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Bills from the Jan 2011 Special Session

Assembly Bill 5

Requiring a supermajority for passage of tax increase legislation

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 22, 2011. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 4, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 57 to 36

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 20 to 12

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 9

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 22, 2011: “Published 3-8-2011”

Read the bill

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What it does

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

This bill prohibits either house of the legislature from passing a bill that increases the rate of the state sales tax or that increases any of the rates of the income tax or franchise tax unless the bill is approved by two-thirds of those members present and voting. The bill, however, specifies that this prohibition does not apply if the legislature passes a joint resolution requiring a statewide advisory referendum on the question of whether the legislature should authorize the tax increase provided in the bill and a majority of voters voting at the referendum vote to approve the tax increase.

Who's behind it

4 lawmakers are its ⁠. 4 have no party on record.

2 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 6 names

Authors (4)

  • Committee on Assembly Organization
  • Representative August
  • Senator Vukmir
  • by request of Governor Scott Walker

Signed on in support (2)

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 11 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Ways and Means vote to recommend it

Passed, 7 to 4 · Jan 20, 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 Ways and Means, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 57 to 37 · Jan 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 57, Noes 37”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 57 to 37 · Jan 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 57, Noes 37”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 56 to 38 · Jan 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 38”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 56 to 38 · Jan 25, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly amendment 4 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 38”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 57 to 36 · Jan 25, 2011 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 94 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (57)

No (36)

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 57, Noes 36, Paired 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 22 to 10 · Feb 8, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 22, Noes 10”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Feb 8, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 18 to 13 · Feb 8, 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 18, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Feb 8, 2011

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 4 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 20 to 12 · Feb 8, 2011 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 20, Noes 12”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 22, 2011

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 22, 2011

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 9.

  3. Feb 15, 2011

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 8, 2011

    The Senate passed it too, 20 to 12.

  5. Feb 8, 2011

    “Point of order that Senate amendment 5 not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  6. Feb 7, 2011

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

  7. Feb 7, 2011

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  8. Jan 26, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  9. Jan 26, 2011

    The Senate received it.

  10. Jan 25, 2011

    The Assembly passed it, 57 to 36.

  11. Jan 25, 2011

    “Placed at the foot of the calendar of 1-25-2011” (the official wording)

  12. Jan 20, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Jan 20, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 4.

  14. Jan 19, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Jan 4, 2011

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  16. Jan 4, 2011

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means.

  17. Jan 4, 2011

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 4, 2011 · Assembly

    Introduced by committee on Assembly Organization, by request of Governor Scott Walker, Representative August, and Senator Vukmir

  2. Jan 4, 2011 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Ways and Means

  3. Jan 4, 2011 · Assembly

    Representative August added as a coauthor

  4. Jan 4, 2011 · Assembly

    Senator Vukmir added as a cosponsor

  5. Jan 19, 2011 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Jan 20, 2011 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Jan 20, 2011 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by committee on Ways and Means, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  8. Jan 20, 2011 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Jan 20, 2011 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-25-2011 by committee on Rules

  10. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  11. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Placed at the foot of the calendar of 1-25-2011

  12. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representatives Steinbrink, Staskunas, Jorgensen and Hulsey

  13. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 57, Noes 37

  14. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representatives Grigsby, Toles, Molepske Jr, Pasch, Mason, Bernard Schaber, Pope-Roberts, Fields and Sinicki

  15. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 57, Noes 37

  16. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 offered by Representatives Barca and Seidel

  17. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 38

  18. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 offered by Representatives Turner and Barca

  19. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 38

  20. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 57, Noes 36, Paired 2

  23. Jan 25, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Jan 26, 2011 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  25. Jan 26, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  26. Jan 26, 2011 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  27. Feb 7, 2011 · Senate

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

  28. Feb 7, 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)

  29. Feb 7, 2011 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  30. Feb 7, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Carpenter

  31. Feb 7, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 offered by Senator Carpenter

  32. Feb 7, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 offered by Senator Carpenter

  33. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Senate Organization and take up

  34. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Read a second time

  35. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 22, Noes 10

  36. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  37. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 18, Noes 13

  38. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 4 offered by Senator Erpenbach

  39. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 4 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  40. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 5 offered by Senator Carpenter

  41. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate amendment 5 not germane well taken

  42. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  43. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  44. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 20, Noes 12

  45. Feb 8, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  46. Feb 8, 2011 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  47. Feb 10, 2011 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled

  48. Feb 15, 2011 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 2-15-2011

  49. Feb 22, 2011 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-22-2011. 2011 Wisconsin Act 9

  50. Feb 22, 2011 · Assembly

    Published 3-8-2011

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

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

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