Senate Bill 97
The composition of the Board of Veterans Affairs, the appointment of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and direction and supervision of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Topics: Governor, Veteran, Veterans Affairs, Department of
Passed the Senate, then stopped
The Senate passed it on Jun 8, 2011, but the Assembly never voted on it. A bill has to . To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
May 19, 2011
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed 21 to 12
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The Assembly never voted on it.
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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 concur in pursuant to ”
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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
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 would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the Board of Veterans Affairs is composed of seven members appointed by the governor for six-year terms. Under this bill, the number of board members is increased to nine. The bill reduces the length of the term to four years so that all members appointed and confirmed after the date this bill becomes law will be appointed for four-year terms. Under the bill, for each congressional district in the state there must be at least one member of the board who is a resident of that district.
Under current law, all of the members must be veterans, and at least two of the members must be Vietnam War veterans. Under the bill, all of the board members must have served on active duty, but need not have served in any particular war or conflict.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) is under the direction and supervision of the Board of Veterans Affairs. The governor appoints the members of the board, and the board in turn appoints the secretary of veterans affairs. Under this bill, the secretary is appointed by the governor to serve at the governor's pleasure subject to confirmation by the senate, and the direction and supervision of DVA is transferred from the board to the secretary. The bill also requires that the secretary be a veteran.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . All 3 are Republicans.
20 more lawmakers .
See all 23 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Frank G. Lasee · Republican, Senate
- Joe Leibham · Republican, Senate
- Terry Moulton · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (20)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Garey Bies · Republican, Assembly
- Mark Honadel · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Ott · Republican, Assembly
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Steve Kestell · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kleefisch · Republican, Assembly
- Dale Kooyenga · Republican, Senate
- Michelle Litjens · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Lee Nerison · Republican, Assembly
- Kevin Petersen · Republican, Assembly
- Warren Petryk · Republican, Assembly
- Don Pridemore · Republican, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- Richard Spanbauer · Republican, Assembly
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt · Republican, Assembly
- Mary Williams · Republican, Assembly
- Evan Wynn · Republican, Assembly
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 3 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 2 · May 31, 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 Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote on an amendment
Passed, 19 to 14 · Jun 8, 2011
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Senate substitute amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 21 to 12 · Jun 8, 2011
See how each of the 33 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (21)
- Alberta Darling (R, 8)
- Dale Schultz (R, 17)
- Dan Kapanke (R, 32)
- Frank G. Lasee (R, 1)
- Glenn Grothman (R, 20)
- Joe Leibham (R, 9)
- Kathleen Vinehout (D, 31)
- Leah Vukmir (R, 5)
- Luther S. Olsen (R, 14)
- 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)
- Scott L. Fitzgerald (R, 13)
- Sheila Harsdorf (R, 10)
- Terry Moulton (R, 23)
- Timothy Cullen (D, 15)
- Van Wanggaard (R, 21)
No (12)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dave Hansen (D, 30)
- Fred A. Risser (D, 26)
- Jim Holperin (D, 12)
- Jon Erpenbach (D, 27)
- Julie M. Lassa (D, 24)
- Lena Taylor (D, 4)
- Mark Miller (D, 16)
- Robert Jauch (D, 25)
- Spencer Coggs (D, 6)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 21, Noes 12”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2012
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jun 8, 2011
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jun 8, 2011
The Assembly received it.
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Jun 8, 2011
The Senate passed it, 21 to 12.
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May 31, 2011
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 2.
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May 23, 2011
The committee held a public hearing.
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May 19, 2011
Sent to the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.
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May 19, 2011
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 19, 2011 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Leibham, Moulton and Lasee;Cosponsored by Representatives Petersen, Wynn, Petryk, Spanbauer, A. Ott, Kooyenga, Mursau, Kestell, Williams, Bies, Honadel, Ballweg, Jacque, Kleefisch, Pridemore, Litjens, Ripp, Thiesfeldt, J. Ott and Nerison
- May 19, 2011 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs
- May 23, 2011 · Senate
Public hearing held
- May 31, 2011 · Senate
Executive action taken
- May 31, 2011 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 2
- May 31, 2011 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jun 7, 2011 · Senate
Placed on calendar 6-8-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senators Lassa, Erpenbach, Taylor, Holperin, C. Larson, Wirch and Miller
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Senate substitute amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 14
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 21, Noes 12
- Jun 8, 2011 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jun 8, 2011 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Jun 8, 2011 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Mar 23, 2012 · Assembly
Failed to concur in 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
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote