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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 580

The width and weight limits of certain motor vehicles operated on a highway. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 1, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 7, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jan 19, 2016

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 9, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 171

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 1, 2016: “Published 3-1-2016”

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 creates vehicle weight and width exceptions allowing limited operation on the highway of certain logging vehicles without limitation on weight and with a width of up to 12 feet.

Under current law, unless an exception applies, no person may operate on a highway, without a permit, any vehicle that exceeds certain statutory size or weight limits. Unless an exception applies, a person may not, without a permit, operate on a highway any vehicle having a total width in excess of eight feet six inches.

Read the full summary

Statutory weight limits depend in part on the type and configuration of the vehicle.

This bill creates vehicle weight and width exceptions for skidders, forwarders, harvesters, and wheeled feller bunchers operated for logging purposes and operated on the highway for a distance of 0.5 miles or less under which these vehicles may be operated, without a permit, at a width of up to 12 feet and without limitation on weight if unladen.

Under current law, if any bill introduced in either house of the legislature directly or indirectly establishes an exception to vehicle weight limits, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must prepare a report, containing specified information, relating to the bill within six weeks after the bill is introduced and before any vote is taken on the bill.

This bill directs DOT not to prepare such a report on this bill.

Who's behind it

7 representatives are its ⁠. All 7 are Republicans.

2 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 9 names

Authors (7)

Signed on in support (2)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Environment and Forestry vote on an amendment

Passed, 13 to 0 · Jan 13, 2016

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

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

Assembly Committee on Environment and Forestry vote to recommend it

Passed, 12 to 1 · Jan 13, 2016

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 Environment and Forestry, Ayes 12, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 8, 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. Mar 1, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 1, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 171.

  3. Feb 25, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 18, 2016

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Feb 12, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 9, 2016

    The Assembly adopted it.

  7. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate passed it too.

  8. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 8, 2016

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

  10. Jan 22, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  11. Jan 19, 2016

    The Senate received it.

  12. Jan 19, 2016

    The Assembly passed it.

  13. Jan 19, 2016

    The Assembly adopted it.

  14. Jan 13, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  15. Jan 13, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 12 to 1.

  16. Dec 15, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  17. Dec 15, 2015

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  18. Dec 7, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Environment and Forestry.

  19. Dec 7, 2015

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Mursau, Czaja, Ripp, Jarchow, A. Ott, R. Brooks and E. Brooks; cosponsored by Senators Petrowski and Tiffany

  2. Dec 7, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Environment and Forestry

  3. Dec 11, 2015 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Mursau

  4. Dec 15, 2015 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Dec 15, 2015 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Jan 5, 2016 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Jan 13, 2016 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Environment and Forestry, Ayes 13, Noes 0

  8. Jan 13, 2016 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Environment and Forestry, Ayes 12, Noes 1

  9. Jan 13, 2016 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  10. Jan 14, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-19-2016 by Committee on Rules

  11. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  13. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  15. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  16. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  17. Jan 19, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  18. Jan 22, 2016 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  19. Jan 22, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

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

  21. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-9-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  22. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator S. Fitzgerald

  23. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  24. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  25. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  27. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended

  28. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate amended and concurred in as amended (Senate amendment 1 adopted)

  30. Feb 12, 2016 · Assembly

    Read and referred to committee on Rules

  31. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 1:20 PM on 2-18-2016 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 29

  32. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Senate Amendment 1 concurred in

  33. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  34. Feb 25, 2016 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  35. Feb 25, 2016 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 2-25-2016

  36. Feb 25, 2016 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016

  37. Mar 1, 2016 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-29-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 171

  38. Mar 1, 2016 · Assembly

    Published 3-1-2016

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

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