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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 581

Prohibiting social security numbers on instruments under the corporate registration system and on records under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code

Topics: Commercial code, Corporation, Financial Institutions, Department of, Social security

Became law

The governor signed it on May 14, 2010. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Mar 2, 2010

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 15, 2010

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Apr 20, 2010

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2009 Wisconsin Act 347

Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2010: “Published 5-27-2010”

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.

This bill prohibits the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) from recording in its corporate registration system any instrument containing an individual's social security number (SSN). If DFI is presented with an instrument containing an SSN, the bill allows DFI, prior to recording the instrument in the system, to remove or obscure characters from the SSN so that it is not discernable on the instrument. The bill also provides that, if DFI does not discover an SSN on an instrument until after DFI has recorded the instrument in the system, DFI is not liable for the instrument drafter's placement of the SSN on the instrument, and DFI is allowed to remove or obscure characters from the SSN so that it is not discernable on the instrument. In addition, if DFI records an instrument in the system containing a complete SSN, the bill provides that the drafter of the instrument is liable for actual damages resulting from the instrument being recorded.

The bill creates comparable provisions for records under the state's version of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, which deals with secured transactions.

Read the full summary

The bill prohibits an office in which financing statements are to be filed under Article 9, which is referred to as a "filing office" and which is, with certain exceptions, DFI, from filing or indexing a record containing an individual's SSN. If a filing office is presented with a record containing an SSN, the filing office may, prior to filing and indexing, remove or obscure characters as described above. If a filing office discovers an SSN on a record after filing and indexing, the filing office may also remove or obscure characters, and the filing office is not liable for the record drafter's placement of the SSN on the record. In addition, if a filing office files or indexes a record containing a complete SSN, the drafter of the record is liable for actual damages resulting from the record being filed and indexed. The bill also eliminates references to SSNs on forms used for filing and amending financing statements.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its ⁠. 3 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.

7 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 11 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (7)

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 0 · Apr 7, 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 Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 4, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 17, 2010

    The new law was published.

  2. May 14, 2010

    The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 347.

  3. May 11, 2010

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 20, 2010

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Apr 15, 2010

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Apr 15, 2010

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Apr 15, 2010

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Apr 7, 2010

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 0.

  9. Mar 10, 2010

    The committee held a public hearing.

  10. Mar 2, 2010

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions.

  11. Mar 2, 2010

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Mar 2, 2010 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Sullivan, A. Lasee, Taylor and Plale;Cosponsored by Representatives Fields, Zigmunt, Vos, Berceau, Pope-Roberts, Townsend and Lothian

  2. Mar 2, 2010 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions

  3. Mar 10, 2010 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Apr 7, 2010 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  5. Apr 7, 2010 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions, Ayes 4, Noes 0

  6. Apr 7, 2010 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  7. Apr 14, 2010 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-15-2010 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  8. Apr 15, 2010 · Senate

    Read a second time

  9. Apr 15, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  10. Apr 15, 2010 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  11. Apr 15, 2010 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  12. Apr 15, 2010 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  13. Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  14. Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  15. Apr 15, 2010 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 12:04 P.M. on 4-20-2010 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 23

  16. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  17. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  18. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  19. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  20. Apr 20, 2010 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Apr 21, 2010 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  22. May 3, 2010 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 5-3-2010

  23. May 11, 2010 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 5-11-2010

  24. May 14, 2010 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 5-13-2010. 2009 Wisconsin Act 347

  25. 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

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