Senate Bill 39
Cash value of life insurance regarding eligibility for the veterans assistance program
Topics: Insurance: Life and accident, Veteran: Relief, Veterans Affairs, Department of
Became law
The governor signed it on Jul 23, 2009. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Feb 5, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed May 13, 2009
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Jun 23, 2009
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 37
Latest entry in the official record, Jul 23, 2009: “Published 8-3-2009.”
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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, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) may provide assistance payments to veterans who have suffered a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. DVA may not provide the assistance if the veteran has other assets or income available to meet basic subsistence needs or if the veteran is eligible to receive aid from other sources. Currently, DVA may also provide health care aid to a veteran who does not have sufficient income and assets to obtain the health care. Current law allows the unremarried spouse and dependent children of a deceased veteran to receive assistance and health care if they do not have sufficient income and assets. DVA is required under current law to promulgate rules specifying the eligibility criteria and income limits for these assistance programs. The current rule limits eligibility to applicants whose liquid assets, including bank accounts, stocks, funds in retirement accounts, and cash value of life insurance, do not exceed $1,000.
This bill exempts the cash value of life insurance from being considered when determining if a veteran or his or her unremarried spouse and dependent children are eligible for an assistance payment or health care aid.
Who's behind it
12 senators are its . 8 are Democrats and 4 are Republicans.
17 more lawmakers .
See all 29 names Hide the names
Authors (12)
- Jon Erpenbach · Democrat, Senate
- Pat Kreitlow · Democrat, Senate
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- Mary Lazich · Republican, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Joe Leibham · Republican, Senate
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Scott L. Fitzgerald · Republican, Senate
- Dale Schultz · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (17)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Phil Garthwaite · Democrat, Assembly
- Scott Gunderson · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Randy Hopper · Republican, Senate
- Nick Milroy · Democrat, Assembly
- Kevin Petersen · Republican, Assembly
- Jon Richards · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Jeff Smith · Democrat, Senate
- Pat Strachota · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Toles · Democrat, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, 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 were 3 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · May 11, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs vote on an amendment
Passed, 9 to 1 · Jun 16, 2009
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 Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 9, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Jun 24, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Placed on calendar 6-25-2009 by committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Jul 23, 2009
The new law was published.
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Jul 23, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 37.
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Jul 20, 2009
Sent to the governor.
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Jun 25, 2009
“Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)
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Jun 23, 2009
The Senate adopted it.
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Jun 23, 2009
The Assembly passed it too.
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Jun 23, 2009
The Assembly adopted it.
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Jun 16, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jun 16, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 10 to 0.
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May 14, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.
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May 14, 2009
The Assembly received it.
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May 13, 2009
The Senate passed it.
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May 12, 2009 to May 13, 2009
2 more senators signed on in support.
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May 11, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Apr 1, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 16, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 5, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions.
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Feb 5, 2009
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 5, 2009 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Kreitlow, Erpenbach, Taylor, Lassa, Plale, Lehman, Wirch, Vinehout, Schultz, S. Fitzgerald, Leibham and Lazich;Cosponsored by Representatives Milroy, Garthwaite, Hebl, A. Ott, Sinicki, Fields, Townsend, Richards, Smith, Gunderson, Toles, Berceau, Petersen, Bies and Strachota
- Feb 5, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions
- Feb 16, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 1, 2009 · Senate
Public hearing held
- May 6, 2009 · Senate
Executive action taken
- May 11, 2009 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- May 11, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- May 12, 2009 · Senate
Placed on calendar 5-13-2009 by committee on Senate Organization
- May 12, 2009 · Senate
Senator Hopper added as a coauthor
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Senator Hansen added as a coauthor
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- May 13, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- May 14, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- May 14, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Veterans and Military Affairs
- May 26, 2009 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- May 26, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 offered by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 9, Noes 1
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Report concurrence as amended recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0
- Jun 16, 2009 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jun 18, 2009 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 6-23-2009 by committee on Rules
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Assembly amendment 1 adopted
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in as amended
- Jun 23, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jun 23, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly amendment 1 adopted
- Jun 23, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jun 24, 2009 · Senate
Placed on calendar 6-25-2009 by committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Jun 25, 2009 · Senate
Assembly amendment 1 concurred in
- Jun 25, 2009 · Senate
Action ordered immediately messaged
- Jun 30, 2009 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 6-30-2009
- Jul 20, 2009 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 7-20-2009
- Jul 23, 2009 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 7-20-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 37
- Jul 23, 2009 · Senate
Published 8-3-2009.
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