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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 10

Jurisdiction in matters relating to domestic abuse restraining orders and injunctions, child and at-risk adult abuse restraining orders and injunctions, and harassment restraining orders and injunctions. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 8, 2015. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 27, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 12, 2015

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 17, 2015

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 4

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 8, 2015: “Published 4-9-2015”

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, a court may entertain a civil action only when the court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action and over the persons who are served in the action. Jurisdiction is conferred by the U.S. Constitution, the Wisconsin Constitution, and by statute.

This bill clarifies the circumstances in which a court has subject matter and personal jurisdiction in certain actions for restraining orders or injunctions in cases of domestic abuse, child or at-risk adult abuse, or harassment. Under the bill, a court has jurisdiction of the subject matter to entertain those actions regardless of whether the alleged abuse or harassment occurred within the state. Under the bill, a court has personal jurisdiction over a person who is in another state if any of the following applies:

Read the full summary

1. An act or threat that occurred outside this state is part of an ongoing pattern of harassment that has an adverse effect on the petitioner or a member of the petitioner's family or household if, while the petitioner or a member of the petitioner's family or household resides in this state, the respondent communicated with the petitioner or his or her family or indicated a threat to the petitioner or to a member of his or her family or household.

2. The petitioner or a member of the petitioner's family or household has sought safety or protection in this state as a result of the respondent's actions or threats if, while the petitioner or a member of the petitioner's family or household resides in this state, the respondent communicated with the petitioner or his or her family or indicated a threat to the petitioner, or a member of his or her family or household.

3. Jurisdiction is otherwise permissible under the constitution of the United States or of the state of Wisconsin.

If a court has personal jurisdiction on any of the listed grounds and a respondent has been served but does not appear or file a response or motion asserting the defense of lack of personal jurisdiction, the bill requires the court to hear the action.

Who's behind it

40 lawmakers are its ⁠. 28 are Republicans and 12 are Democrats.

14 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 54 names

Authors (40)

Signed on in support (14)

What it would cost

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

How lawmakers voted

There were 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Interstate Affairs vote to recommend it

Passed, 9 to 0 · Feb 10, 2015

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

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 18, 2015

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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 13, 2015

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 8, 2015

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 8, 2015

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 4.

  3. Apr 7, 2015

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 17, 2015

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  5. Mar 17, 2015

    The Senate passed it too.

  6. Mar 17, 2015

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  7. Mar 13, 2015

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

  8. Feb 18, 2015

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

  9. Feb 13, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  10. Feb 12, 2015

    The Senate received it.

  11. Feb 12, 2015

    The Assembly passed it.

  12. Feb 12, 2015

    3 more representatives signed on in support.

  13. Feb 10, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  14. Feb 10, 2015

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

  15. Feb 4, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. Feb 3, 2015

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Jan 27, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Interstate Affairs.

  18. Jan 27, 2015

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 27, 2015 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Loudenbeck, Jacque, Ballweg, Bernier, Billings, Born, Bowen, E. Brooks, Czaja, Doyle, Hintz, Hutton, Jagler, Johnson, Kahl, Kerkman, Kleefisch, Kremer, T. Larson, Murphy, Mursau, Neylon, Ohnstad, Petersen, Ripp, Rodriguez, Rohrkaste, Sargent, Sinicki, Spiros, Spreitzer, Steffen, Steineke, Subeck, Swearingen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Tranel, Weatherston and Zamarripa; cosponsored by Senators Wanggaard, Harsdorf, Petrowski, Erpenbach, Gudex, Marklein, Moulton, Nass, Olsen, L. Taylor and Vinehout

  2. Jan 27, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Interstate Affairs

  3. Feb 3, 2015 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 4, 2015 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Feb 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Feb 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Interstate Affairs, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  7. Feb 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  8. Feb 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-12-2015 by Committee on Rules

  9. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  10. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Representatives Kolste, Young and Zepnick added as coauthors

  11. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  12. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  13. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  14. Feb 12, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  15. Feb 12, 2015 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  16. Feb 13, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  17. Feb 18, 2015 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  18. Feb 18, 2015 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  19. Feb 18, 2015 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Mar 13, 2015 · Senate

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

  21. Mar 13, 2015 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2015 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  22. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Senator Lassa added as a cosponsor

  23. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Read a second time

  24. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  26. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  27. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor

  28. Mar 17, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Mar 17, 2015 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  30. Mar 24, 2015 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2015

  31. Apr 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-7-2015

  32. Apr 8, 2015 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2015. 2015 Wisconsin Act 4

  33. Apr 8, 2015 · Assembly

    Published 4-9-2015

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