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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Senate Bill 322

Overweight permits for vehicles transporting raw forest products

Topics: Bus and truck: Taxation or registration, Forestry, Road, Transportation, Department of: Vehicles

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 29, 2012. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 7, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 14, 2012

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 94 to 0

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 117

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 1, 2012: “Published 3-14-2012”

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.

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate on a highway any vehicle or vehicle combination that exceeds certain statutory weight limits unless the person obtains a permit issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) or a local highway authority. In issuing an overweight permit, DOT may impose reasonable conditions and restrictions on the permittee as DOT deems necessary for the safety of travel and protection of the highways.

Under current law, DOT may issue annual or consecutive month permits for the transportation of raw forest products in vehicle combinations having a gross weight not exceeding 98,000 pounds if the vehicle combination has six or more axles and meets other criteria (RS permit). "Raw forest products" includes logs, poles, cordwood, wood chips, sawdust, and pulpwood. A vehicle combination operated under an RS permit is subject to certain operating restrictions, including that it cannot be operated on an interstate highway or any highway or bridge with a posted weight limit that is less than the vehicle combination's gross weight, except as described immediately below.

Read the full summary

Also under current law, DOT or a local highway authority may impose special weight limits on highways that, because of weakness of the roadbed due to deterioration or climatic conditions or other special or temporary conditions, would likely be seriously damaged or destroyed in the absence of the special limits. If special weight limits are imposed, the limits must be posted by highway signs along the affected highways. The special weight limits apply regardless of whether a vehicle is being operated under an overweight permit unless the permit expressly authorizes the special weight limits to be exceeded. When DOT issues an RS permit, the RS permit must expressly authorize the vehicle combination to exceed, on state trunk highways and state trunk highway routes designated as connecting highways, any special weight limits posted in connection with the thawing of frozen highways.

Under this bill, an RS permit issued by DOT may not contain any condition or limitation imposed by DOT in connection with the thawing of frozen highways that are not state trunk highways or connecting highways, except that the operation of the vehicle combination under the RS permit is subject to posted weight limits on these local highways.

Who's behind it

3 senators are its ⁠. 2 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.

11 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 14 names

Authors (3)

Signed on in support (11)

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.

Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 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 Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 94 to 0 · Feb 21, 2012 · 5 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, I: Independent, R: Republican

Yes (94)

Didn't vote (5)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 94, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 1, 2012

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 29, 2012

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 117.

  3. Feb 29, 2012

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 21, 2012

    The Assembly passed it too, 94 to 0.

  5. Feb 16, 2012

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 16, 2012

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 14, 2012

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 14, 2012

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 14, 2012

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  10. Feb 9, 2012

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  11. Feb 9, 2012

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  12. Feb 9, 2012

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  13. Jan 19, 2012

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Dec 21, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Dec 7, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections.

  16. Dec 7, 2011

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 7, 2011 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Galloway, Holperin and Jauch;Cosponsored by Representatives Mursau, Petrowski, Spanbauer, Tauchen, Clark, Bewley, Bernier, T. Larson, Endsley and Rivard

  2. Dec 7, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation and Elections

  3. Dec 21, 2011 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 18, 2012 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Galloway

  5. Jan 19, 2012 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Jan 20, 2012 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 offered by Senator Galloway

  7. Feb 9, 2012 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  8. Feb 9, 2012 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  9. Feb 9, 2012 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  10. Feb 9, 2012 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Transportation and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Feb 9, 2012 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  12. Feb 13, 2012 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-14-2012 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  13. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Senator Hansen added as a coauthor

  14. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Read a second time

  15. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 adopted

  17. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  18. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  19. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  20. Feb 14, 2012 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  22. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  23. Feb 16, 2012 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-21-2012 by committee on Rules

  24. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  25. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  26. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  27. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  28. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 94, Noes 0

  29. Feb 21, 2012 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  30. Feb 22, 2012 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  31. Feb 28, 2012 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 2-28-2012

  32. Feb 29, 2012 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-29-2012

  33. Feb 29, 2012 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-29-2012. 2011 Wisconsin Act 117

  34. Mar 1, 2012 · Senate

    Published 3-14-2012

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