Tara Johnson, Wisconsin State Representative for 96th District | https://www.facebook.com
Tara Johnson, Wisconsin State Representative for 96th District | https://www.facebook.com
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "serving maple syrup in a public eating place".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes that public eating places in Wisconsin cannot serve a product labeled as maple syrup unless it is composed entirely of genuine maple syrup, as defined by federal regulations in 21 CFR 168.140. The bill specifies that a "public eating place" refers to any establishment that prepares and sells food to the general public. The legislation allows for the serving of substitute products, provided these are not identified as maple syrup. The intent is to ensure that consumers in such establishments receive authentic maple syrup when it is advertised as such.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Kelda Roys (Democrat-26th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Jill Billings (Democrat-95th District), Representative Ben DeSmidt (Democrat-65th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), and Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), along 13 other co-sponsors.
Tara Johnson has co-authored or authored another 22 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Johnson graduated from Carroll University in 1984.
Johnson, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 96th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Loren Oldenburg.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB205 | 04/23/2025 | Serving maple syrup in a public eating place |
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