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Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 120

Inadmissibility of a statement of apology or condolence by a health care provider

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 8, 2014. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 4, 2013

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 18, 2014

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 19 to 14

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 242

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 8, 2014: “Published 4-9-2014”

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, certain types of evidence are not allowed to be admitted in a court action for various policy reasons. For example, evidence of remedial measures taken after an event occurred that would have made the event less likely is not admissible to prove negligence or culpable conduct in connection with the event. As another example, no written or oral communication relating to a dispute in mediation is admissible or subject to discovery in any judicial proceeding or administrative action.

This bill provides that a statement or conduct of a health care provider that expresses apology, benevolence, compassion, condolence, fault, liability, remorse, responsibility, or sympathy to a patient or patient's relative or representative is not admissible into evidence or subject to discovery in any civil action or administrative hearing regarding the health care provider as evidence of liability or as an admission against interest.

Who's behind it

25 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 25 are Republicans.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 29 names

Authors (25)

Signed on in support (4)

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 8 votes on this bill. Taking a bill up right away needs two-thirds of the members, a higher bar than passing it, so that vote can draw more yeses than the final one.

Assembly Committee on Health vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 4 · Jun 20, 2013

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Health vote to recommend it

Passed, 7 to 4 · Jun 20, 2013

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

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 58 to 38 · Feb 18, 2014

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 7, 2014

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 Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 14 · Apr 1, 2014

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 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 14 · Apr 1, 2014

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 take it up right away

Passed, 20 to 13 · Apr 1, 2014

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Refused to suspend rules, Ayes 20, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 19 to 14 · Apr 1, 2014

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 8, 2014

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 8, 2014

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 242.

  3. Apr 7, 2014

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 1, 2014

    The Senate passed it too, 19 to 14.

  5. Mar 7, 2014

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  6. Mar 6, 2014

    The committee held a public hearing.

  7. Feb 19, 2014

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

  8. Feb 19, 2014

    The Senate received it.

  9. Feb 18, 2014

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  10. Feb 18, 2014

    The Assembly passed it.

  11. Feb 18, 2014

    The Assembly adopted it.

  12. Jun 20, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Jun 20, 2013

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

  14. Jun 20, 2013

    “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 7, Noes 4” (the official wording)

  15. May 29, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. May 13, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Health.

  17. Apr 4, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.

  18. Apr 4, 2013

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 4, 2013 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Severson, Nygren, Bernier, Bies, Brooks, Czaja, Honadel, Jacque, Kaufert, Kestell, Kleefisch, Knodl, LeMahieu, Marklein, Murphy, Nass, A. Ott, Petersen, Pridemore, Schraa, Stone, Strachota, Tittl, Craig and Ballweg; cosponsored by Senators Vukmir, Cowles and Farrow

  2. Apr 4, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. May 13, 2013 · Assembly

    Withdrawn from committee on Judiciary and referred to committee on Health pursuant to Assembly Rule 42 (3)(c)

  4. May 29, 2013 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. May 31, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Severson

  6. Jun 5, 2013 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Jun 20, 2013 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  8. Jun 20, 2013 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Health, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  9. Jun 20, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  10. Feb 13, 2014 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-18-2014 by Committee on Rules

  11. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  12. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  13. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Pasch, Wright, C. Taylor, Wachs, Doyle, Hesselbein, Shankland, Genrich, Sargent and Bernard Schaber

  14. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38

  15. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  18. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  19. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Representatives Petryk and Kulp added as coauthors

  20. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Feb 19, 2014 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  22. Feb 19, 2014 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Health and Human Services

  23. Mar 6, 2014 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  24. Mar 7, 2014 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  25. Mar 7, 2014 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  26. Mar 7, 2014 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  27. Mar 31, 2014 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-1-2014 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  28. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Risser and Grothman

  29. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Read a second time

  30. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  31. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Risser

  32. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  33. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  34. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Refused to suspend rules, Ayes 20, Noes 13

  35. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  36. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  37. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  38. Apr 2, 2014 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  39. Apr 4, 2014 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 4-4-2014

  40. Apr 7, 2014 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-7-2014

  41. Apr 8, 2014 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2014. 2013 Wisconsin Act 242

  42. Apr 8, 2014 · Assembly

    Published 4-9-2014

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