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Bills from the 2011–12 session

Senate Bill 4

Authorizing the designation of additional enterprise zones and requiring the designation of enterprise zones in rural areas

Topics: Business, Commerce, Department of, Corporation: Taxation, Industrial development, Municipality: Planning, Rural planning

Passed the Senate, then stopped

The Senate passed it on Mar 2, 2011, but the Assembly never voted on it. A bill has to ⁠. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 14, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 2, 2011

  4. Assembly vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The Assembly never voted on it.

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

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

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, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) may designate an area as an enterprise zone. Commerce must consider a number of factors related to the area prior to designating the area as an enterprise zone, including indicators of the area's economic need and whether designation as an enterprise zone would promote the retention of jobs in the area. A taxpayer who creates or retains jobs in an enterprise zone may claim certain credits against state income and franchise taxes. Currently, Commerce may designate no more than 12 enterprise zones. This bill permits Commerce to designate a total of 16 enterprise zones.

In determining whether to designate an area an enterprise zone, current law requires Commerce to consider specified indicators of the area's economic need and specified indicators of the effect of designation on other initiatives and programs to promote economic and community development in the area. Current law also requires Commerce to give preference to the greatest economic need. This bill requires Commerce to designate two additional enterprise zones in political subdivisions with populations of less than 5,000 and two additional enterprise zones in political subdivisions with populations between 5,000 and 29,999 (rural zones), notwithstanding the current factors Commerce must consider.

Read the full summary

Currently, a business that retains jobs in an enterprise zone is eligible for tax credits if the business makes a significant capital investment in property located in the enterprise zone and at least one of the following applies: 1) the business is an original equipment manufacturer with a significant supply chain in the state; or 2) the business has more than 500 full-time employees in the enterprise zone. Under the bill, a business that retains jobs in a rural zone and makes a significant capital investment in property located in the rural zone is eligible for tax credits; no additional showing is required.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its ⁠. 4 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

16 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 21 names

Authors (5)

Signed on in support (16)

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 Financial Institutions and Rural Issues vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 0 · Feb 23, 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 Financial Institutions and Rural Issues, Ayes 3, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 0 · Mar 1, 2011

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 3, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2012

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 2, 2011

    “Read a third time” (the official wording)

  3. Mar 2, 2011

    The Senate adopted it.

  4. Mar 1, 2011

    “Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  5. Mar 1, 2011

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  6. Mar 1, 2011

    “Emergency statement attached by Governor pursuant to s. 16.47 (2) Wisconsin Statutes” (the official wording)

  7. Feb 23, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 0.

  8. Feb 23, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  9. Feb 22, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  10. Jan 27, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  11. Jan 14, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues.

  12. Jan 14, 2011

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 14, 2011 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Galloway, Harsdorf, Lasee, Holperin and Moulton;Cosponsored by Representatives Rivard, Williams, Severson, Ripp, Steineke, Krug, A. Ott, Bies, LeMahieu, Petrowski, Tranel, Spanbauer, Ballweg, Mursau, Brooks and Kestell

  2. Jan 14, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues

  3. Jan 27, 2011 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 22, 2011 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Feb 23, 2011 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Feb 23, 2011 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Feb 23, 2011 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues, Ayes 3, Noes 0

  8. Feb 23, 2011 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Mar 1, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Galloway

  10. Mar 1, 2011 · Senate

    Emergency statement attached by Governor pursuant to s. 16.47 (2) Wisconsin Statutes

  11. Mar 1, 2011 · Senate

    Referred to joint committee on Finance by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 0

  12. Mar 1, 2011 · 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 3, Noes 0

  13. Mar 1, 2011 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-2-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  14. Mar 2, 2011 · Senate

    Read a second time

  15. Mar 2, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 adopted

  16. Mar 2, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Mar 2, 2011 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. Mar 2, 2011 · Senate

    Read a third time

  19. May 10, 2011 · Senate

    Laid on the table

  20. Mar 23, 2012 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence. 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

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

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary