Assembly Bill 284
The length limit for certain vehicle combinations operated on the highway without a permit. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 8, 2014. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Aug 7, 2013
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Oct 8, 2013
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 14, 2014
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2013 Wisconsin Act 220
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 8, 2014: “Published 4-9-2014”
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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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, no person may operate on a highway any single vehicle with an overall length in excess of 45 feet or any combination of two vehicles with an overall length in excess of 70 feet, unless a specific exception applies or the person has a permit to exceed these lengths. Current law also generally prohibits any person from driving a vehicle on a highway while towing two or more vehicles unless the driver possesses a permit. One exception allows two or three vehicles to be towed, without a permit, when they are being transported by the drive-away method in saddlemount combination and the overall length of the vehicle combination does not exceed 75 feet. The term "saddlemount combination" is neither defined nor described by statute, but the Department of Transportation (DOT) defines it by rule as a combination of vehicles in which a truck or truck tractor tows one or more trucks or truck tractors, each connected by a saddle to the vehicle in front of it; the towed vehicles essentially piggyback the power unit or one another.
This bill increases, from 75 feet to 97 feet, the length limit on certain highways for vehicle combinations, operated without a permit, involving two or three towed vehicles being transported by the drive-away method in saddlemount combination.
Read the full summary Show less
The increased length limit of 97 feet applies to these vehicle combinations when operating on a highway designated by DOT as a long truck route or designated by DOT as part of the national system of interstate and defense highways, but the current length limit of 75 feet applies to these vehicle combinations when operating on any other highway. The bill defines "drive-away method in saddlemount combination" as a vehicle combination designed and specifically used to tow up to three trucks or truck tractors, each connected by a saddle to the frame or fifth-wheel of the forward vehicle of the truck or truck tractor in front of it, and including not more than one fullmount. A "fullmount" is a smaller vehicle mounted completely on the frame of either the first or last vehicle in a saddlemount combination. A "saddle" is a mechanism that connects the front axle of a towed vehicle to the frame or fifth-wheel of the vehicle in front and functions like a fifth-wheel kingpin connection.
Who's behind it
7 lawmakers are its . 6 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (7)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Amy Sue Vruwink · Democrat, Assembly
- Thomas Weatherston · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (3)
- Julie M. Lassa · Democrat, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
- Jerry Petrowski · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Transportation vote to recommend it
Passed, 12 to 1 · Sep 5, 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 Transportation, Ayes 12, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 5 to 0 · Jan 13, 2014
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
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Apr 8, 2014
The new law was published.
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Apr 8, 2014
The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 220.
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Apr 7, 2014
Sent to the governor.
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Jan 14, 2014
The Senate passed it too.
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Jan 13, 2014
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Oct 9, 2013
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
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Oct 9, 2013
The Senate received it.
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Oct 8, 2013
The Assembly passed it.
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Sep 5, 2013
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Sep 5, 2013
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 12 to 1.
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Aug 22, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Aug 13, 2013
The committee held a public hearing.
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Aug 7, 2013
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.
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Aug 7, 2013
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Aug 7, 2013 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Spiros, Ripp, Ballweg, Brooks, Murphy, Vruwink and Weatherston; cosponsored by Senators Petrowski, Lassa and Olsen
- Aug 7, 2013 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation
- Aug 13, 2013 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Aug 22, 2013 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Aug 27, 2013 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Sep 5, 2013 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation, Ayes 12, Noes 1
- Sep 5, 2013 · Assembly
Referred to Committee on Rules
- Oct 3, 2013 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 10-8-2013 by Committee on Rules
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 9, 2013 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Oct 9, 2013 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Oct 9, 2013 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 13, 2014 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Jan 13, 2014 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-14-2014 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 14, 2014 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Jan 17, 2014 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 1-17-2014
- Apr 7, 2014 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-7-2014
- Apr 8, 2014 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2014. 2013 Wisconsin Act 220
- 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
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
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote