Senate Bill 42
Mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect by school district employees; training in child abuse and neglect identification, laws, and procedures for those employees; retaliation against a person who reports child abuse or neglect in good faith, and granting rule-making authority
Topics: Children: Abuse and neglect, Discrimination in employment, Public Instruction, Department of, School: Employee
Became law
The governor signed it on Nov 23, 2011. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Mar 22, 2011
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed May 17, 2011
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 3, 2011
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2011 Wisconsin Act 81
Latest entry in the official record, Nov 28, 2011: “Published 12-8-2011”
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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.
Current law requires certain persons who have reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen in the course of professional duties has been abused or neglected or who has a reasonable belief that such a child has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect will occur to report that suspected or threatened abuse or neglect to the county department of human services or social services or to the sheriff or city, village, or town police department. Currently, mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect include school teachers, administrators, and counselors. This bill makes all public school employees mandatory child abuse and neglect reporters and requires those employees to receive training in identifying children who have been abused or neglected and in the laws and procedures governing the reporting of child abuse and neglect.
Current law prohibits any person who makes a child abuse or neglect report from being discharged from employment for doing so. This bill prohibits any person who makes a child abuse or neglect report in good faith from being discharged from employment, disciplined or otherwise discriminated against in regard to employment, or threatened with any such treatment for doing so.
Who's behind it
Van Wanggaard, a Republican, is its .
4 more lawmakers .
See all 5 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (4)
- John Nygren · Republican, Assembly
- Don Pridemore · Republican, Assembly
- Robert Turner · Democrat, Assembly
- Robin Vos · 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 4 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · May 12, 2011
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 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote on an amendment
Passed, 31 to 1 · May 17, 2011
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Senate amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 31, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 31 to 1 · May 17, 2011 · 1 didn't vote
See how each of the 33 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (31)
- Alberta Darling (R, 8)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dale Schultz (R, 17)
- Dan Kapanke (R, 32)
- Dave Hansen (D, 30)
- Frank G. Lasee (R, 1)
- Fred A. Risser (D, 26)
- Jim Holperin (D, 12)
- Joe Leibham (R, 9)
- Jon Erpenbach (D, 27)
- 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)
- Randy Hopper (R, 18)
- 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)
No (1)
- Glenn Grothman (R, 20)
Didn't vote (1)
- Julie M. Lassa (D, 24)
Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 31, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · Aug 2, 2011
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by committee on Children and Families, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Nov 28, 2011
The new law was published.
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Nov 23, 2011
The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 81.
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Nov 22, 2011
Sent to the governor.
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Nov 3, 2011
The Assembly passed it too.
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Aug 2, 2011
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Aug 2, 2011
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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May 17, 2011
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.
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May 17, 2011
The Assembly received it.
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May 17, 2011
The Senate passed it, 31 to 1.
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May 17, 2011
The Senate adopted it.
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May 12, 2011
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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May 12, 2011
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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May 3, 2011
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 28, 2011
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 27, 2011
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Mar 22, 2011
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations.
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Mar 22, 2011
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 22, 2011 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Wanggaard;Cosponsored by Representatives Vos, Turner and Pridemore
- Mar 22, 2011 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations
- Apr 27, 2011 · Senate
Representative Nygren added as a cosponsor
- Apr 28, 2011 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 28, 2011 · Senate
Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- May 3, 2011 · Senate
Public hearing held
- May 9, 2011 · Senate
Senate amendment 2 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- May 11, 2011 · Senate
Executive action taken
- May 12, 2011 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- May 12, 2011 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- May 12, 2011 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- May 16, 2011 · Senate
Placed on calendar 5-17-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Read a second time
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Senate amendment 2 adopted
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Senate amendment 3 offered by Senator Grothman
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Senate amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 31, Noes 1
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Rules suspended
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 31, Noes 1
- May 17, 2011 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- May 17, 2011 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- May 17, 2011 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Children and Families
- Jun 1, 2011 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Aug 2, 2011 · Assembly
Report concurrence recommended by committee on Children and Families, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Aug 2, 2011 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Oct 27, 2011 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 11-1-2011 by committee on Rules
- Nov 1, 2011 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 11:02 A.M. on 11-03-2011 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 18
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 4, 2011 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Nov 9, 2011 · Senate
LRB correction (Senate Amendment 2)
- Nov 9, 2011 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 11-9-2011
- Nov 22, 2011 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 11-22-2011
- Nov 23, 2011 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 11-23-2011. 2011 Wisconsin Act 81
- Nov 28, 2011 · Senate
Published 12-8-2011
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