Assembly Bill 977
Eliminating the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads and transferring the office's duties to the Department of Transportation, the Department of Financial Institutions, and the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration, funding of railroad and water carrier regulation, and making an appropriation
Topics: Financial Institutions, Department of, Hearings and Appeals, Division of, Railroads: Commissioner, Office of, Transportation, Department of: Rail service
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Apr 22, 2010
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Jun 10, 2010: “Fiscal estimate received”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Transportation. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads (office) regulates railroad and water carrier activities in Wisconsin. This bill eliminates the office, effective July 1, 2011, and generally transfers its functions to the Department of Transportation (DOT), with DOT orders reviewed by the Division of Hearings and Appeals (division) in the Department of Administration. In addition, any other function of the office having the character of contested case resolution is transferred to the division. The bill also transfers certain functions of the office relating to railroad organization to the Department of Financial Institutions. The bill transfers 4.0 FTE positions to DOT.
Under current law, the office prepares assessments against railroads and water carriers for the expenses of specific investigations, appraisals, and services and, more generally, prepares annual assessments for expenditures attributable to railroad and water carrier regulation. Ninety percent of these expenses and expenditures are considered those of the office and ten percent are considered general costs of state government. Upon payment of these assessments, 90 percent of the payment is credited to the office's appropriation account. Under this bill, 100 percent of these expenses and expenditures are considered those of DOT, and 100 percent of the payment is credited to a DOT appropriation account.
Who's behind it
6 lawmakers are its . All 6 are Republicans.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 7 names Hide the names
Authors (6)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Samantha Kerkman · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Pat Strachota · Republican, Assembly
- Gary Tauchen · Republican, Assembly
- Robin Vos · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Alan Lasee · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Jun 10, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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May 13, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 28, 2010
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Apr 22, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.
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Apr 22, 2010
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Knodl, Kerkman, Vos, Ballweg, Strachota and Tauchen;Cosponsored by Senator A. Lasee
- Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation
- Apr 28, 2010 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- May 13, 2010 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jun 10, 2010 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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