Senate Bill 478
Orders to commit state prison inmates to a mental health facility
Topics: House of correction, Jail, Mental health: Hospitals and institutes, Prison
Became law
The governor signed it on May 7, 2010. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jan 22, 2010
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed 32 to 0
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Apr 15, 2010
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 260
Latest entry in the official record, May 10, 2010: “Published 5-21-2010”
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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 procedure to commit a person involuntarily to a mental health facility begins by filing a petition alleging that the person is mentally ill, drug dependent, or developmentally disabled, is a proper subject for treatment, and is dangerous. If these allegations are proven, the person may initially be committed for treatment for a period not to exceed six months, and any consecutive commitment order may not exceed 12 months.
In addition, a procedure to commit an inmate of a prison may begin under an alternative petition, which must allege all of the following: 1) that the inmate is mentally ill, is a proper subject for treatment, and is in need of treatment; 2) that the inmate is informed about his treatment needs; and 3) that less restrictive forms of treatment have been unsuccessful. If these allegations are proven, the inmate may be committed under this alternative petition for not more than 180 days in a 365-day period.
Read the full summary Show less
Under this bill, under the alternative petition, an inmate of a prison may initially be committed for treatment for a period not to exceed six months, and any consecutive commitment order may not exceed 12 months.
Current law also contains a provision describing an alternative petition procedure for committing an inmate of a jail or house of corrections, but this provision does not apply to petitions filed after July 1, 1990. This bill repeals this provision.
Who's behind it
4 senators are its . All 4 are Democrats.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 9 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Fred A. Risser · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (5)
- Annette Williams · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Gordon Hintz · Democrat, Assembly
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 22, 2010
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 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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May 10, 2010
The new law was published.
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May 7, 2010
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 260.
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May 6, 2010
Sent to the governor.
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Apr 15, 2010
The Assembly passed it too.
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Apr 13, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 26, 2010
The Assembly received it.
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Feb 25, 2010
The Senate passed it, 32 to 0.
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Feb 25, 2010
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Feb 23, 2010
“Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)” (the official wording)
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Feb 23, 2010
Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.
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Feb 22, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Feb 12, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 8, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 1, 2010
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 22, 2010
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing.
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Jan 22, 2010
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 22, 2010 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Taylor, Lehman, Risser and Lassa;Cosponsored by Representatives Pasch, Berceau, A. Williams and Hintz
- Jan 22, 2010 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing
- Feb 1, 2010 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 8, 2010 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 12, 2010 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 12, 2010 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 18, 2010 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 22, 2010 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Feb 22, 2010 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 23, 2010 · Senate
Referred to joint committee on Finance by committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)
- Feb 23, 2010 · Senate
Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e)
- Feb 23, 2010 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-25-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Senator Miller added as a coauthor
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0
- Feb 25, 2010 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 26, 2010 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Apr 13, 2010 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Apr 13, 2010 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 11:30 A.M. on 4-15-2010 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 22
- Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 16, 2010 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Apr 23, 2010 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 4-23-2010
- May 6, 2010 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 5-6-2010
- May 7, 2010 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 5-7-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 260
- May 10, 2010 · Senate
Published 5-21-2010
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
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