Assembly Bill 709
Requiring access to toilet facilities in a retail establishment, immunity from civil liability related to use of the toilet facilities, and providing penalties
Topics: Damage (personal injury), Employment, Fraud, Identification cards, Mercantile establishment, Public health
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 22, 2010. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Feb 9, 2010
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Mar 4, 2010
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Apr 13, 2010
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 198
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 27, 2010: “Published 5-5-2010”
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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.
This bill requires a retail establishment that has a toilet facility that is designated for use by employees to allow a person who has a certain type of medical condition, or who uses an ostomy device, to use the employees' toilet facility under certain conditions. The conditions are that the person has either a written statement from a physician indicating that the person has an eligible medical condition or uses an ostomy device, or the person has an identification card issued by an entity that is approved by the Department of Health Services to issue such cards; the person requests use of the toilet facility during normal business hours and while at least three employees are working; the toilet facility is not located in an area where access by the person creates a health or safety risk to the person or a security risk for the retail establishment; and the retail establishment does not have a toilet facility that is open to the public and no public bathroom is immediately accessible to the person.
Under the bill, a person who violates the requirement to allow access to an employees' toilet facility is subject to a civil forfeiture. In addition, a person who forges, alters, transfers, or possesses a forged or altered physicians' statement or identification card indicating that a person has an eligible medical condition or uses an ostomy device is subject to a civil forfeiture. Finally, under the bill, a retail establishment and its employees are immune from civil liability for the death of or injury to persons who use an employees' toilet facility in accordance with the access provision created in the bill.
Who's behind it
17 lawmakers are its . 9 are Democrats and 8 are Republicans.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 22 names Hide the names
Authors (17)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Annette Williams · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Andy Jorgensen · Democrat, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Phil Montgomery · Republican, Assembly
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- James Soletski · Democrat, Assembly
- Richard Spanbauer · Republican, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Robert Turner · Democrat, Assembly
- Karl Van Roy · Republican, Assembly
- Robin Vos · Republican, Assembly
- Ted Zigmunt · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (5)
- Spencer Coggs · Democrat, Senate
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Jobs vote to recommend it
Passed, 13 to 0 · Mar 2, 2010
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 Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Small Business vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 31, 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 Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 27, 2010
The new law was published.
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Apr 22, 2010
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 198.
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Apr 20, 2010
Sent to the governor.
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Apr 13, 2010
The Senate passed it too.
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Mar 31, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Mar 16, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 8, 2010
Sent to the Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection.
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Mar 5, 2010
The Senate received it.
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Mar 4, 2010
The Assembly passed it.
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Mar 2, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Mar 2, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 0.
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Feb 17, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 9, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business.
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Feb 9, 2010
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 9, 2010 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Van Roy, Soletski, Townsend, Berceau, Montgomery, Spanbauer, Knodl, Vos, A. Ott, Brooks, Turner, Pasch, Zigmunt, Roys, Jorgensen, Smith and A. Williams;Cosponsored by Senators Lehman, Hansen, Taylor, Coggs and Plale
- Feb 9, 2010 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business
- Feb 17, 2010 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 24, 2010 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 3-4-2010 by committee on Rules
- Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 5, 2010 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Mar 8, 2010 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection
- Mar 16, 2010 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 31, 2010 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 31, 2010 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 31, 2010 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Apr 8, 2010 · Senate
Placed on calendar 4-13-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Read a second time
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 14, 2010 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-20-2010
- Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-21-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 198
- Apr 27, 2010 · Assembly
Published 5-5-2010
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