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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 438

The location of operations of a collection agency and persons employed by a collection agency

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 2, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 7, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Jan 20, 2016

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 239

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 2, 2016: “Published 3-2-2016”

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 allows an employee of a licensed collection agency to work from the employee's home and clarifies that, in doing so, the employee is not required to be separately licensed as a collector or solicitor.

Under current law, a person may not operate as a collection agency unless the person is licensed as a collection agency by the Division of Banking in the Department of Financial Institutions. A "collection agency" is defined as a person engaging in the business of collecting or receiving for payment for others of any account, bill, or other indebtedness, but the definition also contains specific exceptions, including those for attorneys and banks. A collection agency license permits operation of the collection agency only at or from the location specified in the license and the collection agency license must be conspicuously posted in the office of the collection agency.

Read the full summary

Also under current law, a "collector" or "solicitor" is defined as a person employed by a collection agency to collect or receive payment, or to solicit the receiving or collecting of payment, for others of any account, bill, or other indebtedness outside of the office. A collector or solicitor must hold a separate license as a collector or solicitor, which must state the name of the collector's or solicitor's employer. The collector or solicitor must carry this license as a means of identification whenever the collector or solicitor is engaged in business.

This bill specifies that an employee of a licensed collection agency may work from the employee's home if the employee complies with all of the same requirements that would apply if the employee were working within the licensed office of the collection agency. The bill also modifies the definition of "collector" or "solicitor" so that it does not include a person who works from home and the bill clarifies that a licensed collector or solicitor employed by a collection agency may work outside the licensed office of the collection agency.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. All 6 are Republicans.

18 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 24 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (18)

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Senate Committee on Revenue vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Jan 15, 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 Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 2, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 2, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 239.

  3. Feb 25, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Jan 25, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Jan 21, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Jan 20, 2016

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Jan 15, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  9. Dec 15, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  10. Dec 10, 2015

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  11. Dec 7, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues.

  12. Dec 7, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 7, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators LeMahieu, Lasee, Moulton, Nass, Stroebel and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Nerison, Allen, Ballweg, E. Brooks, Doyle, Horlacher, Jacque, Kahl, Katsma, Knodl, Kooyenga, Kremer, Murphy, Ripp, Steffen, Tittl and Vorpagel

  2. Dec 7, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues

  3. Dec 10, 2015 · Senate

    Representative Loudenbeck added as a cosponsor

  4. Dec 15, 2015 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 13, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Jan 15, 2016 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Jan 15, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Jan 19, 2016 · Senate

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

  9. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  10. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  11. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  12. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  13. Jan 20, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  14. Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  15. Jan 25, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  16. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

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

  17. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  18. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  20. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  21. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  23. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  24. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016

  25. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-1-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 239

  26. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Published 3-2-2016

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

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