Assembly Bill 57
Permitting a mother to breast-feed in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be
Topics: Forfeiture, Maternal and infant care
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 11, 2010. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Feb 17, 2009
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Sep 22, 2009
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 16, 2010
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 148
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 16, 2010: “Published 3-24-2010”
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
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.
Under current law, there are various prohibitions against lewd behavior or sexual gratification in public. Those prohibitions, however, do not apply to a mother's breast-feeding of her child. This bill permits a mother to breast-feed her child in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be and prohibits any person from interfering with the right of a mother to breast-feed her child as provided in the bill. Because no penalty is expressed in the bill for interfering with that right, a person who interferes with that right is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $200 under the general penalty provision under current law.
Who's behind it
20 lawmakers are its . 18 are Democrats and 2 are Republicans.
8 more lawmakers .
See all 28 names Hide the names
Authors (20)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Chuck Benedict · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Spencer Black · Democrat, Assembly
- David Cullen · Democrat, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Steve Hilgenberg · Democrat, Assembly
- Gordon Hintz · Democrat, Assembly
- Cory Mason · Democrat, Assembly
- Louis Molepske Jr. · Democrat, Assembly
- Joe Parisi · Democrat, Assembly
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
- Mark Pocan · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Barbara Toles · Democrat, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Amy Sue Vruwink · Democrat, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (8)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Jon Erpenbach · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Fred A. Risser · Democrat, Senate
- Dale Schultz · Republican, Senate
- Jim Sullivan · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
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 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Public Health vote on an amendment
Passed, 4 to 2 · Jul 8, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by committee on Public Health, Ayes 4, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote on an amendment
Passed, 50 to 45 · Sep 22, 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 amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 50, Noes 45”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Public Health vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 2, 2010
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 Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 16, 2010
The new law was published.
-
Mar 11, 2010
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 148.
-
Mar 9, 2010
Sent to the governor.
-
Feb 16, 2010
The Senate passed it too.
-
Feb 2, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
-
Jan 27, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Sep 24, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation.
-
Sep 23, 2009
The Senate received it.
-
Sep 22, 2009
The Assembly passed it.
-
Sep 22, 2009
The Assembly adopted it.
-
Jul 8, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Jul 8, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 2.
-
May 5, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Feb 17, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Public Health.
-
Feb 17, 2009
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 17, 2009 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Pasch, Roys, Parisi, Sinicki, Benedict, Black, Berceau, Ballweg, Cullen, Hintz, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Mason, Molepske Jr., Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Toles, Townsend, Vruwink and Zepnick;Cosponsored by Senators Risser, Erpenbach, Wirch, Darling, Schultz, Cowles, Sullivan and Lehman
- Feb 17, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Public Health
- May 5, 2009 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jun 11, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Strachota
- Jun 11, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Pasch
- Jun 11, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 3 offered by Representative Strachota
- Jun 30, 2009 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jul 8, 2009 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by committee on Public Health, Ayes 4, Noes 2
- Jul 8, 2009 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Public Health, Ayes 4, Noes 2
- Jul 8, 2009 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Sep 17, 2009 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 9-22-2009 by committee on Rules
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Strachota
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 50, Noes 45
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 to Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representative Pasch
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 to Assembly amendment 2 adopted
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 2 adopted
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Sep 22, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Sep 23, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Sep 24, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation
- Jan 27, 2010 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 28, 2010 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 2, 2010 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Feb 2, 2010 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 10, 2010 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-16-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 16, 2010 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 16, 2010 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 16, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Feb 16, 2010 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 16, 2010 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 16, 2010 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Feb 19, 2010 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 9, 2010 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 3-9-2010
- Mar 11, 2010 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 3-10-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 148
- Mar 16, 2010 · Assembly
Published 3-24-2010
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