Assembly Bill 981
Eliminating monetary bail as a condition of release in criminal proceedings. (FE)
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.
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Introduced, passed
Mar 10, 2016
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 25, 2016: “Fiscal estimate received”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Judiciary. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
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. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill eliminates monetary bail as a condition of release for a defendant charged with, or convicted of, a crime.
Under current law, a defendant who has been arrested for a criminal offense or a defendant who has been convicted of a crime and is awaiting sentencing may be released with monetary bail as a condition of release. Monetary bail may be satisfied by the execution of a bail bond with sufficient sureties or by payment of the indicated amount in cash. Current law allows a court to impose other conditions of release, including limitations on travel and requirements for the defendant to avoid alcohol or controlled substances, to avoid contact with certain persons, and to participate in certain programs. If the defendant fails to appear in subsequent proceedings or violates a condition of release, he or she forfeits the monetary bail.
Read the full summary Show less
Under the bill, a court is required to release a defendant before trial unless it finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that there is a substantial risk that the defendant will not appear for trial or will cause serious bodily harm to a member of the community or intimidate a witness if he or she is released. Under the bill, the court may not use the nature, number, and gravity of the offenses as the sole sufficient reason for refusing to release the defendant.
The bill also eliminates the practice of imposing a monetary bail on a witness to ensure the witness's appearance at trial, eliminates the use of monetary bail to compensate victims of crimes, and eliminates the use of monetary bail as a means of securing a person's appearance in a civil forfeiture action.
The bill allows the court to set nonmonetary conditions of release for defendants and for persons convicted of a crime but not sentenced or ordered to release upon or pending appeal.
Who's behind it
8 representatives are its . All 8 are Democrats.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (8)
- Mandela Barnes · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- David Bowen · Democrat, Assembly
- Jonathan Brostoff · Democrat, Assembly
- Dave Considine · Democrat, Assembly
- Evan Goyke · Democrat, Assembly
- Frederick Kessler · Democrat, Assembly
- JoCasta Zamarripa · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (2)
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Apr 25, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 19, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 13, 2016
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Mar 10, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.
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Mar 10, 2016
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 10, 2016 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Goyke, Barnes, Bowen, Brostoff, Kessler, Berceau, Considine and Zamarripa; cosponsored by Senators C. Larson and L. Taylor
- Mar 10, 2016 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Apr 13, 2016 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Apr 19, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 25, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
Terms on this page
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. 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
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
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