Skip to content
Bills from the 2013–14 session

Senate Bill 240

Knowledge tests for commercial driver license applicants who hold a military commercial driver license. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Dec 16, 2013. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jul 31, 2013

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Oct 8, 2013

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Oct 15, 2013

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 94

Latest entry in the official record, Dec 16, 2013: “Published 12-14-2013”

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) generally must examine every applicant for an operator's license, including a commercial driver license (CDL), and the examination must include both a knowledge test and a driving skills test. DOT must promulgate rules setting testing standards consistent with federal law, including standards for CDL applicants. DOT's standards must require a knowledge test and driving skills test for persons making their first application for an operator's license. DOT may require persons changing their residence to this state from another jurisdiction to take all or parts of the examination required of persons making their first application for an operator's license.

Also under current law, if an applicant to DOT for a CDL holds a military CDL and submits the military CDL and certain other documentation to DOT, DOT must treat the application the same as an application submitted by a person holding a CDL from another jurisdiction.

Read the full summary

Federal regulations generally require that a military CDL holder who applies for a state-issued CDL must pass a knowledge test before the CDL is issued.

This bill specifies that, if a military CDL holder applies to DOT for a CDL, DOT must require the applicant to take and pass applicable knowledge tests, unless the applicant is exempt from, or eligible for a waiver of, these knowledge tests under applicable federal regulations.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its ⁠. 3 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

10 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 15 names

Authors (5)

Signed on in support (10)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Senate Committee on Transportation vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Aug 29, 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, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Dec 16, 2013

    The new law was published.

  2. Dec 16, 2013

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 94.

  3. Dec 12, 2013

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Oct 15, 2013

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Oct 10, 2013 to Oct 15, 2013

    3 more representatives and 1 senator signed on in support.

  6. Oct 10, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  7. Oct 9, 2013

    The Assembly received it.

  8. Oct 8, 2013

    The Senate passed it.

  9. Aug 29, 2013

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  10. Aug 22, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  11. Aug 21, 2013

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  12. Jul 31, 2013

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.

  13. Jul 31, 2013

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jul 31, 2013 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Hansen, Olsen, Schultz and L. Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Ripp, Bernard Schaber, Kooyenga, Ohnstad, A. Ott, Spiros, Weatherston and Wright

  2. Jul 31, 2013 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs

  3. Aug 21, 2013 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Aug 22, 2013 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Aug 29, 2013 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Aug 29, 2013 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Aug 29, 2013 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Oct 7, 2013 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-8-2013 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  9. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Read a second time

  10. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  11. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  12. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  13. Oct 8, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  14. Oct 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  15. Oct 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  16. Oct 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Senator Carpenter added as a coauthor

  17. Oct 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 10-15-2013 by Committee on Rules

  18. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Representatives Smith, Barca and Riemer added as cosponsors

  19. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  20. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  23. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  25. Oct 18, 2013 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  26. Dec 12, 2013 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 12-12-2013

  27. Dec 16, 2013 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-13-2013. 2013 Wisconsin Act 94

  28. Dec 16, 2013 · Senate

    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