Senate Bill 540
Unlawful use of a global positioning device and providing a penalty
Topics: Crime and criminals, Data processing: Criminal acts and law enforcement, Divorce, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on
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
Mar 2, 2012
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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 Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations.
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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.
This bill makes it unlawful to place a global positioning device on another person's vehicle without that person's knowledge and consent or to intentionally obtain information regarding another person's movement or location generated by a global positioning device without that person's knowledge or consent. The bill also makes it unlawful for a person to place a global positioning device on a vehicle used primarily by his or her spouse after a petition for an annulment, divorce, or legal separation has been filed without that person's knowledge and consent. A person who does any of these acts is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and is subject to a fine not to exceed $10,000, imprisonment not to exceed nine months, or both.
The provisions of the bill do not apply to a person who installs a factory-installed, subscription-based communication and navigation system, to a law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity, or to an employer who is tracking the movement or location of a commercial vehicle owned, leased, or assigned for use by the employer during business hours.
Read the full summary Show less
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.
Who's behind it
Rich Zipperer, a Republican, is its .
2 more lawmakers .
See all 3 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Rich Zipperer · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (2)
- Frederick Kessler · Democrat, Assembly
- Bill Kramer · 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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Mar 14, 2012
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 12, 2012
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 8, 2012
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 2, 2012
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations.
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Mar 2, 2012
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 2, 2012 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Zipperer;Cosponsored by Representatives Kramer and Kessler
- Mar 2, 2012 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary, Utilities, Commerce, and Government Operations
- Mar 8, 2012 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 12, 2012 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 14, 2012 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- 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