Senate Bill 524
Subpoenas and warrants requiring providers of electronic communications services or of remote computing services to provide customer information or disclose contents of wire or electronic communications
Topics: Damage (personal injury), Data processing, Judge, Subpoena, Telecommunications
Became law
The governor signed it on May 14, 2010. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Feb 9, 2010
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Apr 13, 2010
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Apr 15, 2010
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 349
Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2010: “Published 5-27-2010”
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law a judge may, upon a showing of probable cause, issue a search warrant authorizing the police to search a designated person, object, or place for the purpose of seizing specific property. A judge may issue a search warrant authorizing a search anywhere the state. In addition, a judge may, upon a showing of probable cause, issue a subpoena requiring a person to produce specified documents.
This bill authorizes a judge to issue a subpoena or warrant requiring a provider of electronic communication service or of remote computing service to produce certain records relating to a customer or the customer's wire or electronic communications. Under the bill, "remote computing service" means computer storage or processing provided to the public by means of an electronic communications system. Upon a showing of probable cause, a court may issue a subpoena requiring a provider of electronic communication service or of remote computing service to provide information related to a customer, including the customer's name, address, telephone number, network address, and bank or credit card account number used to pay the provider, as well as records of the services the customer utilized and records of session times and durations. The bill also authorizes a judge, upon a showing of probable cause, to issue a warrant requiring a provider of electronic communication service or of remote computing service to disclose the contents of a customer's wire or electronic communications as well as the customer information described above.
Read the full summary Show less
A judge may issue a subpoena or warrant authorized by the bill to any provider that enters into an agreement with a person, whether or not the person is a resident of this state, if any part of the performance of the agreement takes place within this state. Under the bill, a law enforcement officer need not be present for the service or execution of the subpoena or warrant. The bill requires that a subpoena or warrant be issued secretly and provides that a judge may seal the subpoena or warrant and the request, complaint, affidavit, or testimony upon which the subpoena or warrant is based. The bill grants a provider of electronic communication service or of remote computing service immunity from civil liability for acts or omissions committed in accordance with a subpoena or warrant.
The bill also allows a provider of electronic communication service or of remote computing service to disclose information relating to a customer or the contents of a customer's wire or electronic communications if the customer consents, or if the provider has a good faith belief that disclosure is required to prevent death or serious physical injury to a person or to mitigate serious physical injury to a person.
Finally, the bill modifies the definition of "wire communication" that is applicable to the requirement to obtain a warrant before intercepting a wire communication. Under current law, "wire communication" is defined, in part, as any aural transfer made through the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of wire, cable, microwave or like connection that is furnished or operated by a person engaged as a public utility. The changes in the bill include deleting reference to microwave and to public utility.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Jim Sullivan · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (11)
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Chris Danou · Democrat, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Andy Jorgensen · Democrat, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
- Jon Richards · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- John Townsend · Republican, Assembly
- Robert Turner · Democrat, Assembly
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 Judiciary vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 26, 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 Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
May 17, 2010
The new law was published.
-
May 14, 2010
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 349.
-
May 11, 2010
Sent to the governor.
-
Apr 15, 2010
The Assembly passed it too.
-
Apr 13, 2010
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Apr 13, 2010
The Assembly received it.
-
Apr 13, 2010
The Senate passed it.
-
Apr 13, 2010
The Senate adopted it.
-
Mar 26, 2010
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
-
Mar 26, 2010
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
-
Feb 18, 2010
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Feb 9, 2010
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing.
-
Feb 9, 2010
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 9, 2010 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Sullivan, Taylor and Darling;Cosponsored by Representatives Pasch, Berceau, Townsend, Danou, Bies, Fields, Turner, Richards, Sinicki, Jorgensen and Kaufert
- Feb 9, 2010 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing
- Feb 18, 2010 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 22, 2010 · Senate
LRB correction
- Mar 24, 2010 · Senate
Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Sullivan
- Mar 25, 2010 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 26, 2010 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 26, 2010 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 26, 2010 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Apr 8, 2010 · Senate
Placed on calendar 4-13-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Read a second time
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Senate amendment 1 adopted
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Apr 13, 2010 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 13, 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 11:37 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 11, 2010 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 5-11-2010
- May 14, 2010 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 5-13-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 349
- May 17, 2010 · Senate
Published 5-27-2010
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote