Skip to content
Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 165

Town zoning ordinances affecting shorelands

Became law

The governor signed it on Jul 1, 2015. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 15, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 95 to 0

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Jun 9, 2015

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 41

Latest entry in the official record, Jul 1, 2015: “Published 7-2-2015”

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, a county must enact a shoreland zoning ordinance for all shorelands in its unincorporated area and the ordinance must meet shoreland zoning standards established by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by rule. Current law defines a shoreland to be an area within a specified distance from the edge of a navigable water.

Current law also provides that if an existing town ordinance relating to shorelands is more restrictive than a later enacted county shoreland zoning ordinance, the town ordinance remains in effect to the extent of the greater restrictions, but not otherwise.

Read the full summary

In Hegwood v. Town of Eagle Zoning Board of Appeals , 2013 WI App 118, N.W.

2d 111, the Wisconsin Appellate Court held that a town has no authority to regulate shorelands unless the town enacted an ordinance before a county shoreland zoning ordinance was enacted regulating the same shorelands. The court held that in that case, the town ordinance continues in effect only to the extent that it is more restrictive than the later enacted county shoreland zoning ordinance.

This bill provides that a town, with certain exceptions, may enact a zoning ordinance, consistent with its existing zoning authority, that applies in shorelands.

The bill also specifies that a town zoning ordinance may not impose restrictions or requirements in shorelands with respect to matters regulated by a county shoreland ordinance affecting the same shorelands. The bill does not change current law which provides that a town ordinance that is in effect before a county shoreland zoning ordinance takes effect and that is more restrictive than the county shoreland zoning ordinance, continues to apply to the extent of the greater restrictions.

Who's behind it

23 lawmakers are its ⁠. 17 are Republicans and 6 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 32 names

Authors (23)

Signed on in support (9)

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations vote to recommend it

Passed, 14 to 0 · May 7, 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 State Affairs and Government Operations, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 95 to 0 · May 13, 2015 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (95)

Didn't vote (4)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Jun 5, 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 Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Jun 8, 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. Jul 1, 2015

    The new law was published.

  2. Jul 1, 2015

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 41.

  3. Jun 30, 2015

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jun 9, 2015

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Jun 8, 2015

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

  6. Jun 5, 2015

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

  7. May 21, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government.

  8. May 14, 2015

    The Senate received it.

  9. May 13, 2015

    The Assembly passed it, 95 to 0.

  10. May 7, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. May 7, 2015

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 14 to 0.

  12. Apr 28, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Apr 15, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations.

  14. Apr 15, 2015

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 15, 2015 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Jacque, Spreitzer, Born, Jarchow, Kahl, E. Brooks, Tittl, Loudenbeck, Ripp, Kolste, Billings, Murphy, Kulp, Rohrkaste, Doyle, Allen, Bernier, Danou, Thiesfeldt, Novak, Krug, Murtha and Macco; cosponsored by Senators Gudex, Ringhand, Olsen, Lassa, Cowles, Vinehout, Lasee, Roth and Wirch

  2. Apr 15, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations

  3. Apr 28, 2015 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. May 6, 2015 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  5. May 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  6. May 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  7. May 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-13-2015 by Committee on Rules

  8. May 13, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  9. May 13, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  10. May 13, 2015 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  11. May 13, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 0

  12. May 13, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  13. May 14, 2015 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  14. May 21, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Elections and Local Government

  15. Jun 3, 2015 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  16. Jun 5, 2015 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  17. Jun 5, 2015 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  18. Jun 8, 2015 · Senate

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

  19. Jun 8, 2015 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 6-9-2015 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  20. Jun 9, 2015 · Senate

    Read a second time

  21. Jun 9, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  22. Jun 9, 2015 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  23. Jun 9, 2015 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  24. Jun 9, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  25. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  26. Jun 18, 2015 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 6-18-2015

  27. Jun 30, 2015 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 6-30-2015

  28. Jul 1, 2015 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 7-1-2015. 2015 Wisconsin Act 41

  29. Jul 1, 2015 · Assembly

    Published 7-2-2015

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

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary