Assembly Bill 4
Catch and release bass and muskellunge fishing
Topics: Fish and fishing, Natural Resources, Department of: Hunting and fishing
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 14, 2009. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jan 16, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 24, 2009
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 24, 2009
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 6
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 17, 2009: “Published 4-28-2009”
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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
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.
Current law requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish a fishing season that authorizes catch and release muskellunge fishing on certain inland waters. Under current law, the season begins on the first day of the general fishing season and ends on the day before the first day of the regular muskellunge fishing season. Current law also prohibits a person from using a hook, bait, or lure, other than an artificial lure that has a barbless hook while fishing for bass or for muskellunge during the respective catch and release seasons established by DNR for fishing for those fish.
This bill repeals these provisions.
Who's behind it
16 lawmakers are its . 10 are Democrats and 6 are Republicans.
8 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (16)
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Penny Bernard Schaber · Democrat, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Chris Danou · Democrat, Assembly
- Scott Gunderson · Republican, Assembly
- Ann Hraychuck · Democrat, Assembly
- Mary Hubler · Democrat, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Samantha Kerkman · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Meyer · Republican, Assembly
- Nick Milroy · Democrat, Assembly
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- Scott Suder · Republican, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Amy Sue Vruwink · Democrat, Assembly
- Ted Zigmunt · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (8)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- Jim Holperin · Democrat, Senate
- Joe Leibham · Republican, Senate
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Fish and Wildlife vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 to 0 · Feb 18, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Fish and Wildlife, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Transportation vote to recommend it
Passed, 7 to 0 · Mar 19, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 17, 2009
The new law was published.
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Apr 14, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 6.
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Apr 9, 2009
Sent to the governor.
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Mar 24, 2009
The Senate passed it too.
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Mar 19, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 0.
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Feb 27, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.
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Feb 24, 2009
The Senate received it.
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Feb 24, 2009
The Assembly passed it.
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Feb 18, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 18, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.
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Feb 18, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 21, 2009
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Jan 16, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Fish and Wildlife.
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Jan 16, 2009
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 16, 2009 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Hraychuck, Milroy, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Clark, Danou, Hubler, Kerkman, Meyer, Suder, Townsend, Zigmunt, Smith, Vruwink, Gunderson and Kaufert;Cosponsored by Senators Holperin, Miller, Vinehout, Wirch, Cowles, Leibham and Hansen
- Jan 16, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Fish and Wildlife
- Jan 21, 2009 · Assembly
Senator Taylor added as a cosponsor
- Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Fish and Wildlife, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 18, 2009 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-24-2009 by committee on Rules
- Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 24, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 24, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 27, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Senate Organization and take up
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 24, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 24, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Mar 30, 2009 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled
- Apr 9, 2009 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-9-2009
- Apr 14, 2009 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-14-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 6
- 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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote