Assembly Bill 239
Limiting a city's and village's use of direct annexation and authorizing limited town challenges to an annexation
Topics: Court, Municipality: Annexation, Town, Village
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Apr 30, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 28, 2010: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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 would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Currently, town territory that is contiguous to any city or village may be annexed to that city or village under several methods if, in general, some of the city's or village's territory is in the same county as the territory to be annexed, unless both the town and county boards approve of the proposed annexation, and the city or village agrees to make limited payments to the town based on property taxes that the town levied on the annexed territory.
Three of the methods of annexation include the following: 1) direct annexation, under which a petition for annexation that was signed by the required number of electors and landowners is filed with the city or village clerk; 2) annexation by referendum, under which a petition for referendum that was signed by the required number of electors and landowners is filed with the city or village clerk, and a referendum is held and passes in the town; and 3) annexation by court order and referendum, under which the governing body of a city or village adopts a resolution declaring its intention to apply to the circuit court for an order for an annexation referendum.
Read the full summary Show less
Another method of annexation is direct annexation by unanimous approval. If a petition for direct annexation by unanimous approval signed by all of the electors residing in the territory and the owners of all of the real property in the territory is filed with the city or village clerk and the town clerk of all of the involved towns, along with a scale map and legal description of the property to be annexed, the governing body of the city or village may, generally, annex the property by a two-thirds vote of the body. Such an annexation, however, is subject to Department of Administration advisory review as if the annexation petition were for direct, but not unanimous, annexation or annexation by referendum.
Generally, cities and villages may also annex territory that is owned by the city or village and that lies near but not necessarily contiguous to the city or village by enacting an ordinance to annex such territory.
This bill limits the use of direct annexation by unanimous approval to town land that is contiguous to the annexing city or village.
Under current law, a town may not challenge in court, on any grounds, any direct annexation by unanimous approval as well as several other types of annexations. Under this bill, a town may challenge direct annexation by unanimous approval, as well as several other types of annexations, including annexation by referendum initiated by a city or village and annexation of city-owned or village-owned territory, but only on the issue of whether the territory proposed for annexation is contiguous to the annexing city or village.
Who's behind it
15 lawmakers are its . 11 are Republicans and 4 are Democrats.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 18 names Hide the names
Authors (15)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Chris Danou · Democrat, Assembly
- Scott Gunderson · Republican, Assembly
- Steve Hilgenberg · Democrat, Assembly
- Andy Jorgensen · Democrat, Assembly
- Samantha Kerkman · Republican, Assembly
- Daniel LeMahieu · Republican, Assembly
- Kevin Petersen · Republican, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- Roger Roth · Republican, Senate
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Robin Vos · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (3)
- Alan Lasee · Republican, Senate
- Jim Holperin · Democrat, Senate
- Dale Schultz · Republican, 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 was one vote on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs vote on an amendment
Passed, 12 to 2 · Nov 16, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs, Ayes 12, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 28, 2010
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Nov 18, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 16, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Nov 16, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 1.
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May 21, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 30, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs.
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Apr 30, 2009
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Apr 30, 2009 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Jorgensen, Clark, Danou, Hilgenberg, Bies, Brooks, Gunderson, Kerkman, LeMahieu, A. Ott, Petersen, Ripp, Roth, Townsend and Vos;Cosponsored by Senators Holperin, A. Lasee and Schultz
- Apr 30, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs
- May 21, 2009 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Oct 16, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Jorgensen
- Oct 22, 2009 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Nov 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs, Ayes 12, Noes 2
- Nov 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs, Ayes 13, Noes 1
- Nov 16, 2009 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Nov 18, 2009 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 18, 2009 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 25, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Berceau
- Apr 12, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Jorgensen
- Apr 28, 2010 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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