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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 179

Access to investigational drugs, devices, and biological products and limitations on liability related to their use

Stopped in committee

It never got a ⁠, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 22, 2015

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Assembly vote, not reached

  4. Senate vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 13, 2016: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Health. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

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What it would have done

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

Under this bill, a manufacturer of an investigational drug, device, or biological product may make the investigational drug, device, or biological product available to an eligible patient. Under the bill, an investigational drug, device, or biological product is one that has not yet been approved for general use by the federal Food and Drug Administration, but, among other requirements, has successfully completed a phase one clinical trial and remains under investigation or is pending approval by the federal food and drug administration for general use. A patient is eligible under the bill if, among other things, the patient has considered all treatment options approved for general use, has received a treating physician's recommendation or prescription order for an investigational drug, device, or biological product, and has given written informed consent for use of the investigational drug, device, or biological product.

The bill provides a limitation of liability under state law for a manufacturer, distributor, pharmacist, physician or other practitioner, or other person who makes available, delivers, distributes, prescribes, dispenses, or administers an investigational drug, device, or biological product to an eligible patient consistent with the bill's provisions, and who in doing so exercises reasonable care.

Read the full summary

Finally, the bill prohibits an official, employee, or agent of the state from blocking or attempting to block an eligible patient's access to an investigational drug, device, or biological product.

Who's behind it

25 lawmakers are its ⁠. 13 are Republicans and 12 are Democrats.

6 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 31 names

Authors (25)

Signed on in support (6)

What happened

  1. Apr 13, 2016

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Apr 22, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Health.

  3. Apr 22, 2015

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 22, 2015 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Kleefisch, Hesselbein, Berceau, Bowen, Craig, Edming, Horlacher, Johnson, Kahl, Kitchens, Kooyenga, Kremer, Kulp, Milroy, Novak, Ohnstad, Pope, Quinn, Sargent, Sinicki, Steffen, Subeck, C. Taylor, Vorpagel and R. Brooks; cosponsored by Senators Risser, Harris Dodd, Lassa, Miller, Ringhand and L. Taylor

  2. Apr 22, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Health

  3. Apr 13, 2016 · Assembly

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

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

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor