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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 451

Right-of-way in roundabouts

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 4, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Oct 23, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jan 12, 2016

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Jan 20, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 139

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 4, 2016: “Published 2-5-2016”

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.

This bill requires the operator of an automobile, motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle to yield the right-of-way to certain vehicles approaching or maneuvering through a roundabout.

Under current law, whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly indicated lanes, the operator of a vehicle is required to drive within a single lane and may not deviate from the lane unless such movement can be made with safety to vehicles approaching from the rear.

Read the full summary

Under this bill, a person operating a vehicle that is not an automobile, motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle within a roundabout may deviate from the traffic lane in which the operator is driving if necessary to navigate a roundabout.

Under this bill, the operator of an automobile, motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle is required to yield the right-of-way to any motor vehicle that is not an automobile, motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle approaching or maneuvering through a roundabout.

Who's behind it

3 representatives are its ⁠. All 3 are Republicans.

1 more lawmaker ⁠.

See all 4 names

Authors (3)

Signed on in support (1)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Transportation vote on an amendment

Passed, 13 to 0 · Dec 10, 2015

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Transportation, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Transportation vote to recommend it

Passed, 14 to 0 · Dec 10, 2015

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 Transportation, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Jan 19, 2016

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 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 4, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 4, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 139.

  3. Feb 3, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 20, 2016

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Jan 19, 2016

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  6. Jan 15, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Jan 13, 2016

    The Senate received it.

  8. Jan 12, 2016

    The Assembly passed it.

  9. Jan 12, 2016

    The Assembly adopted it.

  10. Dec 10, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Dec 10, 2015

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

  12. Oct 28, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Oct 23, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.

  14. Oct 23, 2015

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Oct 23, 2015 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives E. Brooks, Spiros and Ripp; cosponsored by Senator Marklein

  2. Oct 23, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation

  3. Oct 28, 2015 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Nov 16, 2015 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative E. Brooks

  5. Dec 8, 2015 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Dec 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Transportation, Ayes 13, Noes 0

  7. Dec 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Transportation, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  8. Dec 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Jan 7, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-12-2016 by Committee on Rules

  10. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  11. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  13. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  15. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  16. Jan 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  17. Jan 13, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  18. Jan 15, 2016 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  19. Jan 15, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Jan 19, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  21. Jan 19, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 1-20-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  22. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  23. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  25. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  26. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  28. Feb 3, 2016 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 2-3-2016

  29. Feb 3, 2016 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 2-3-2016

  30. Feb 4, 2016 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-4-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 139

  31. Feb 4, 2016 · Assembly

    Published 2-5-2016

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