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Bills from the Sep 2011 Special Session

Senate Bill 2

Small business loan guarantees by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority

Became law

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

  1. Introduced, passed

    Oct 11, 2011

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Oct 25, 2011

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Nov 3, 2011

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2011 Wisconsin Act 79

Latest entry in the official record, Nov 22, 2011: “Published 12-5-2011”

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.

Under current law, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) administers the small business development loan guarantee program (program). Under the program, WHEDA may guarantee repayment of up to the lesser of $200,000 or 80 percent of the principal of a loan made by a private lender to a small business or the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe in this state. A small business development loan that is guaranteed by WHEDA may be used for expenses associated with the expansion or acquisition of a business, with the start-up of a day care business, or the start-up of a small business in a vacant storefront in the downtown area of a rural community.

Under current law, a "small business" means a business that employs fewer than 50 full-time employees.

Read the full summary

This bill makes the following changes to the program:

1. The cap on the amount of a loan that may be guaranteed under the program is raised from $200,000 or 80 percent of the principal of the loan to $500,000 or 80 percent of the principal of the loan.

2. The definition of "small business" is expanded from businesses that employ up to 50 full-time employees to businesses that employ up to 250 full-time employees.

3. The requirement that the owner of a small business be actively engaged in the small business in order to qualify for the program is deleted.

4. The permitted use of proceeds of a loan for the start-up of a small business in a vacant storefront in a downtown area is expanded to apply to a community of any size by removing the limitation to rural communities.

Who's behind it

6 lawmakers are its ⁠. 1 is a Democrat. 5 have no party on record.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 10 names

Authors (6)

  • Bernier
  • Committee on Senate Organization
  • Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
  • Representatives Petryk
  • Senator Leibham
  • by request of Governor Scott Walker

Signed on in support (4)

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 6 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 0 · Oct 20, 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 1 recommended by committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 33 to 0 · Oct 25, 2011

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 33, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 71 to 24 · Nov 3, 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 71, Noes 24”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 59 to 36 · Nov 3, 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 59, Noes 36”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 66 to 29 · Nov 3, 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 66, Noes 29”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 60 to 35 · Nov 3, 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 60, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Nov 22, 2011

    The new law was published.

  2. Nov 22, 2011

    The governor signed it. It became 2011 Wisconsin Act 79.

  3. Nov 18, 2011

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Nov 3, 2011

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Nov 3, 2011

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  6. Oct 31, 2011

    “Read first time and referred to calendar 11-1-2011 pursuant to Assembly Rule 93” (the official wording)

  7. Oct 31, 2011

    The Assembly received it.

  8. Oct 25, 2011

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  9. Oct 25, 2011

    The Senate passed it, 33 to 0.

  10. Oct 25, 2011

    The Senate adopted it.

  11. Oct 20, 2011

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 0.

  12. Oct 20, 2011

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  13. Oct 19, 2011

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Oct 18, 2011

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Oct 11, 2011

    3 more representatives and 1 senator signed on in support.

  16. Oct 11, 2011

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

  17. Oct 11, 2011

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Oct 11, 2011 · Senate

    Introduced by committee on Senate Organization, by request of Governor Scott Walker, Senator Leibham, and Representatives Petryk, Bernier, and Larson

  2. Oct 11, 2011 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs

  3. Oct 11, 2011 · Senate

    Senator Leibham added as a coauthor

  4. Oct 11, 2011 · Senate

    Representatives Petryk, Bernier and T. Larson added as a cosponsors

  5. Oct 13, 2011 · Senate

    LRB correction

  6. Oct 13, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 offered by Senator Leibham

  7. Oct 18, 2011 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  8. Oct 19, 2011 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  11. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  12. Oct 20, 2011 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Oct 24, 2011 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-25-2011 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  14. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Read a second time

  15. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 adopted

  16. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 33, Noes 0

  19. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Senator Lassa added as a coauthor

  20. Oct 25, 2011 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Oct 31, 2011 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  22. Oct 31, 2011 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to calendar 11-1-2011 pursuant to Assembly Rule 93

  23. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  24. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  25. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Representative Fields added as a cosponsor

  26. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 offered by Representatives Danou, Vruwink, Jorgensen, Ringhand and Doyle

  27. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 71, Noes 24

  28. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 offered by Representatives Ringhand, Vruwink, Danou, Molepske Jr, Zamarripa and Bewley

  29. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 59, Noes 36

  30. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 offered by Representatives Vruwink and Clark

  31. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 66, Noes 29

  32. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 offered by Representatives Clark, Vruwink and Danou

  33. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Assembly amendment 4 laid on table, Ayes 60, Noes 35

  34. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  35. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  36. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  37. Nov 3, 2011 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  38. Nov 4, 2011 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  39. Nov 9, 2011 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-9-2011

  40. Nov 9, 2011 · Senate

    LRB correction

  41. Nov 18, 2011 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 11-18-2011

  42. Nov 22, 2011 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 11-21-2011. 2011 Wisconsin Act 79

  43. Nov 22, 2011 · Senate

    Published 12-5-2011

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

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