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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Senate Bill 384

Participating in a veterans court program

Topics: Circuit court, Veteran

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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 18, 2012

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2012: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It sat with the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, counties may establish specialty or treatment courts that offer treatment programs, alternatives to incarceration, and other types of assistance for people accused of certain crimes or for certain people who are identified as needing special assistance. Currently, a few Wisconsin counties have established veterans courts with special programs and procedures that seek to assist veterans and armed service members who face, or are convicted of, criminal charges.

Under this bill, if a person is convicted of a crime, enters a guilty or no contest plea to a crime, is facing revocation of his or her probation or extended supervision because he or she violated a condition of probation or extended supervision, or enters into a deferred prosecution program and the person is a veteran or service member, the person may qualify for a transfer to a veterans court. Under the bill, the court where the person's criminal trial was held or his or her plea was entered (sentencing court) may transfer the person's case to a county that has established a veterans court. The veterans court may refuse to accept the person into its program, or may return the veteran or service member to the sentencing court, if it determines that the veteran or service member poses a danger to others participating in the veterans court or is unlikely to succeed in a court-ordered program or treatment plan. In that case, the sentence imposed by the sentencing court takes effect.

Read the full summary

If the veterans court accepts the person into its program, the veterans court may impose postconviction incentives, requirements, sanctions, and other conditions upon the person. Under the bill, the county where the sentencing court is located retains the responsibility to fund any community-based care, treatment, or services for the veteran or service member and to pay the costs of jailing the veteran or service member.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its ⁠. All 5 are Democrats.

12 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 17 names

Authors (5)

Signed on in support (12)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2012

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Feb 22, 2012

    The committee held a public hearing.

  3. Feb 22, 2012

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  4. Feb 1, 2012

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  5. Jan 18, 2012

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

  6. Jan 18, 2012

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 18, 2012 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Shilling, Taylor, Hansen, Holperin and Jauch;Cosponsored by Representatives Billings, Doyle, Ringhand, Berceau, Milroy, Pasch, Pope-Roberts, Spanbauer, Thiesfeldt, Turner and Vruwink

  2. Jan 18, 2012 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs

  3. Feb 1, 2012 · Senate

    Representative Clark added as a cosponsor

  4. Feb 22, 2012 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Feb 22, 2012 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. 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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

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