Senate Bill 151
Opportunities to win prizes that are received by employees as compensation from employers
Topics: Employment, Lottery
Became law
The governor signed it on Dec 8, 2011. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jul 13, 2011
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Oct 20, 2011
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 3, 2011
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2011 Wisconsin Act 109
Latest entry in the official record, Dec 12, 2011: “Published 12-20-2011”
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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
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 statutory law, a person is engaged in gambling if he or she places a bet or participates in or conducts a lottery. The Wisconsin Constitution and current statutory law prohibit gambling except for the state lottery, charitable bingo, charitable raffles, and pari-mutuel wagering.
Current law exempts from the definition of "bet" an agreement under which an employee is given an opportunity to win a prize, the award of which is determined by chance, in return for referring a potential customer to his or her employer for goods or services offered by the employer. Current law defines "lottery" as an enterprise in which, in exchange for consideration, the participants are given an opportunity to win a prize, the award of which is determined by chance even though it may be accompanied by some skill. Consideration in general is something of value.
Read the full summary Show less
For purposes of the definition of "lottery," consideration does not include the situation where an employee refers to his or her employer a potential customer but only if the employee is not receiving compensation for the referral. Under the bill, such a referral is outside the definition of consideration regardless of whether the employee receives any compensation.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
4 more lawmakers .
See all 7 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- Neal Kedzie · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (4)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Kathleen Bernier · Republican, Senate
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Chad Weininger · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 19, 2011
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, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Dec 12, 2011
The new law was published.
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Dec 8, 2011
The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 109.
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Dec 6, 2011
Sent to the governor.
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Nov 3, 2011
The Assembly passed it too.
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Oct 25, 2011
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Oct 25, 2011
The Assembly received it.
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Oct 20, 2011
The Senate passed it.
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Oct 19, 2011
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Oct 4, 2011
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jul 13, 2011
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations.
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Jul 13, 2011
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jul 13, 2011 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Cowles, Hansen and Kedzie;Cosponsored by Representatives Weininger, Bernier, Fields and Ballweg
- Jul 13, 2011 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations
- Oct 4, 2011 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 19, 2011 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 19, 2011 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 19, 2011 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 19, 2011 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-20-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 20, 2011 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 20, 2011 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 20, 2011 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Oct 20, 2011 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 20, 2011 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Oct 25, 2011 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Oct 27, 2011 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 11-1-2011 by committee on Rules
- Nov 1, 2011 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 11:08 A.M. on 11-03-2011 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 18
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 4, 2011 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Nov 9, 2011 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 11-9-2011
- Dec 6, 2011 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 12-5-2011
- Dec 8, 2011 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 12-7-2011. 2011 Wisconsin Act 109
- Dec 12, 2011 · Senate
Published 12-20-2011
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