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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 190

Renewals and extensions of business contracts

Topics: Business, Contracts, Lease, Trade practice

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 22, 2010. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    May 4, 2009

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Sep 22, 2009

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Mar 4, 2010

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2009 Wisconsin Act 192

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 26, 2010: “Published 5-5-2010”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a landlord may not enforce an automatic renewal or extension clause in a residential lease unless the landlord provides advance written notice of the renewal or extension. This bill creates similar requirements for certain contracts for the lease of business equipment or for providing business services (business contracts), if the contracts have an initial term of more than one year. The bill exempts contracts for the lease or purchase of real property, certain contracts that require the customer to make minimum annual payments of $250,000 or more, contracts for the lease of vehicles or medical equipment, certain energy and telecommunications contracts, and contracts that permit a customer to cancel an automatically renewed or extended contract period by giving notice up to 30 days in advance.

Under the bill, if a business contract provides that the contract will be automatically renewed or extended for an additional contract period of more than one month unless the customer declines renewal or extension, the seller must provide the customer with a form containing certain disclosures or include the disclosures in the contract and obtain the customer's initials. The disclosures include certain information regarding a renewal or extension, including the duration of an additional contract period, whether increased charges to the customer would apply, and the deadline for the customer to act to prevent an additional contract period.

Read the full summary

Also under the bill, if a business contract provides that an automatic renewal or extension results in an additional contract period of more than one year, the seller must give the customer a reminder notice prior to renewal or extension. The reminder notice must contain specified information regarding a renewal or extension and generally must be provided by mail, by personal delivery, in a monthly invoice, by a facsimile, or by electronic mail. The bill also voids a business contract provision that requires a customer to permit the seller to match any offer the customer receives from, or makes to, another seller after the end of the contract's stated term (right to match provision).

If a seller fails to comply with the bill's disclosure or reminder notice requirements, the automatic renewal or extension provision is unenforceable and the contract terminates at the end of the current contract term. Also, if a seller fails to comply with the reminder notice requirements or attempts to enforce a right to match provision, the bill allows a customer to bring an action or counterclaim for damages. In such an action or counterclaim, a seller is not liable if: 1) the seller has established and implemented written procedures for complying with the reminder notice requirements and the prohibition against right to match provisions; 2) the seller's conduct was not willful or malicious; and 3) the seller refunds amounts the customer paid after the contract was renewed or extended.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. All 6 are Democrats.

11 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 17 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (11)

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.

Senate Committee on Small Business vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 3, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 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

Assembly Committee on Jobs vote on an amendment

Passed, 12 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 Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 12, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 87 to 7 · Mar 4, 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 concurred in as amended, Ayes 87, Noes 7”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 26, 2010

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 22, 2010

    The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 192.

  3. Apr 21, 2010

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 13, 2010

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Mar 5, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  6. Mar 4, 2010

    The Assembly passed it too, 87 to 7.

  7. Mar 4, 2010

    The Assembly adopted it.

  8. Mar 4, 2010

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  9. Mar 2, 2010

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  10. Mar 2, 2010

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 1.

  11. Oct 13, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Sep 23, 2009

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business.

  13. Sep 23, 2009

    The Assembly received it.

  14. Sep 22, 2009

    The Senate passed it.

  15. Sep 22, 2009

    The Senate adopted it.

  16. Sep 3, 2009

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  17. Sep 3, 2009

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  18. Jul 22, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  19. May 4, 2009

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection.

  20. May 4, 2009

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. May 4, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Wirch, Lehman, Taylor, Holperin, Lassa and Erpenbach;Cosponsored by Representatives Turner, Hubler, Townsend, Vos, Kaufert, Spanbauer, Bies, Kessler, Hilgenberg and Zepnick

  2. May 4, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection

  3. Jul 22, 2009 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Aug 25, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Wirch

  5. Sep 2, 2009 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Sep 3, 2009 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Sep 3, 2009 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  8. Sep 3, 2009 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Sep 16, 2009 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 9-22-2009 by committee on Senate Organization

  10. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  12. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  15. Sep 22, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Sep 23, 2009 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  17. Sep 23, 2009 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business

  18. Oct 13, 2009 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  19. Oct 28, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representative Molepske Jr.

  20. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  21. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business

  22. Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 12, Noes 0

  23. Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly

    Report concurrence as amended recommended by committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, Ayes 11, Noes 1

  24. Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  25. Mar 2, 2010 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 3-4-2010 by committee on Rules

  26. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  27. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Representatives Barca and Molepske Jr. added as cosponsors

  28. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 adopted

  29. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  30. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  31. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 87, Noes 7

  32. Mar 4, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  33. Mar 5, 2010 · Senate

    Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly amendment 1 adopted

  34. Mar 5, 2010 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  35. Apr 8, 2010 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-13-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  36. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Assembly amendment 1 concurred in

  37. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  38. Apr 20, 2010 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 4-20-2010

  39. Apr 21, 2010 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 4-21-2010

  40. Apr 22, 2010 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-21-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 192

  41. Apr 26, 2010 · Senate

    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

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