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Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 139

The duty of physicians to inform patients of treatment options. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Dec 13, 2013. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 5, 2013

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed May 8, 2013

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Oct 15, 2013

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 111

Latest entry in the official record, Dec 13, 2013: “Published 12-14-2013”

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 Wisconsin's physician informed consent law, a physician who treats a patient has a duty to inform the patient about the availability of all alternate, viable medical modes of treatment and the benefits and risks of those treatments, subject to certain exceptions. A physician who fails to so inform a patient about modes of treatment may be held civilly liable for damages under tort law. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has employed a "reasonable patient standard" to determine whether a physician has fulfilled his or her duty. Under the reasonable patient standard, a physician must disclose information necessary for a reasonable person in the patient's position to make an intelligent decision with respect to the choices of treatment. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has also held that the duty to inform a patient about alternate modes of treating the patient's condition includes the duty to inform a patient about alternate modes of diagnosing the patient's condition.

This bill instead provides that any physician who treats a patient has a duty to inform the patient about the availability of reasonable alternate medical modes of treatment and the benefits and risks of those treatments, and provides that the "reasonable physician standard" is the standard for informing a patient under the physician informed consent law. The bill provides that the reasonable physician standard requires the disclosure only of information that a reasonable physician in the same or a similar medical specialty would know and disclose under the circumstances. The bill also provides that the physician's duty does not require the disclosure of information about alternate medical modes of treatment for conditions that the physician does not believe the patient has at the time the physician informs the patient.

Who's behind it

18 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 18 are Republicans.

11 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 29 names

Authors (18)

Signed on in support (11)

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 7 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Judiciary vote to recommend it

Passed, 6 to 2 · May 1, 2013

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 Judiciary, Ayes 6, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 58 to 38 · May 8, 2013

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 58 to 38 · May 8, 2013

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 65 to 31 · May 8, 2013 · 3 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (65)

Didn't vote (3)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 65, Noes 31”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 10, 2013

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 Judiciary and Labor, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Oct 10, 2013

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

Official motion: “Report concurrence as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Labor, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 14, 2013

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

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Dec 13, 2013

    The new law was published.

  2. Dec 13, 2013

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 111.

  3. Dec 12, 2013

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Nov 5, 2013

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Oct 22, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Oct 16, 2013

    The Assembly adopted it.

  7. Oct 15, 2013

    The Senate passed it too.

  8. Oct 15, 2013

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Oct 14, 2013

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  10. Oct 10, 2013

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

  11. Oct 10, 2013

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Labor, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  12. May 10, 2013

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

  13. May 9, 2013

    The Senate received it.

  14. May 8, 2013

    The Assembly passed it, 65 to 31.

  15. May 8, 2013

    The Assembly adopted it.

  16. May 1, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  17. May 1, 2013

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 6 to 2.

  18. Apr 16, 2013

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  19. Apr 11, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  20. Apr 10, 2013

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  21. Apr 9, 2013

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  22. Apr 5, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.

  23. Apr 5, 2013

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 5, 2013 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives J. Ott, Severson, Czaja, Jacque, Brooks, Strachota, Marklein, A. Ott, Kestell, Murphy, Stroebel, Nygren, Bies, Ballweg, Stone, T. Larson, Endsley and LeMahieu; cosponsored by Senators Grothman, Vukmir, Farrow, Cowles, Tiffany, Olsen, Darling, Moulton and Lasee

  2. Apr 5, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. Apr 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Senator Schultz added as a cosponsor

  4. Apr 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Apr 11, 2013 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Apr 16, 2013 · Assembly

    Representative Craig added as a coauthor

  7. Apr 23, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wachs

  8. Apr 25, 2013 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  9. May 1, 2013 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 6, Noes 2

  10. May 1, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  11. May 2, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-8-2013 by Committee on Rules

  12. May 7, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative J. Ott

  13. May 7, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Wachs

  14. May 7, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representatives Goyke, Hebl, Wachs, Genrich, C. Taylor, Bewley and Sargent

  15. May 7, 2013 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 1:03 PM on 5-8-2013 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 9

  16. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 offered by Representatives Hebl, Wachs, Sargent and Barca

  17. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  18. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 placed after Assembly Substitute Amendment 3

  19. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38

  20. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 58, Noes 38

  21. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  22. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 withdrawn and returned to author

  23. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  25. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 65, Noes 31

  26. May 8, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. May 9, 2013 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  28. May 10, 2013 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Labor

  29. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Grothman

  30. Oct 9, 2013 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  31. Oct 10, 2013 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Labor, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  32. Oct 10, 2013 · Senate

    Report concurrence as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Labor, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  33. Oct 10, 2013 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  34. Oct 14, 2013 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  35. Oct 14, 2013 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-15-2013 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  36. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Read a second time

  37. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  38. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  39. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  40. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended

  41. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  42. Oct 16, 2013 · Assembly

    Received from Senate amended and concurred in as amended (Senate amendment 1 adopted)

  43. Oct 22, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  44. Oct 31, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 11-5-2013 by Committee on Rules

  45. Nov 5, 2013 · Assembly

    Senate Amendment 1 concurred in

  46. Nov 5, 2013 · Assembly

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  47. Nov 7, 2013 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-7-2013

  48. Dec 12, 2013 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 12-12-2013

  49. Dec 13, 2013 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-13-2013. 2013 Wisconsin Act 111

  50. Dec 13, 2013 · Assembly

    Published 12-14-2013

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