Assembly Bill 517
The length of vehicles that may be operated on a highway and granting rule-making authority
Topics: Bus and truck: Taxation or registration, Metropolitan transportation, Road, Transportation, Department of: Vehicles
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Feb 2, 2012
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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 would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, a person may not operate on a highway any combination of two vehicles (vehicle combination) with an overall length in excess of 65 feet unless a specific exception applies or the person has a permit to exceed these lengths.
This bill increases the generally applicable overall length limit for vehicle combinations from 65 feet to 70 feet. However, the Department of Transportation (DOT) may, by rule, establish exceptions to this general length limit with respect to specific types of vehicles or designated highways. Under the bill, motor bus-trailer combinations owned and operated by, and for the exclusive use of, nonprofit organizations are subject to the general length limit of 70 feet, an increase from their length limit of 58 feet under current law.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law, there is an exception to the general length limit that allows for the operation of tractor-semitrailer combinations with an overall length not exceeding 75 feet on the state trunk highway system except those parts designated by DOT by rule as ineligible for this length limit or as long truck routes for which there is no length limit. In addition, there is an exception to the general single vehicle length limit that allows for the operation of a semitrailer as part of a vehicle combination if the semitrailer does not exceed 53 feet, its kingpin-to-axle length does not exceed 43 feet, and it is operated on the state trunk highway system except those parts designated by DOT by rule as ineligible for this length limit.
Under this bill, this 75 feet length limit exception for tractor-semitrailer combinations, and this 53 feet length limit exception for certain semitrailers, apply on all highways, not just state trunk highways, subject to the same exceptions for designated ineligible highways or long truck routes that apply under current law.
Under current law, the overall length limit for combinations of two or three vehicles operated or transported by the drive-away method in saddlemount combination is 65 feet. The term "saddlemount combination" is neither defined nor described by statute, but DOT defines it by rule as a combination of vehicles in which a truck or truck tractor tows one or more trucks or truck tractors, each connected by a saddle to the vehicle in front of it; the towed vehicles essentially piggyback the power unit or one another. Also under current law, DOT and local authorities may issue permits for combinations of two or three vehicles operated or transported by the drive-away method in saddlemount combination with an overall length not exceeding 65 feet.
This bill increases, from 65 feet to 75 feet, the length limit for combinations of two or three vehicles operated or transported by the drive-away method in saddlemount combination. In addition, the bill eliminates provisions of current law related to the issuance of permits for these vehicle combinations.
The bill also increases, from 65 feet to 66 feet, the vehicle length limit for articulated buses operated in urban areas.
Who's behind it
4 lawmakers are its . 3 are Republicans. 1 has no party on record.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 6 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry Petrowski · Republican, Senate
- by request of Department of Transportation
Signed on in support (2)
- Frank G. Lasee · Republican, Senate
- Mary Lazich · Republican, Senate
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.
Assembly Committee on Transportation vote to recommend it
Passed, 13 to 0 · Feb 16, 2012
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 Transportation, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2012
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 20, 2012
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 16, 2012
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 16, 2012
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 0.
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Feb 7, 2012
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 2, 2012
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.
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Feb 2, 2012
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 2, 2012 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Petrowski, A. Ott and Bies, by request of Department of Transportation;Cosponsored by Senators Lazich and Lasee
- Feb 2, 2012 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation
- Feb 7, 2012 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 14, 2012 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by committee on Transportation, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-21-2012 by committee on Rules
- Feb 20, 2012 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Laid on the table
- Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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