Assembly Bill 615
Serving certain documents relating to restraining orders and injunctions. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 11, 2016. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Dec 29, 2015
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 9, 2016
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 16, 2016
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2015 Wisconsin Act 349
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 11, 2016: “Published 4-12-2016”
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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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, an individual who is, or who acts on behalf of, a victim of abuse, harassment, or threats (petitioner) may obtain from a court a temporary restraining order against the person who has committed the acts of abuse, harassment, or making a threat (respondent). The restraining order bars the respondent from contacting the petitioner and requires the respondent to stay away from the petitioner's residence and other places temporarily occupied by the petitioner until a court conducts a hearing to determine whether the restraining order should be incorporated into a longer lasting injunction.
If the court determines that the respondent has engaged in, or may engage in, acts of abuse, harassment, or threats against the petitioner, the court may issue an injunction. An injunction may stay in effect for up to four years and bars the respondent from contacting the petitioner, requires the person to stay away from the petitioner's residence, and may require the respondent to stay away from other locations temporarily occupied by the petitioner.
Read the full summary Show less
Currently, if a court issues a restraining order or injunction or enters another order relating to a restraining order or injunction, the court can order, upon the petitioner's request, a sheriff to assist the petitioner in serving the respondent or in attaining physical possession of the petitioner's residence.
Under this bill, if a court issues a restraining order or injunction or enters another order relating to a restraining order or injunction, the clerk of court is required to forward a copy of the order or injunction to the sheriff and the sheriff is required to assist the petitioner in serving the respondent, unless the petitioner opts to hire a private server at his or her own expense. Under the bill, a sheriff may supply a form that is given to the petitioner by the clerk of court in order to gather information about the respondent that may be useful in effecting service. The bill requires the clerk of court to maintain the form in a confidential manner, and allows the clerk of court to transmit documents to the sheriff electronically, so long as the contents of the documents are protected from unauthorized disclosure. The bill requires a sheriff who serves or executes a document and who uses an automated victim notification system to give the petitioner timely notification of the service.
Who's behind it
19 lawmakers are its . 15 are Republicans and 4 are Democrats.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (19)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Kathleen Bernier · Republican, Senate
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Cody Horlacher · Republican, Assembly
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Robb Kahl · Democrat, Assembly
- Joel Kleefisch · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Amy Loudenbeck · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Thomas Larson · Republican, Assembly
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (5)
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
- Jerry Petrowski · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
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 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 13 to 0 · Jan 26, 2016
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 Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 15, 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
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Apr 11, 2016
The new law was published.
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Apr 11, 2016
The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 349.
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Apr 8, 2016
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 16, 2016
The Senate passed it too.
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Feb 15, 2016
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
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Feb 11, 2016
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
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Feb 10, 2016
The Senate received it.
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Feb 9, 2016
The Assembly passed it.
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Feb 9, 2016
The Assembly adopted it.
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Feb 3, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 26, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 26, 2016
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 0.
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Jan 13, 2016
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 29, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
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Dec 29, 2015
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 29, 2015 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Loudenbeck, Kleefisch, Ballweg, Berceau, Bernier, E. Brooks, Horlacher, Jacque, Kahl, Knodl, T. Larson, Murphy, Mursau, A. Ott, Ripp, Skowronski, Subeck, Thiesfeldt and Ohnstad; cosponsored by Senators Petrowski, Hansen, Marklein, Olsen and Wanggaard
- Dec 29, 2015 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Jan 13, 2016 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jan 14, 2016 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jan 26, 2016 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- Jan 26, 2016 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 27, 2016 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Loudenbeck
- Feb 3, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 4, 2016 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-9-2016 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 10, 2016 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 11, 2016 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Feb 11, 2016 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 15, 2016 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Feb 15, 2016 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 16, 2016 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 16, 2016 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 16, 2016 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Feb 16, 2016 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 16, 2016 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 17, 2016 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Feb 29, 2016 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 2-29-2016
- Apr 8, 2016 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-8-2016
- Apr 11, 2016 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-11-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 349
- Apr 11, 2016 · Assembly
Published 4-12-2016
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
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote