OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry) and the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO) announced that Wisconsin SB576, legislation clarifying that personal property owned by seasonal campers and located within licensed campgrounds is exempt from real property tax, continues to move forward with strong momentum.
Following weeks of coordinated outreach, campground owners and operators from across the state testified before the Senate Committee, and the hearing was met with strong support. Committee leadership signaled readiness to move the bill forward
This action, officially introduced by Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) and Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R- Appleton), to clarify existing legislation, is what the Wisconsin state legislature intended in the repeal of the personal property tax starting in 2024 and will ensure a seasonal camper’s personal property located within a licensed campground is treated the same as any other personal property that became permanently exempted from property taxation with the passage of Act 12. You can read the text of the bill here.
At this stage in the process, no grassroots action is required. Should complications arise later, OHI and WACO may call on campground owners and seasonal campers again to voice support. For now, the focus remains on coordinated legislative engagement.
“Campground operators showed up and spoke clearly about the unintended tax impacts created by the repeal of personal property tax under Act 12,” said OHI and WACO in a joint statement. “Their testimony was well received, and the bill is moving. We look forward to continuing collaboration with Rep. Petersen and Sen. Cabral-Guevara as SB576 advances.”
OHI and WACO will continue to provide updates as the legislation progresses.
For questions about SB576 or ongoing advocacy efforts, please reach out to the OHI Government Affairs team at ohi-advocacy@ohi.org or the WACO offices at office@wisconsincampgrounds.com.
