Assembly Bill 119
Requirements for pupils enrolled in five-year-old kindergarten
Topics: Kindergarten, School, School: Attendance, School: Board, School: Branches of instruction
Became law
The governor signed it on Oct 6, 2009. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Mar 4, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Sep 16, 2009
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Senate vote, passed
Passed 17 to 15
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 41
Latest entry in the official record, Oct 9, 2009: “Published 10-20-2009”
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Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, attendance in school is compulsory for children between the ages of six and 18. A child who has reached the age of four years may enroll in four-year-old kindergarten if the school district in which the child resides operates a four-year-old kindergarten program, and a child who has reached the age of five years may enroll in five-year-old kindergarten. However, enrollment in and the completion of kindergarten is not required.
Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, this bill requires a child to complete five-year-old kindergarten as a prerequisite to being admitted to first grade in a public school, including a charter school. The bill permits a school board and the operator of an independent charter school to establish policies, standards, conditions, and procedures for the parent or guardian of a child to seek an exemption from the requirement that the child complete kindergarten. The bill also requires a child who is enrolled in five-year-old kindergarten in a public or private school to regularly attend kindergarten during the school year.
Who's behind it
18 lawmakers are its . 17 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 25 names Hide the names
Authors (18)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Benedict · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Penny Bernard Schaber · Democrat, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Pedro Colon · Democrat, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Kim Hixson · Democrat, Assembly
- Cory Mason · Democrat, Assembly
- Nick Milroy · Democrat, Assembly
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Jon Richards · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- James Soletski · Democrat, Assembly
- Ted Zigmunt · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (7)
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- Spencer Coggs · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Judy Robson · Democrat, Senate
- Toles and Young
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
How lawmakers voted
There were 4 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Education vote on an amendment
Passed, 11 to 1 · Jun 16, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote on an amendment
Passed, 50 to 48 · Sep 16, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 50, Noes 48”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 53 to 44 · Sep 16, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 44, Paired 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 17 to 15 · Sep 22, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 17, Noes 15”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Oct 9, 2009
The new law was published.
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Oct 6, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 41.
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Oct 6, 2009
Sent to the governor.
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Sep 22, 2009
The Senate passed it too, 17 to 15.
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Sep 21, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
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Sep 17, 2009
The Senate received it.
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Sep 16, 2009
The Assembly passed it, 53 to 44.
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Sep 16, 2009
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Sep 16, 2009
The Assembly adopted it.
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Jun 16, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jun 16, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 4.
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Mar 24, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 17, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 4, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.
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Mar 4, 2009
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 4, 2009 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Smith, Pope-Roberts, Berceau, Richards, Soletski, Colon, Sinicki, Mason, Pasch, Fields, Hebl, Benedict, Hixson, Milroy, Clark, Zigmunt, Bernard Schaber and A. Ott;Cosponsored by Senators Coggs, Lehman, Carpenter, Vinehout, Plale and Robson
- Mar 4, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Education
- Mar 17, 2009 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Mar 24, 2009 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 31, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Smith
- May 19, 2009 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 11, Noes 1
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Education, Ayes 8, Noes 4
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Sep 10, 2009 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 9-16-2009 by committee on Rules
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Davis
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 50, Noes 48
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 44, Paired 2
- Sep 16, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Sep 17, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Sep 21, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Sep 21, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Senate Organization and take up
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 17, Noes 15
- Sep 22, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Sep 30, 2009 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled
- Oct 6, 2009 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 10-5-2009
- Oct 6, 2009 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 10-6-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 41
- Oct 9, 2009 · Assembly
Published 10-20-2009
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote