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Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 194

The authority to hunt certain animals with a crossbow, establishing open seasons for hunting with a crossbow, and information required to be included on certain hunting license applications and certain hunting tags. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Dec 11, 2013. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    May 10, 2013

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jun 6, 2013

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Sep 17, 2013

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 61

Latest entry in the official record, Dec 11, 2013: “Published 12-11-2013”

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 current law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issues hunting licenses and establishes open hunting seasons that allow the hunting of specified game animals. Among the licenses that DNR issues are resident and nonresident archer hunting licenses. An archer hunting license allows the holder to hunt all game, except bear, elk, and wild turkey, with a bow and arrow during the relevant open season established by DNR. An archer hunting license allows a person to hunt only with a bow and arrow and not with a crossbow unless the person is disabled and holds a permit from DNR that authorizes the use of a crossbow or unless the person is at least 65 years old. This bill eliminates the age and disability requirements for using a crossbow. Instead, the bill establishes a new resident crossbow hunting license and a new nonresident crossbow hunting license.

The crossbow hunting licenses established in this bill allow a license holder to use a crossbow to hunt the same game animals that may be hunted under current law with an archer hunting license. The bill also allows the holder of an archer hunting license to obtain a crossbow hunting license at a substantially reduced fee and allows the holder of a crossbow hunting license to obtain an archer hunting license at a substantially reduced fee. As with other hunting licenses under current law, a person may not obtain a crossbow hunting license unless the person completes a course of instruction in hunter education or bow hunter education.

Read the full summary

The bill also requires a person who applies for a deer hunting license to indicate on the license application whether the applicant intends to use a bow and arrow or a crossbow to hunt deer under the authority of that license.

Who's behind it

28 lawmakers are its ⁠. 21 are Republicans and 7 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 37 names

Authors (28)

Signed on in support (9)

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 Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage vote on an amendment

Passed, 14 to 0 · May 31, 2013

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage vote to recommend it

Passed, 14 to 0 · May 31, 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 Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 95 to 0 · Jun 6, 2013 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (95)

Didn't vote (4)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 1 · Aug 22, 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 Natural Resources, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Aug 22, 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 Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 16, 2013

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

Official motion: “Referred to Joint Committee on Finance by Committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 16, 2013

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

Official motion: “Withdrawn from Joint Committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by Committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Dec 11, 2013

    The new law was published.

  2. Dec 11, 2013

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 61.

  3. Dec 9, 2013

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Oct 17, 2013

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Sep 19, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Sep 18, 2013

    The Assembly adopted it.

  7. Sep 17, 2013

    The Senate passed it too.

  8. Sep 17, 2013

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Sep 16, 2013

    “Withdrawn from Joint Committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by Committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  10. Sep 16, 2013

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  11. Aug 22, 2013

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.

  12. Aug 22, 2013

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  13. Aug 21, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Jul 16, 2013

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  15. Jun 14, 2013

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.

  16. Jun 7, 2013

    The Senate received it.

  17. Jun 6, 2013

    24 more representatives signed on in support.

  18. Jun 6, 2013

    The Assembly passed it, 95 to 0.

  19. Jun 6, 2013

    The Assembly adopted it.

  20. May 31, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  21. May 31, 2013

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 14 to 0.

  22. May 31, 2013

    “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 14, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  23. May 22, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  24. May 20, 2013

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  25. May 10, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage.

  26. May 10, 2013

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. May 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Czaja, Danou, A. Ott, August, Ballweg, Bewley, Born, Brooks, Endsley, Hesselbein, Jacque, Jagler, Kleefisch, Kuglitsch, T. Larson, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Murtha, Petryk, Smith, Spiros, Strachota, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Vruwink and Wright; cosponsored by Senators Farrow, L. Taylor, Lassa, Petrowski, Schultz, Tiffany and Lehman

  2. May 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage

  3. May 13, 2013 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  4. May 16, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Czaja

  5. May 20, 2013 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. May 22, 2013 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  7. May 29, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Czaja

  8. May 30, 2013 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  9. May 31, 2013 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  10. May 31, 2013 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  11. May 31, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  12. Jun 4, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 6-6-2013 by Committee on Rules

  13. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  14. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  15. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  16. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  17. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 0

  18. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Representatives Kolste, Jorgensen, Hintz, Johnson, Barca, Hebl, Bernard Schaber, Kahl, Kerkman, Clark, Petersen, Krug, Thiesfeldt, Steineke, Nygren, Weatherston, Schraa, J. Ott, Marklein, Loudenbeck, Nerison, Billings, Wachs and Ringhand added as coauthors

  19. Jun 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  20. Jun 7, 2013 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  21. Jun 14, 2013 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Natural Resources

  22. Jul 16, 2013 · Senate

    Senator Vinehout added as a cosponsor

  23. Aug 21, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Farrow

  24. Aug 21, 2013 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  25. Aug 22, 2013 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  26. Aug 22, 2013 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Natural Resources, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  27. Aug 22, 2013 · Senate

    Report concurrence as amended recommended by Natural Resources, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  28. Aug 22, 2013 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  29. Sep 16, 2013 · Senate

    Referred to Joint Committee on Finance by Committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  30. Sep 16, 2013 · Senate

    Withdrawn from Joint Committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by Committee on Senate Organization, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  31. Sep 16, 2013 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 9-17-2013 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  32. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Read a second time

  33. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  34. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  35. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  36. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended

  37. Sep 17, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  38. Sep 18, 2013 · Assembly

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

  39. Sep 19, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  40. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 10-17-2013 by Committee on Rules

  41. Oct 17, 2013 · Assembly

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 concurred in, Ayes 91, Noes 0

  42. Oct 17, 2013 · Assembly

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  43. Oct 22, 2013 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 10-22-2013

  44. Dec 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 12-9-2013

  45. Dec 11, 2013 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-10-2013. 2013 Wisconsin Act 61

  46. Dec 11, 2013 · Assembly

    Published 12-11-2013

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