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Bills · 2009-2010 Regular Session

SB 278

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

U-turns on highways and providing a penalty.

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Senate, completed
  3. Passes Assembly, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, an operator of a vehicle may not make a turn to proceed in

the opposite direction (U-turn) in certain circumstances, including at intersections

where traffic is controlled by a traffic control signal or by a traffic officer and in any

place where there are signs prohibiting U-turns erected by the authority that

maintains the highway.

This bill removes the general limitation on U-turns at intersections controlled

by traffic control signals. This bill also prohibits making U-turns on a curve or near

the crest of a grade on an undivided highway where visibility is limited, and making

U-turns when unsafe or when the U-turn would interfere with traffic.

In

Kaufman v. Postle

, 2001 WI App 86, 26 N.W. 2d 10, the Wisconsin Court of

Appeals determined that the statutes prohibited a motorist from passing a

left-turning vehicle on the right by use of a paved shoulder. This bill reverses that

decision by specifically allowing a motorist to pass a left-turning vehicle on the right

by use of either the roadway or a paved shoulder.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Hansen (D) , Holperin (D) , Kanavas (R) , Plale (D) , Sullivan (D) , Taylor (D)

9 cosponsors

Brooks (R) , Grothman (R) , M. Williams (R) , Nerison (R) , Petrowski (R) , Steinbrink (D) , Townsend (R) , Turner (D) , Vos (R)

Votes

Senate: Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0

Passed 7–0 Oct 5, 2009 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Full history

  1. Aug 28, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Sullivan, Kanavas, Taylor, Holperin, Plale and Hansen;Cosponsored by Representatives Steinbrink, Nerison, Townsend, Brooks, Petrowski, Vos, M. Williams and Turner

  2. Aug 28, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources

  3. Sep 17, 2009 · Senate

    Senator Grothman added as a coauthor

  4. Sep 17, 2009 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Sep 30, 2009 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Oct 5, 2009 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  7. Oct 5, 2009 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Oct 13, 2009 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-20-2009 by committee on Senate Organization

  9. Oct 20, 2009 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  10. Oct 20, 2009 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  11. Oct 20, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  12. Oct 20, 2009 · Senate

    Read a second time

  13. Oct 20, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Oct 22, 2009 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  15. Oct 23, 2009 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  16. Oct 27, 2009 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 10-29-2009 by committee on Rules

  17. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  18. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  19. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  20. Oct 29, 2009 · Assembly

    Laid on the table

  21. Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly

    Taken from the table

  22. Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  23. Nov 5, 2009 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Nov 6, 2009 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  25. Nov 10, 2009 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-10-2009

  26. Dec 8, 2009 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 12-8-2009

  27. Dec 11, 2009 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-10-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 97

  28. Dec 15, 2009 · Senate

    Published 12-28-2009.