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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 744

Requiring institutions of higher education to provide information to students relating to educational costs and financial literacy. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 28, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 19, 2016

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 19 to 13

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 284

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2016: “Published 3-29-2016”

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 any institution of higher education in this state that offers an associate degree or higher (institution) to annually provide a letter to each student that contains certain information, including all of the following: 1) information about each of the student's student loans, including the total amount of debt accrued under the loan, the loan's interest rate, the estimated future monthly payment under the loan, and the total projected cost of the loan; 2) the estimated total cost of attendance at the institution for the academic year, including actual or estimated costs of tuition, fees, and room and board; and 3) the cumulative amount of state, federal, and institutional grants that the student receives. This letter must be provided to the student at the beginning of the academic year. The bill also requires the institution to provide to students information on financial literacy within the student's first semester of enrollment.

Who's behind it

32 lawmakers are its ⁠. 31 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 37 names

Authors (32)

Signed on in support (5)

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 10 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities vote to recommend it

Passed, 9 to 5 · Feb 1, 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 Colleges and Universities, Ayes 9, Noes 5”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 63 to 35 · Feb 16, 2016

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

Official motion: “Assembly Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 63 to 35 · Feb 16, 2016

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 63 to 35 · Feb 16, 2016

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 61 to 36 · Feb 16, 2016

See how each of the 97 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (61)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 61, Noes 36, Paired 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 14, 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

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Mar 15, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Mar 15, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Mar 15, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 19 to 13 · Mar 15, 2016 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 28, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 284.

  3. Mar 24, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 15, 2016

    The Senate passed it too, 19 to 13.

  5. Mar 14, 2016

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

  6. Mar 10, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Feb 17, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.

  8. Feb 17, 2016

    The Senate received it.

  9. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it, 61 to 36.

  10. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly adopted it.

  11. Feb 5, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Feb 1, 2016

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  13. Feb 1, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 5.

  14. Jan 28, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Jan 22, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  16. Jan 21, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Jan 21, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  18. Jan 19, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.

  19. Jan 19, 2016

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Murphy, Krug, VanderMeer, Macco, Kulp, Gannon, Knudson, Neylon, Czaja, Mursau, Hintz, Kremer, Petryk, Duchow, Rohrkaste, Knodl, T. Larson, Quinn, Bernier, Ballweg, Kleefisch, Rodriguez, R. Brooks, A. Ott, Novak, Born, Tranel, Edming, Loudenbeck, Sanfelippo, Nerison and Kitchens; cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Gudex, Lasee, Moulton and Kapenga

  2. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities

  3. Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Jan 22, 2016 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Jan 26, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Jorgensen, Wachs, Berceau, Billings and Hesselbein

  7. Jan 28, 2016 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Jan 28, 2016 · Assembly

    Executive session held

  9. Feb 1, 2016 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 9, Noes 5

  10. Feb 1, 2016 · Assembly

    Referred to joint committee on Finance

  11. Feb 5, 2016 · Assembly

    Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and referred to committee on Rules

  12. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules

  13. Feb 15, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Murphy

  14. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  15. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representatives Shankland, Wachs, Danou, Hesselbein, Doyle, Mason, Goyke, Hintz, Meyers, Kessler, Spreitzer, Pope, Johnson, Berceau, Stuck, Hebl, Kolste, Billings, Young, Subeck, C. Taylor, Sargent and Bowen

  16. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35

  17. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Mason, C. Taylor and Barca

  18. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35

  19. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 adopted

  20. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative C. Taylor

  21. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 63, Noes 35

  22. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  24. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 61, Noes 36, Paired 2

  25. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  27. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Universities and Technical Colleges

  28. Mar 10, 2016 · Senate

    Withdrawn from committee on Universities and Technical Colleges and rereferred to committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)

  29. Mar 10, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  30. Mar 14, 2016 · Senate

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

  31. Mar 14, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-15-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  32. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Hansen, Wirch, C. Larson, Ringhand, Harris Dodd, Vinehout, Miller and Bewley

  33. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Shilling, Risser, Erpenbach, Miller, Harris Dodd, Ringhand, C. Larson, Wirch, Hansen, Lassa and Bewley

  34. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senators Shilling, Risser, Erpenbach, Miller, Harris Dodd, Ringhand, C. Larson, Wirch, Hansen, Lassa and Bewley

  35. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  36. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  37. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  38. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  39. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  40. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  41. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  42. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  43. Mar 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  44. Mar 24, 2016 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2016

  45. Mar 24, 2016 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-24-2016

  46. Mar 28, 2016 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-28-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 284

  47. Mar 28, 2016 · Assembly

    Published 3-29-2016

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