Assembly Bill 842
Requiring bittering agents in certain engine coolants and antifreeze and providing a penalty
Topics: Damage (personal injury), Damage (to property), Industrial development, Motor vehicle: Equipment, Public safety, Trade practice
Became law
The governor signed it on May 19, 2010. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Mar 11, 2010
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Apr 20, 2010
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Apr 22, 2010
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 381
Latest entry in the official record, May 21, 2010: “Published 6-1-2010”
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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
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 does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill requires that engine coolant or antifreeze that is sold within this state and that contains more than 10 percent ethylene glycol also contain, as a bittering agent, denatonium benzoate in a concentration between 30 and 50 parts per million.
Under the bill, a manufacturer of such engine coolant or antifreeze must maintain a record of the trade name, scientific name, and active ingredients of any bittering agent used in the engine coolant or antifreeze, and must make the record available to the public upon request.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill exempts a manufacturer, processor, distributor, recycler, or seller of an engine coolant or antifreeze from liability for any personal injury, death, property damage, environmental damage, or economic loss caused by the inclusion of denatonium benzoate in the engine coolant or antifreeze, if the denatonium benzoate is present in a concentration required in the bill. The provisions of the bill do not apply to the sale of a motor vehicle that contains engine coolant or antifreeze or to antifreeze sold in containers with a capacity of 55 gallons or more.
A person who violates the provisions of the bill is subject to up to 90 days imprisonment, a fine up to $1,500, or both.
Who's behind it
8 representatives are its . All 8 are Democrats.
6 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (8)
- Chuck Benedict · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Cory Mason · Democrat, Assembly
- Nick Milroy · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (6)
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Fred A. Risser · 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 were 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 1 · Apr 16, 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 Consumer Protection, Ayes 8, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 81 to 17 · Apr 20, 2010
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 81, Noes 17”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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May 21, 2010
The new law was published.
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May 19, 2010
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 381.
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May 13, 2010
Sent to the governor.
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Apr 22, 2010
The Senate passed it too.
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Apr 21, 2010
Sent to the Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection.
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Apr 21, 2010
The Senate received it.
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Apr 20, 2010
The Assembly passed it, 81 to 17.
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Apr 20, 2010
The Assembly adopted it.
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Apr 16, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 1.
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Apr 13, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 7, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 11, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection.
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Mar 11, 2010
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 11, 2010 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Sinicki, Benedict, Berceau, Fields, Mason, Milroy, Pope-Roberts and Zepnick;Cosponsored by Senators Plale, Miller, Risser, Carpenter, Lassa and Schultz
- Mar 11, 2010 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Consumer Protection
- Apr 7, 2010 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Apr 13, 2010 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 13, 2010 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Apr 16, 2010 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Consumer Protection, Ayes 8, Noes 1
- Apr 16, 2010 · Assembly
Referred to Calendar
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Sinicki
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 adopted
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 81, Noes 17
- Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 21, 2010 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Apr 21, 2010 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection and take up
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Read a second time
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Apr 22, 2010 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Apr 27, 2010 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled
- May 13, 2010 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 5-13-2010
- May 19, 2010 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 5-18-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 381
- May 21, 2010 · Assembly
Published 6-1-2010
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
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
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
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