Senate Bill 276
Municipal quotas for retail intoxicating liquor licenses
Topics: Alcohol beverage: Regulation, Municipality, Restaurant
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Nov 1, 2011
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly 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 ”
It sat with the Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Small Business, and Tourism.
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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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Current law prohibits a person from selling alcohol beverages at retail unless the seller possesses a license or permit authorizing the sale. A "Class B" license authorizes the retail sale of intoxicating liquor for consumption on the licensed premises and, depending on the type of intoxicating liquor and whether a municipal ordinance has been adopted, may also authorize the retail sale of intoxicating liquor for consumption off the licensed premises, subject to certain limitations. Current law imposes a quota on the number of "Class B" licenses that a municipality may issue.
This quota is generally determined by a formula based on the number of licenses previously issued by the municipality and the municipality's population. Current law provides quota exceptions for a full-service restaurant that has a seating capacity of 300 or more persons and for a hotel that has 50 or more rooms and has a restaurant or banquet room meeting certain criteria. Current law also provides a quota exception for certain opera houses and theaters, but a "Class B" license issued under this exception authorizes the sale of intoxicating liquor only for consumption on the premises and only in connection with ticketed performances.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill modifies the quota exception for most full-service restaurants. The bill provides a quota exception for a full-service restaurant regardless of seating capacity, but creates a definition of "full-service restaurant" for purposes of the bill that limits the exception to an establishment where meals are prepared, served, and sold for consumption on the premises and in which the sale of alcohol beverages accounts for 50 percent or less of the establishment's gross receipts. In addition, a "Class B" license issued under this exception authorizes the sale of intoxicating liquor only for consumption on the premises. The bill prohibits a person holding a "Class B" license, other than one issued under this exception, from surrendering that license and applying for a new license under this exception.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
6 more lawmakers .
See all 8 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Glenn Grothman · Republican, Senate
- Frank G. Lasee · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (6)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Gordon Hintz · Democrat, Assembly
- Dale Kooyenga · Republican, Senate
- Roger Rivard · Republican, Assembly
- Richard Spanbauer · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2012
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 22, 2012
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 6, 2011
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 1, 2011
Sent to the Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Small Business, and Tourism.
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Nov 1, 2011
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 1, 2011 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Grothman and Lasee;Cosponsored by Representatives Rivard, Ballweg, Bies, Hintz, Kooyenga and Spanbauer
- Nov 1, 2011 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Workforce Development, Small Business, and Tourism
- Dec 6, 2011 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 22, 2012 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 23, 2012 · Senate
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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