction interests and highlights the need for addressing the state's transportation funding deficit.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin

This trade association represents contractors and has logged thousands of hours in communication with state legislators.

Wisconsin Ethics Commission

This state agency is responsible for publicly reporting all lobbying expenditures and time spent by industry groups in Madison.

The details

Industry groups engage with legislators by reporting advocacy expenses and logging extensive communication hours to advocate for policy shifts. These efforts have targeted transportation funding legislation, even as major bills like Assembly Bill 25 and Senate Bill 28 failed to pass in 2026.

Lobbying expenditure tracking for the legislative session began in January 2025.
Governor Tony Evers signed 2025 Wisconsin Act 240 in April 2026.
Governor Tony Evers signed a bill expanding design-build for highway projects in spring 2026.

Political Context

Critics of aggressive construction industry lobbying argue that such influence risks skewing public transportation priorities toward specific contractor interests rather than statewide needs. This pushback often centers on legislative transparency and the potential for industry spending to override broader public policy concerns.

Taxpayers and residents may see these lobbying efforts translate into new highway projects or changes in professional licensure rules as the state budget progresses. These legislative shifts directly impact the availability of construction jobs and the pace of local infrastructure repairs.

The takeaway

Lobbying transparency remains a critical component of tracking how special interest groups attempt to shape state infrastructure spending. Residents can monitor public expenditure reports via the state commission to understand how these millions in investment influence local project priorities.