Senate Bill 156
Regulation of geothermal well drillers and granting rule-making authority
Topics: County: Ordinance, Energy conservation, Natural Resources, Department of: Environmental protection, Wells
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 26, 2012. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Jul 22, 2011
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 13, 2012
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Mar 15, 2012
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2011 Wisconsin Act 150
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 27, 2012: “Published 4-6-2012”
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
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 does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates, and issues business registrations and individual licenses for, well drillers. DNR requires well drilling businesses to be registered, and individual well drillers to be licensed, in order to engage in certain ground excavation activities that are undertaken for the purpose of obtaining groundwater for human consumption.
This bill expands the current law regulating well drillers so that it also applies to businesses and individuals who engage in certain ground excavation activities undertaken for the purpose of a geothermal heat exchange system.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 8 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Neal Kedzie · Republican, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (5)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Fred Clark · Democrat, Assembly
- Warren Petryk · Republican, Assembly
- Richard Spanbauer · Republican, Assembly
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 3 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment vote on an amendment
Passed, 7 to 0 · Mar 9, 2012
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Natural Resources and Environment, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 12, 2012
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Referred to joint committee on Finance by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 33 to 0 · Mar 13, 2012
See how each of the 33 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (33)
- Alberta Darling (R, 8)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dale Schultz (R, 17)
- Dave Hansen (D, 30)
- Frank G. Lasee (R, 1)
- Fred A. Risser (D, 26)
- Glenn Grothman (R, 20)
- Jennifer Shilling (D, 32)
- Jessica King (D, 18)
- Jim Holperin (D, 12)
- Joe Leibham (R, 9)
- Jon Erpenbach (D, 27)
- Julie M. Lassa (D, 24)
- Kathleen Vinehout (D, 31)
- Leah Vukmir (R, 5)
- Lena Taylor (D, 4)
- Luther S. Olsen (R, 14)
- Mark Miller (D, 16)
- Mary Lazich (R, 28)
- Michael Ellis (R, 19)
- Neal Kedzie (R, 11)
- Pam Galloway (R, 29)
- Rich Zipperer (R, 33)
- Rob Cowles (R, 2)
- Robert Jauch (D, 25)
- Scott L. Fitzgerald (R, 13)
- Sheila Harsdorf (R, 10)
- Spencer Coggs (D, 6)
- Terry Moulton (R, 23)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
- Timothy Cullen (D, 15)
- Van Wanggaard (R, 21)
Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 33, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 27, 2012
The new law was published.
-
Mar 26, 2012
The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 150.
-
Mar 22, 2012
Sent to the governor.
-
Mar 15, 2012
The Assembly passed it too.
-
Mar 13, 2012
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Mar 13, 2012
The Assembly received it.
-
Mar 13, 2012
The Senate passed it, 33 to 0.
-
Mar 13, 2012
The Senate adopted it.
-
Mar 13, 2012
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Mar 12, 2012
“Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
-
Mar 12, 2012
Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.
-
Mar 9, 2012
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 0.
-
Mar 9, 2012
“Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Natural Resources and Environment, Ayes 7, Noes 0” (the official wording)
-
Mar 9, 2012
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Aug 12, 2011
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Jul 22, 2011
Sent to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
-
Jul 22, 2011
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jul 22, 2011 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Kedzie, Olsen and Taylor;Cosponsored by Representatives A. Ott, Brooks, Clark, Petryk and Spanbauer
- Jul 22, 2011 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Natural Resources and Environment
- Aug 12, 2011 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 7, 2012 · Senate
Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Kedzie
- Mar 9, 2012 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 9, 2012 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 9, 2012 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Natural Resources and Environment, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Mar 9, 2012 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Natural Resources and Environment, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Mar 9, 2012 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 12, 2012 · Senate
Referred to joint committee on Finance by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 12, 2012 · Senate
Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 12, 2012 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-13-2012 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 33, Noes 0
- Mar 13, 2012 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Mar 13, 2012 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 9:08 A.M. on 3-14-2012 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 24
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 15, 2012 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 19, 2012 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Mar 21, 2012 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 3-21-2012
- Mar 22, 2012 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-22-2012
- Mar 26, 2012 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-23-2012. 2011 Wisconsin Act 150
- Mar 27, 2012 · Senate
Published 4-6-2012
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
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