Senate Bill 259
The homestead exemption and increases in the value of the exemption for various property that is exempt from execution
Topics: Administration, Department of: Agency and general functions, Homestead: Exemption, Marriage
Became law
The governor signed it on Dec 1, 2009. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Aug 11, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Nov 5, 2009
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 5, 2009
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 80
Latest entry in the official record, Dec 3, 2009: “Published 12-15-2009.”
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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.
Under current law, a debtor's interest in certain property and the value of certain property are exempt from execution, from the lien of every judgment, and from liability for the debtor's debts, allowing the debtor to keep that property rather than have the property taken to pay the amounts owed to creditors. This bill raises the value of some of the property that is exempt as shown by the following table:
- See PDF for table The bill also allows a person who does not take an exemption for business equipment, inventory, farm products, or professional books to take an exemption of any interest the debtor has in a closely held business, up to a maximum amount of $15,000.
Read the full summary Show less
In addition, the bill requires the Department of Administration every three years, beginning in January 2011, to adjust the exemption for the debtor's homestead, currently set at $40,000, to reflect the change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the previous three-year period. Current law extends the homestead exemption to land owned by a husband and wife jointly or in common and allows either to claim the exemption or to divide the exemption between them. The bill allows the husband and wife to each claim a homestead exemption of not more than the adjusted $40,000 amount.
Who's behind it
8 senators are its . All 8 are Democrats.
16 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (8)
- Jim Holperin · Democrat, Senate
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
- Fred A. Risser · Democrat, Senate
- Judy Robson · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (16)
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Kristen Dexter · Democrat, Assembly
- Tamara Grigsby · Democrat, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Steve Hilgenberg · Democrat, Assembly
- Gordon Hintz · Democrat, Assembly
- Kim Hixson · Democrat, Assembly
- Frederick Kessler · Democrat, Assembly
- Louis Molepske Jr. · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Jon Richards · Democrat, Assembly
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Sherman
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- Robert Turner · Democrat, Assembly
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 was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 7, 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 Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Dec 3, 2009
The new law was published.
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Dec 1, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 80.
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Nov 30, 2009
Sent to the governor.
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Nov 5, 2009
The Assembly passed it too.
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Nov 5, 2009
“Read” (the official wording)
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Nov 5, 2009
The Assembly received it.
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Nov 5, 2009
The Senate passed it.
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Nov 5, 2009
The Senate adopted it.
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Oct 7, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.
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Oct 7, 2009
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 3 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Oct 7, 2009
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Sep 23, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Sep 3, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Aug 11, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing.
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Aug 11, 2009
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Aug 11, 2009 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Taylor, Lehman, Miller, Vinehout, Robson, Lassa, Holperin and Risser;Cosponsored by Representatives Hebl, Sherman, Roys, Berceau, Clark, Pope-Roberts, Richards, Turner, Molepske Jr., Smith, Hintz, Grigsby, Hilgenberg, Hixson, Kessler and Dexter
- Aug 11, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing
- Sep 3, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Sep 10, 2009 · Senate
Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Taylor
- Sep 23, 2009 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 6, 2009 · Senate
Senate amendment 2 offered by Senator Taylor
- Oct 6, 2009 · Senate
Senate amendment 3 offered by Senator Taylor
- Oct 6, 2009 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 7, 2009 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 7, 2009 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 3 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 7, 2009 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 4, Noes 1
- Oct 7, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 9, 2009 · Senate
LRB correction (Senate Amendment 3)
- Nov 4, 2009 · Senate
Placed on calendar 11-5-2009 by committee on Senate Organization
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Senate amendment 2 laid on table
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Senate amendment 3 adopted
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Nov 5, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Read
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended and taken up
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 6, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Nov 12, 2009 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 11-12-2009
- Nov 30, 2009 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 11-30-2009
- Dec 1, 2009 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 12-1-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 80
- Dec 3, 2009 · Senate
Published 12-15-2009.
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