At the 5th Annual Wisconsin Tech Summit on March 19, Wisconsin Tech Council president Tom Still and Steve Lyons of Husch Blackwell Strategies talked about the state and federal policies in play that could ultimately improve tech innovation and growth in Wisconsin:

Here’s a rundown of the policies:

Assembly Bill 489: This bill raises the lifetime cap on angel and venture investments that qualify for a 25 percent state tax credit to $12 million. Under the angel and early stage seed investment tax credit programs administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the current cap is $8 million, giving investors $3 million in state tax credit. With this bill, which is currently awaiting the governor’s signature, investors would get a $4 million tax credit.

Senate Bill 148: This bill, which has already been signed into law, authorizes the operation of personal, robotic delivery vehicles on sidewalks and crosswalks in Wisconsin, something Still said allows delivery companies in the state to expand their business operations. The devices must weigh less than 80 pounds, excluding cargo, can move no faster than 10 miles per hour, and are capable of operating with and without active control or monitoring by an individual.

Assembly Bill 897/Senate Bill 783: This bill would lift a state fee on angel and venture investments made in emerging companies that are based outside of Wisconsin. The bill was passed by Assembly and Senate committees and won a unanimous floor vote by the Senate.

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