Senate Bill 245
Applications for public assistance programs, offenses in public assistance programs, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 9, 2014. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Aug 7, 2013
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 14, 2014
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 20, 2014
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2013 Wisconsin Act 226
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 9, 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, various offenses related to the Medical Assistance program (MA), Wisconsin Works (W-2), the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the food stamp program and currently known in Wisconsin as FoodShare, and other public assistance programs administered by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) (public assistance programs) are subject to criminal penalties. For example, a person who makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact in an application for a benefit or payment, or for use in determining rights to any benefit or payment, under MA is subject to a Class H felony. Similarly, a person who knowingly and willfully makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact in an application for W-2 benefits or payments may be fined not more than $10,000, imprisoned for not more than nine months, or both. This bill moves offenses related to public assistance programs to the chapter of the Wisconsin Statutes that relates to crimes against government and its administration. Specifically, under the bill, that chapter of the Wisconsin Statutes contains provisions related to W-2 fraud, MA fraud, FoodShare fraud, and general public assistance fraud.
Under current law, the Department of Justice (DOJ) or a district attorney is authorized to prosecute violations of criminal laws affecting MA. Under the bill, DOJ or a district attorney is authorized to prosecute violations of criminal laws affecting any public assistance program, including W-2, FoodShare, and MA.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law, any person who makes any statement in a written application for public assistance is considered to have made an admission as to the existence, correctness, or validity of any fact stated, which may be used in an enforcement action. Under the bill, an employee who accepts an application for public assistance is authorized to administer an oath to the applicant that the information given is true and correct to the best of the applicant's knowledge. The bill also requires DCF and DHS to promulgate rules providing standards and procedures for the administration of such an oath.
Who's behind it
7 senators are its . All 7 are Republicans.
15 more lawmakers .
See all 22 names Hide the names
Authors (7)
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Glenn Grothman · Republican, Senate
- Richard Gudex · Republican, Senate
- Neal Kedzie · Republican, Senate
- Mary Lazich · Republican, Senate
- Joe Leibham · Republican, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (15)
- Mike Endsley · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Ott · Republican, Assembly
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Samantha Kerkman · Republican, Assembly
- Steve Kestell · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kleefisch · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- John Nygren · Republican, Assembly
- Don Pridemore · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Sanfelippo · Republican, Assembly
- Michael Schraa · Republican, Assembly
- Pat Strachota · Republican, Assembly
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.
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · Dec 20, 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 Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Dec 20, 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 Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. 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: “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 · Jan 13, 2014
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, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 31 to 1 · Jan 14, 2014 · 1 didn't vote
See how each of the 33 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (31)
- Alberta Darling (R, 8)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dale Schultz (R, 17)
- Dave Hansen (D, 30)
- Frank G. Lasee (R, 1)
- Fred A. Risser (D, 26)
- Glenn Grothman (R, 20)
- Jennifer Shilling (D, 32)
- Jerry Petrowski (R, 29)
- Joe Leibham (R, 9)
- John Lehman (D, 21)
- Jon Erpenbach (D, 27)
- Julie M. Lassa (D, 24)
- Leah Vukmir (R, 5)
- Lena Taylor (D, 4)
- Luther S. Olsen (R, 14)
- Mark Miller (D, 16)
- Mary Lazich (R, 28)
- Michael Ellis (R, 19)
- Neal Kedzie (R, 11)
- Paul F. Farrow (R, 33)
- Richard Gudex (R, 18)
- Rob Cowles (R, 2)
- Robert Jauch (D, 25)
- Scott L. Fitzgerald (R, 13)
- Sheila Harsdorf (R, 10)
- Terry Moulton (R, 23)
- Thomas Tiffany (R, 12)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
- Timothy Cullen (D, 15)
No (1)
- Nikiya Harris Dodd (D, 6)
Didn't vote (1)
- Kathleen Vinehout (D, 31)
Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 31, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations vote to recommend it
Passed, 15 to 1 · Feb 18, 2014
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations, Ayes 15, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote on an amendment
Passed, 56 to 39 · Feb 20, 2014
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 39”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 9, 2014
The new law was published.
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Apr 9, 2014
The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 226.
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Apr 7, 2014
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 20, 2014
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 18, 2014
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 18, 2014
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 15 to 1.
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Feb 5, 2014
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 24, 2014
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 15, 2014
Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations.
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Jan 15, 2014
The Assembly received it.
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Jan 14, 2014
The Senate passed it, 31 to 1.
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Jan 14, 2014
The Senate adopted it.
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Jan 13, 2014
“Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Jan 13, 2014
Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.
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Dec 20, 2013
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Dec 20, 2013
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Nov 27, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 20, 2013
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 28, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Aug 7, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Aug 7, 2013
Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
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Aug 7, 2013
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Aug 7, 2013 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Darling, Gudex, Grothman, Kedzie, Lazich, Leibham and Olsen; cosponsored by Representatives Nygren, Krug, Knodl, Endsley, Jacque, Kaufert, Kerkman, Kestell, Kleefisch, Nass, J. Ott, Pridemore, Sanfelippo, Schraa and Strachota
- Aug 7, 2013 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
- Aug 7, 2013 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Aug 7, 2013 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 28, 2013 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 20, 2013 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Nov 21, 2013 · Senate
LRB correction
- Nov 27, 2013 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 5, 2013 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Darling
- Dec 19, 2013 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Dec 20, 2013 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Dec 20, 2013 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Dec 20, 2013 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 13, 2014 · Senate
Referred to Joint Committee on Finance by Committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Jan 13, 2014 · Senate
Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), 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
Senate Amendment 1 adopted
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 31, Noes 1
- Jan 14, 2014 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 15, 2014 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Jan 15, 2014 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on State Affairs and Government Operations
- Jan 24, 2014 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 5, 2014 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 12, 2014 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations, Ayes 15, Noes 1
- Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly
Referred to Committee on Rules
- Feb 18, 2014 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-20-2014 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Goyke and Genrich
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 56, Noes 39
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 20, 2014 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 21, 2014 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Mar 6, 2014 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Apr 7, 2014 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 4-7-2014
- Apr 9, 2014 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2014. 2013 Wisconsin Act 226
- Apr 9, 2014 · Senate
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