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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 238

Billing the Medical Assistance program for prescription drugs by certain entities. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 18, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Aug 24, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 19 to 14

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 61 to 35

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 152

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 18, 2016: “Published 2-19-2016”

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 certain entities, when billing the Medical Assistance (MA) program for reimbursement of a prescription drug, to bill the actual acquisition cost of the prescription drug and the dispensing fee charged under the MA program.

Under current law, the MA program provides coverage for prescription drugs as a benefit. The federal government, under current federal law, has an agreement with drug manufacturers to limit the price of certain drugs purchased by covered entities to the average manufacturer price reduced by any rebate percentage.

Read the full summary

"Covered entity" is defined in federal law and, for purposes of this bill, means certain family planning projects and certain entities that receive funds related to treatment of sexually-transmitted diseases or tuberculosis. This bill specifies that a covered entity must charge the actual acquisition cost of a prescription drug and the standard MA dispensing fee when billing the MA program for reimbursement.

Who's behind it

7 senators are its ⁠. All 7 are Republicans.

36 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 43 names

Authors (7)

Signed on in support (36)

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 8 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Oct 16, 2015

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 Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 14 · Jan 20, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 14 · Jan 20, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 14 · Jan 20, 2016

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 3 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Failed, 14 to 19 · Jan 20, 2016

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Refused to reject Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 14, Noes 19”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 19 to 14 · Jan 20, 2016

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 19, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 61 to 35 · Feb 11, 2016 · 3 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (61)

Didn't vote (3)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 61, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 61 to 35 · Feb 11, 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 61, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 18, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 18, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 152.

  3. Feb 17, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 11, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too, 61 to 35.

  5. Feb 11, 2016

    “Placed at the foot of the calendar of 2-11-2016” (the official wording)

  6. Jan 25, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  7. Jan 21, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  8. Jan 20, 2016

    The Senate passed it, 19 to 14.

  9. Jan 20, 2016

    The Senate adopted it, 19 to 14.

  10. Oct 16, 2015

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  11. Sep 22, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Sep 18, 2015

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  13. Sep 14, 2015

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Aug 24, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

  15. Aug 24, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Aug 24, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Kapenga, Lazich, LeMahieu, Moulton, Nass, Roth and Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives Jacque, Kleefisch, Allen, Ballweg, Bernier, Born, Brandtjen, R. Brooks, Craig, Czaja, Edming, Gannon, Heaton, Horlacher, Hutton, Jarchow, Knodl, Knudson, Kooyenga, Kremer, Krug, Kulp, T. Larson, Macco, Murphy, A. Ott, Petersen, Quinn, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Schraa, Skowronski, Steffen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl and Vorpagel

  2. Aug 24, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  3. Sep 14, 2015 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Sep 18, 2015 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Sep 22, 2015 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Oct 13, 2015 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Oct 16, 2015 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Oct 16, 2015 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Oct 30, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Kapenga

  10. Jan 19, 2016 · Senate

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

  11. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

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

  12. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 offered by Senators Erpenbach, Miller, Vinehout, Harris Dodd, Bewley, Ringhand, C. Larson, L. Taylor, Carpenter, Hansen, Lassa, Shilling and Risser

  13. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  14. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Refused to reject Senate Amendment 1, Ayes 14, Noes 19

  15. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  16. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  17. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  18. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 19, Noes 14

  21. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  23. Jan 25, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  24. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-11-2016 by Committee on Rules

  25. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed at the foot of the calendar of 2-11-2016

  26. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  27. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Shankland, Barca, Hesselbein, Doyle, C. Taylor, Subeck, Stuck, Brostoff, Hintz, Meyers, Spreitzer, Ohnstad, Pope, Considine, Billings, Sargent, Zepnick, Bowen, Genrich, Riemer, Young and Wachs

  28. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 61, Noes 35

  29. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  30. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  31. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 61, Noes 35

  32. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  33. Feb 11, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  34. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  35. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-17-2016

  36. Feb 18, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-18-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 152

  37. Feb 18, 2016 · Senate

    Published 2-19-2016

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