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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Assembly Bill 3

Restrictions on the use and sale of fertilizer containing phosphorus and other turf fertilizer and providing a penalty

Topics: Fertilizer, Mercantile establishment, Sanitation and sewerage management

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 14, 2009. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 16, 2009

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 24, 2009

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 24, 2009

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2009 Wisconsin Act 9

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 17, 2009: “Published 4-28-2009”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill generally prohibits the application of fertilizer that contains phosphorus to lawns, golf courses, and other mowed grassy areas (turf). The prohibition does not apply to land used for agricultural production. The prohibition also does not apply to the use of manure that is mechanically dried, ground, or pelletized, or to a finished sewage sludge product. The bill authorizes the use of fertilizer that contains phosphorus to establish grass during the first growing season. The bill also authorizes the application of fertilizer containing phosphorus to an area if a soil test shows that the soil in the area is deficient in phosphorus. The bill prohibits the application of fertilizer, manure that is mechanically dried, ground, or pelletized, and finished sewage sludge product to turf when the ground is frozen.

The bill also prohibits the intentional application of turf fertilizer, manure that is mechanically dried, ground, or pelletized, and finished sewage sludge product to an impervious surface and requires a person who spills any of these substances onto an impervious surface to immediately remove it.

Read the full summary

This bill prohibits the retail sale of turf fertilizer containing phosphorus unless the fertilizer is sold for one of the purposes for which it is authorized to be used. The bill prohibits a retailer from displaying turf fertilizer that contains phosphorus, but authorizes a retailer to post a sign stating that turf fertilizer containing phosphorus is available upon request for the purposes for which the bill allows it to be used.

Who's behind it

32 lawmakers are its ⁠. 22 are Democrats, 8 are Republicans and 1 is a Independent. 1 has no party on record.

17 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 49 names

Authors (32)

Signed on in support (17)

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 6 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources vote on an amendment

Passed, 14 to 1 · Feb 17, 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 Natural Resources, Ayes 14, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 62 to 33 · Feb 24, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 33”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 96 to 0 · Feb 24, 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 96, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Environment vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 11, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Environment vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 11, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report concurrence as amended recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 33 to 0 · Mar 24, 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 as amended, Ayes 33, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 17, 2009

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 14, 2009

    The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 9.

  3. Apr 9, 2009

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 24, 2009

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Mar 24, 2009

    The Assembly adopted it.

  6. Mar 24, 2009

    The Senate passed it too, 33 to 0.

  7. Mar 24, 2009

    The Senate adopted it.

  8. Mar 17, 2009 to Mar 24, 2009

    2 more senators signed on in support.

  9. Mar 11, 2009

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  10. Mar 11, 2009

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  11. Feb 27, 2009

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Environment.

  12. Feb 24, 2009

    The Senate received it.

  13. Feb 24, 2009

    The Assembly passed it, 96 to 0.

  14. Feb 24, 2009

    The Assembly adopted it.

  15. Feb 17, 2009

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  16. Feb 17, 2009

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 15 to 0.

  17. Jan 28, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  18. Jan 16, 2009

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

  19. Jan 16, 2009

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 16, 2009 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Black, Bies, Jorgensen, Roys, Tauchen, Clark, Hebl, Hraychuck, Mursau, Parisi, Berceau, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Knodl, Benedict, Dexter, Hilgenberg, Wood, Hintz, Mason, Molepske Jr., Van Roy, Hixson, Richards, Sherman, Smith, Hubler, Soletski, Pasch, Ballweg, Lothian and Spanbauer;Cosponsored by Senators Miller, Cowles, Holperin, Kreitlow, Lehman, Hansen, A. Lasee, Jauch, Hopper, Risser, Sullivan, Wirch, Olsen, Erpenbach and Lassa

  2. Jan 16, 2009 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Natural Resources

  3. Jan 28, 2009 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Feb 11, 2009 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  5. Feb 11, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by committee on Natural Resources

  6. Feb 11, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by committee on Natural Resources

  7. Feb 17, 2009 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 14, Noes 1

  8. Feb 17, 2009 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Natural Resources, Ayes 15, Noes 0

  9. Feb 17, 2009 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  10. Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-24-2009 by committee on Rules

  11. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 offered by Representative Huebsch

  13. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 placed after Assembly amendment 3

  14. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 33

  15. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  18. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 96, Noes 0

  19. Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  20. Feb 24, 2009 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  21. Feb 27, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Environment

  22. Mar 5, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senators Miller and Olsen

  23. Mar 10, 2009 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  24. Mar 11, 2009 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  25. Mar 11, 2009 · Senate

    Report concurrence as amended recommended by committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  26. Mar 11, 2009 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  27. Mar 17, 2009 · Senate

    Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor

  28. Mar 18, 2009 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-24-2009 by committee on Senate Organization

  29. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Senator Vinehout added as a cosponsor

  30. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Read a second time

  31. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 adopted

  32. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  33. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  34. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 33, Noes 0

  35. Mar 24, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  36. Mar 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Received from Senate amended and concurred in as amended (Senate amendment 1 adopted)

  37. Mar 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Senate amendment 1 concurred in

  38. Mar 24, 2009 · Assembly

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  39. Mar 30, 2009 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled

  40. Apr 9, 2009 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-9-2009

  41. Apr 14, 2009 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-14-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 9

  42. Apr 17, 2009 · Assembly

    Published 4-28-2009

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

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

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary