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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Assembly Bill 181

Authorizing towns to challenge certain city or village annexation procedures

Topics: Administration, Department of: Agency and general functions, Circuit court, County: Board, Court: Procedure, Municipality: Annexation, Town, Village

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 22, 2012. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jun 13, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2012

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 21, 2012

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 128

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Published 4-4-2012”

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.

Currently, town territory that is contiguous to any city or village may be annexed to that city or village under several methods if, in general, some of the city's or village's territory is in the same county as the territory to be annexed, unless both the town and county boards approve of the proposed annexation, and the city or village agrees to make limited payments to the town based on property taxes that the town levied on the annexed territory.

One of the methods of annexation is direct annexation by unanimous approval.

Read the full summary

If a petition for direct annexation by unanimous approval signed by all of the electors residing in the territory and the owners of all of the real property in the territory is filed with the city or village clerk and the town clerk of all of the involved towns, along with a scale map and legal description of the property to be annexed, the governing body of the city or village may, generally, annex the property by a two-thirds vote of the body. Such an annexation, however, is subject to Department of Administration advisory review as if the annexation petition were for direct, but not unanimous, annexation or annexation by referendum. In addition, such an annexation is limited under current law to town land that is contiguous to the annexing city or village.

Under current law, a town may not challenge in court, on any grounds, any direct annexation by unanimous approval as well as several other types of annexations. This bill changes current law by repealing the provision that prohibits a town from challenging in court direct annexation by unanimous approval.

Who's behind it

14 lawmakers are its ⁠. 13 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 18 names

Authors (14)

Signed on in support (4)

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 2 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs vote on an amendment

Passed, 14 to 0 · Nov 7, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 20, 2012

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2012

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 22, 2012

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 128.

  3. Mar 20, 2012

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 21, 2012

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Feb 20, 2012

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  6. Feb 17, 2012

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Feb 17, 2012

    The Senate received it.

  8. Feb 16, 2012

    The Assembly passed it.

  9. Feb 16, 2012

    The Assembly adopted it.

  10. Nov 7, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Nov 7, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 14 to 0.

  12. Aug 10, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Jul 7, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Jun 22, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Jun 13, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs.

  16. Jun 13, 2011

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jun 13, 2011 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives A. Ott, Bernier, Bies, Brooks, Craig, Kerkman, Kestell, LeMahieu, Murtha, Petersen, Pridemore, Spanbauer, Tauchen and Vruwink;Cosponsored by Senators Lasee, Holperin, Kedzie and Moulton

  2. Jun 13, 2011 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs

  3. Jun 22, 2011 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jul 7, 2011 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Aug 10, 2011 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative A. Ott

  7. Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 offered by Representative A. Ott

  8. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  9. Nov 7, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  10. Nov 7, 2011 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  11. Nov 7, 2011 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  12. Nov 7, 2011 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  13. Feb 14, 2012 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2012 by committee on Rules

  14. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  15. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Assembly substitute amendment 1 adopted

  17. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  18. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  19. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  20. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Feb 17, 2012 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  22. Feb 17, 2012 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  23. Feb 17, 2012 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  24. Feb 20, 2012 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  25. Feb 20, 2012 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-21-2012 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  26. Feb 21, 2012 · Senate

    Read a second time

  27. Feb 21, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  28. Feb 21, 2012 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  29. Feb 21, 2012 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  30. Feb 21, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  31. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  32. Mar 5, 2012 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled

  33. Mar 20, 2012 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-20-2012

  34. Mar 22, 2012 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-21-2012. 2011 Wisconsin Act 128

  35. Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly

    Published 4-4-2012

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

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