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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 35

Waiting period for handgun purchases

Became law

The governor signed it on Jun 24, 2015. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 13, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 21, 2015

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jun 9, 2015

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 22

Latest entry in the official record, Jun 24, 2015: “Published 6-25-2015”

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.

Current law provides that a federally licensed firearms dealer must request the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a background check of a prospective purchaser before the dealer may transfer a handgun after a sale. Current law also requires the firearms dealer to wait 48 hours after receiving notice that DOJ received the request for a background check, without receiving notice that state or federal law prohibits the purchaser from possessing a firearm, before transferring the handgun to the purchaser. This bill eliminates the 48-hour waiting period. Under this bill, the dealer may transfer the handgun immediately after receiving notice from DOJ that the background check indicates that the purchaser is not prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. All 6 are Republicans.

33 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 39 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (33)

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 6 votes on this bill.

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 12, 2015

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

Official motion: “Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 12, 2015

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

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 12, 2015

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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 21 to 12 · Apr 21, 2015

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 21, Noes 12”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 19 to 13 · Apr 21, 2015 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 19 to 13 · Apr 21, 2015 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Jun 24, 2015

    The new law was published.

  2. Jun 24, 2015

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 22.

  3. Jun 23, 2015

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jun 9, 2015

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. May 5, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Apr 21, 2015

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Apr 21, 2015

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Apr 21, 2015

    “Read a third time” (the official wording)

  9. Apr 21, 2015

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 5 was not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  10. Apr 21, 2015

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 4 was not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  11. Apr 21, 2015

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  12. Apr 21, 2015

    The Senate adopted it.

  13. Mar 12, 2015

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

  14. Mar 12, 2015

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  15. Mar 12, 2015

    “Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  16. Mar 11, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  17. Feb 19, 2015

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  18. Feb 13, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  19. Feb 13, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 13, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Wanggaard, Tiffany, Lazich, LeMahieu, Moulton and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Quinn, Kremer, Czaja, Thiesfeldt, Allen, August, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Craig, Gannon, Horlacher, Jarchow, Kapenga, Katsma, Kleefisch, Knodl, Krug, Kulp, T. Larson, Macco, Mursau, Murtha, Neylon, A. Ott, Sanfelippo, Schraa, Skowronski, Steffen, Swearingen, Tauchen and Weatherston

  2. Feb 13, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  3. Feb 19, 2015 · Senate

    Representative Vorpagel added as a cosponsor

  4. Mar 11, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard

  5. Mar 11, 2015 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Mar 12, 2015 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Mar 12, 2015 · Senate

    Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  8. Mar 12, 2015 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  9. Mar 12, 2015 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  10. Mar 12, 2015 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  11. Apr 20, 2015 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-21-2015 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  12. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 offered by Senators Carpenter and L. Taylor

  13. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 4 offered by Senators Hansen, Wirch, L. Taylor, Carpenter, Harris Dodd, Miller and C. Larson

  14. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 5 offered by Senators Harris Dodd, Miller, Hansen, L. Taylor, Bewley, Risser and C. Larson

  15. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Read a second time

  16. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  17. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 3 was not germane well taken

  18. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 21, Noes 12

  19. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 4 was not germane well taken

  20. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  21. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 5 was not germane well taken

  22. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgement of the Senate, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  23. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  25. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Read a third time

  26. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Passed

  27. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Apr 21, 2015 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  29. May 5, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  30. Jun 3, 2015 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 6-9-2015 by Committee on Rules

  31. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  32. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  33. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  34. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  35. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  36. Jun 9, 2015 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  37. Jun 10, 2015 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  38. Jun 23, 2015 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  39. Jun 23, 2015 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 6-23-2015

  40. Jun 24, 2015 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 6-24-2015. 2015 Wisconsin Act 22

  41. Jun 24, 2015 · Senate

    Published 6-25-2015

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

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary