Southern Wisconsin Times

A bill authored by State Sen. Mark Spreitzer in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to enable certain married individuals experiencing domestic abuse to file separately for the state earned income tax credit, aiming to provide financial relief and protection, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "allowing certain married persons to claim the earned income tax credit when filing a separate return. (FE)".

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

In essence, this bill allows certain married individuals in Wisconsin to claim the state's earned income tax credit (EITC) on a separate return if they live apart from their spouse due to domestic abuse, effective for taxable years starting after Dec. 31, 2024. Under existing law, married couples generally must file jointly to claim the Wisconsin EITC, which is based on a percentage of the federal EITC. The bill defines domestic abuse as actions causing physical pain, injury, or illness, physical impairment, sexual assault, or any action that might reasonably cause fear of imminent harm. The bill stipulates that the credit percentages for eligible individuals are 4% for one qualifying child, 11% for two qualifying children, and 34% for three or more qualifying children, calculated as if the filer were unmarried for federal tax purposes.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Paul Tittl (Republican-25th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), and Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), along with 13 other co-sponsors.

Mark Spreitzer has co-authored another three bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Spreitzer graduated from Beloit College in 2009 with a BA.

Spreitzer, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 15th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Janis Ringhand.

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
SB20	02/05/2025	Allowing certain married persons to claim the earned income tax credit when filing a separate return. (FE)