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Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 780

Eliminating voluntary intoxication as a defense to criminal liability. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 16, 2014. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 18, 2014

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Mar 18, 2014

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 1, 2014

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 307

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 16, 2014: “Published 4-17-2014”

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, if a person is intoxicated or drugged when he or she is alleged to have committed a crime, the intoxication or drugged condition is a defense to criminal liability if: 1) the person was involuntarily intoxicated or drugged at the time of the alleged offense and the person's condition rendered him or her incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong; or 2) the person's condition, whether voluntarily or involuntarily produced, made it impossible for him or her to have had the intent necessary to commit the crime. Voluntary intoxication, however, is generally not a defense in the second situation if the offense charged is based on the person's criminal recklessness. This bill eliminates the defense of voluntary intoxication.

Who's behind it

4 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 8 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (4)

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 Judiciary vote to recommend it

Passed, 9 to 0 · Mar 10, 2014

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 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 31, 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

  1. Apr 16, 2014

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 16, 2014

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 307.

  3. Apr 15, 2014

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 1, 2014

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Apr 1, 2014

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  6. Mar 31, 2014

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

  7. Mar 19, 2014

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  8. Mar 19, 2014

    The Senate received it.

  9. Mar 18, 2014

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  10. Mar 18, 2014

    The Assembly passed it.

  11. Mar 10, 2014

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Mar 10, 2014

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.

  13. Mar 4, 2014

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Feb 27, 2014

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  15. Feb 27, 2014

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. Feb 26, 2014

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Feb 18, 2014

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.

  18. Feb 18, 2014

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Nass, August, Bies and Jacque; cosponsored by Senator Kedzie

  2. Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. Feb 26, 2014 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 27, 2014 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Feb 27, 2014 · Assembly

    Representative Craig added as a coauthor

  6. Mar 4, 2014 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Mar 4, 2014 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Mar 4, 2014 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  9. Mar 10, 2014 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  10. Mar 10, 2014 · Assembly

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  11. Mar 12, 2014 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 3-18-2014 by Committee on Rules

  12. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  13. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  15. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  16. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Representative Barca added as a coauthor

  17. Mar 18, 2014 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  18. Mar 19, 2014 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  19. Mar 19, 2014 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  20. Mar 19, 2014 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  21. Mar 31, 2014 · Senate

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

  22. Mar 31, 2014 · Senate

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

  23. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Read a second time

  24. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  26. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor

  27. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  28. Apr 1, 2014 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Apr 2, 2014 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  30. Apr 4, 2014 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 4-4-2014

  31. Apr 15, 2014 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-15-2014

  32. Apr 16, 2014 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-16-2014. 2013 Wisconsin Act 307

  33. Apr 16, 2014 · Assembly

    Published 4-17-2014

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

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