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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 457

The placement of advertising signs in highway rights-of-way and providing a penalty

Topics: Advertisement, Business, Forfeiture, Road

Became law

The governor signed it on May 6, 2010. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 12, 2010

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 25, 2010

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Apr 22, 2010

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2009 Wisconsin Act 227

Latest entry in the official record, May 10, 2010: “Published 5-19-2010”

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, with limited exceptions, no sign, except a sign that is necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic, may be placed within the limits of any highway. A person who violates this prohibition must be fined not less than $10 nor more than $100 for a first violation and not less than $10 nor more than $500 for a subsequent violation.

Under a different provision of current law, with limited exceptions, a person may not erect, or cause to be erected, any advertising, guide, or warning sign within a highway that is outside a city or village and is 1,000 feet or less from an intersection with another highway. A person who violates this prohibition must be fined not less than $25 nor more than $100 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 30 days or both.

Read the full summary

This bill prohibits, with exceptions, a business entity from placing, or causing to be placed, within a highway right-of-way any sign that advertises or promotes a business identified on the sign or a business whose telephone number appears on the sign. If a sign has been placed in violation of this prohibition and the business identified on the sign or whose telephone number appears on the sign had the sign made, there is a rebuttable presumption that this business caused the sign to be placed. A business entity that violates this prohibition is subject to a civil forfeiture of not more than $50 for each sign.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its ⁠. All 2 are Democrats.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 7 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (5)

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 Transportation vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 0 · Feb 12, 2010

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 1 recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 10, 2010

    The new law was published.

  2. May 6, 2010

    The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 227.

  3. May 4, 2010

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 22, 2010

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Feb 26, 2010

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 26, 2010

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 25, 2010

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 25, 2010

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 12, 2010

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 2.

  10. Feb 12, 2010

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  11. Feb 4, 2010

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Jan 12, 2010

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.

  13. Jan 12, 2010

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 12, 2010 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Sullivan and Taylor;Cosponsored by Representatives Pasch, Berceau, Parisi, Steinbrink and Turner

  2. Jan 12, 2010 · Senate

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

  3. Feb 4, 2010 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Feb 9, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Sullivan

  5. Feb 11, 2010 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Feb 12, 2010 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  7. Feb 12, 2010 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 2

  8. Feb 12, 2010 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Feb 23, 2010 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-25-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 adopted

  12. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  15. Feb 25, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Feb 26, 2010 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  17. Feb 26, 2010 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  18. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:40 A.M. on 4-22-2010 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 26

  19. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  20. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  23. Apr 22, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Apr 23, 2010 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  25. May 4, 2010 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 5-4-2010

  26. May 4, 2010 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 5-4-2010

  27. May 6, 2010 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 5-5-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 227

  28. May 10, 2010 · Senate

    Published 5-19-2010

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