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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 276

Requiring governmental bodies of school districts and certain political subdivisions to post meeting notices and minutes on their Web sites

Topics: County, Data processing, Municipality, Open meeting (Governmental), School, Town, Village

Passed both chambers, then stopped

The Senate and the Assembly both voted to pass it, but it never went to the governor. A bill goes to the governor only after both chambers ⁠. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Aug 26, 2009

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 13, 2010

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Apr 22, 2010

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Stopped here. It never went to the governor.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 28, 2010: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

Read the bill

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What it would have done

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

Currently, under the open meetings law, with certain exceptions, meetings of state and local governmental bodies must be preceded by public notice, must be held in places that are reasonably accessible to the public, and must be open to the public at all times, although such meetings may convene in closed session for the purpose of considering certain matters specified by law.

A public notice of a meeting of a governmental body must contain the time, date, place, and subject matter of the meeting and must be given at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting, although shorter notice, but never less than two hours, may be given under limited circumstances. The notice must be given to news media that have filed a request to receive such a notice and the notice must appear in the governmental body's official newspaper or, if none exists, in a news medium likely to give notice in the area.

Read the full summary

Under this bill, a governmental body of a city, village, town, or county (political subdivision), or school district, that has a Web site is required to post a public notice of a meeting that is subject to the open meetings law on that political subdivision's or school district's Web site and also must post any minutes of the meeting that relate to business conducted during an open session of the meeting. The bill also allows a town that could otherwise comply with current law notice requirements by posting the notice in at least three places to meet the requirements by posting at the town hall and one other public place if the notice is also posted on the town's Web site. The bill defines "governmental body" to include any formally constituted subunit of the governing body of a political subdivision or school district.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its ⁠. All 4 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 13 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (9)

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.

Senate Committee on Rural Issues vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 25, 2010

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

Official motion: “Report introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0 by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Failed, 13 to 20 · Apr 13, 2010

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

Official motion: “Refused to reject Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1, Ayes 13, Noes 20”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 28, 2010

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Apr 23, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  3. Apr 22, 2010

    The Assembly passed it too.

  4. Apr 22, 2010

    The Assembly adopted it.

  5. Apr 14, 2010

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Apr 14, 2010

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Apr 13, 2010

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Apr 13, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Apr 13, 2010

    The Senate adopted it, 21 to 12.

  10. Apr 13, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  11. Mar 25, 2010

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

  12. Mar 25, 2010

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  13. Mar 3, 2010

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Aug 26, 2009

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology.

  15. Aug 26, 2009

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Aug 26, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Kreitlow, Plale, Taylor and Hansen;Cosponsored by Representatives Roys, Smith, Kerkman, Mason, Berceau, Pope-Roberts, Danou, Spanbauer and Bies

  2. Aug 26, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology

  3. Sep 3, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Kreitlow

  4. Feb 12, 2010 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Kreitlow

  5. Mar 3, 2010 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Mar 24, 2010 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Mar 25, 2010 · Senate

    Report introduction and adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0 by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology

  8. Mar 25, 2010 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  9. Mar 25, 2010 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  10. Mar 25, 2010 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  11. Apr 8, 2010 · Senate

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

  12. Apr 12, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Decker

  13. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Read a second time

  14. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 to Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  15. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 to Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  16. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senators Lassa and Vinehout

  17. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Refused to reject Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1, Ayes 13, Noes 20

  18. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 21, Noes 12

  19. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  20. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  22. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  23. Apr 13, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Apr 14, 2010 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  25. Apr 14, 2010 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  26. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:26 A.M. on 4-22-2010 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 26

  27. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  28. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Zigmunt

  29. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  30. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative Roys

  31. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  32. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  33. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  34. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended

  35. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  36. Apr 23, 2010 · Senate

    Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  37. Apr 28, 2010 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence. More in the glossary

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

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

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence

More in the glossary

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary