Senate Bill 455
Penalties for, and elements of, certain operating-while-intoxicated offenses and providing a criminal penalty. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 25, 2016. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Dec 14, 2015
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 20, 2016
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed 95 to 1
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2015 Wisconsin Act 371
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 25, 2016: “Published 4-26-2016”
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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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill increases the penalties for fourth or subsequent drunken driving offenses, eliminates a special penalty for certain fourth drunken driving offenses, and changes the definition of "injury" for certain purposes.
Under current law, a person who commits a fourth offense related to drunken driving or driving under the influence of an intoxicant or other drug (OWI offense) must be fined not less than $600 nor more than $2,000 and imprisoned for not less than 60 days nor more than one year. A person who commits a fifth or sixth OWI offense is guilty of a Class H felony and must be fined not less than $600 and imprisoned for not less than six months. A person who commits a seventh, eighth, or ninth OWI offense is guilty of a Class G felony and the confinement portion of a bifurcated sentence imposed on the person may not be less than three years. A person who commits a tenth or subsequent OWI offense is guilty of a Class F felony and the confinement portion of a bifurcated sentence imposed on the person may not be less than four years. Also under current law, the penalty for a Class E felony is a fine not to exceed $50,000 or imprisonment not to exceed 15 years, or both; the penalty for a Class F felony is a fine not to exceed $25,000 or imprisonment not to exceed 12 years and six months, or both; the penalty for a Class G felony is a fine not to exceed $25,000 or imprisonment not to exceed ten years, or both; and the penalty for a Class H felony is a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed six years, or both.
Read the full summary Show less
Under this bill, a person who commits a fourth OWI offense is guilty of a Class H felony and the person must be fined not less than $600 and must be imprisoned for not less than 60 days. A person who commits a fifth or sixth OWI offense is guilty of a Class G felony and the person must be fined not less than $600 and must be imprisoned for not less than six months. A person who commits a seventh, eighth, or ninth OWI offense is guilty of a Class F felony and the confinement portion of a bifurcated sentence imposed on the person may not be less than three years. A person who commits a tenth or greater OWI offense is guilty of a Class E felony and the confinement portion of a bifurcated sentence imposed on the person may not be less than four years.
Also under current law, the penalty is greater for a fourth OWI offense if the fourth offense is committed within five years of a prior offense. Under this bill, all fourth OWI offenses are subject to the same penalty regardless of how much time has passed since the previous OWI offense.
Under current law, no person may cause injury to another person by the operation of a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant or other drug (OWI-related injury). "Injury" is defined for the purposes of the prohibition on OWI-related injury as "bodily injury that causes a laceration that requires stitches, staples, or a tissue adhesive; any fracture of a bone; a broken nose; a burn; a petechia;
a temporary loss of consciousness, sight, or hearing; a concussion; or a loss or fracture of a tooth." This bill repeals the specific definition of "injury" for the purposes of the prohibition on OWI-related injury.
Who's behind it
9 senators are its . All 9 are Republicans.
18 more lawmakers .
See all 27 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Sheila Harsdorf · Republican, Senate
- Chris Kapenga · Republican, Senate
- Devin LeMahieu · Republican, Senate
- Terry Moulton · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Duey Stroebel · Republican, Senate
- Leah Vukmir · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (18)
- Peter Barca · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- David Craig · Republican, Senate
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Gannon · Republican, Assembly
- Cody Horlacher · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Warren Petryk · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Mike Rohrkaste · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Sanfelippo · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Thomas Larson · Republican, Assembly
- Travis Tranel · Republican, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 4 to 0 · Jan 14, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 4, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 95 to 1 · Feb 16, 2016 · 3 didn't vote
See how each of the 99 representatives voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (95)
- Adam Jarchow (R, 28)
- Adam Neylon (R, 15)
- Alvin Ott (R, 3)
- Amanda Stuck (D, 57)
- Amy Loudenbeck (R, 31)
- Andy Jorgensen (D, 43)
- Beth Meyers (D, 74)
- Bob Gannon (R, 58)
- Bob Kulp (R, 69)
- Chris Danou (D, 92)
- Chris Taylor (D, 76)
- Christine Sinicki (D, 20)
- Cindi Duchow (R, 97)
- Cody Horlacher (R, 33)
- Cory Mason (D, 66)
- Dale Kooyenga (R, 5)
- Dan Knodl (R, 24)
- Dana Wachs (D, 91)
- Dave Considine (D, 81)
- Dave Murphy (R, 56)
- David Bowen (D, 10)
- David Craig (R, 28)
- David Heaton (R, 85)
- David Steffen (R, 4)
- Dean Knudson (R, 30)
- Debra Kolste (D, 44)
- Dianne Hesselbein (D, 27)
- Edward Brooks (R, 50)
- Eric Genrich (D, 90)
- Evan Goyke (D, 18)
- Gary Hebl (D, 46)
- Gary Tauchen (R, 6)
- Gordon Hintz (D, 54)
- James Edming (R, 87)
- Janel Brandtjen (R, 22)
- Jeff Mursau (R, 36)
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R, 52)
- Jesse Kremer (R, 59)
- Jessie Rodriguez (R, 21)
- Jill Billings (D, 95)
- Jim Ott (R, 23)
- Jim Steineke (R, 5)
- JoCasta Zamarripa (D, 8)
- Joan Ballweg (R, 14)
- Joe Sanfelippo (R, 15)
- Joel Kitchens (R, 1)
- Joel Kleefisch (R, 38)
- John Jagler (R, 13)
- John Macco (R, 88)
- John Murtha (R, 29)
- John Nygren (R, 89)
- John Spiros (R, 86)
- Jonathan Brostoff (D, 19)
- Kathleen Bernier (R, 23)
- Katrina Shankland (D, 71)
- Keith Ripp (R, 42)
- Ken Skowronski (R, 82)
- Kevin Petersen (R, 57)
- LaTonya Johnson (D, 6)
- Lee Nerison (R, 96)
- Leon Young (D, 16)
- Lisa Subeck (D, 79)
- Mandela Barnes (D, 11)
- Mark Born (R, 37)
- Mark Spreitzer (D, 15)
- Mary Czaja (R, 35)
- Melissa Sargent (D, 48)
- Michael Schraa (R, 53)
- Mike Kuglitsch (R, 84)
- Mike Rohrkaste (R, 55)
- Nancy VanderMeer (R, 70)
- Nick Milroy (D, 73)
- Paul Tittl (R, 25)
- Peter Barca (D, 64)
- Rob Brooks (R, 59)
- Rob Hutton (R, 5)
- Rob Swearingen (R, 34)
- Robb Kahl (D, 47)
- Robin Vos (R, 33)
- Romaine Quinn (R, 25)
- Samantha Kerkman (R, 61)
- Scott Allen (R, 82)
- Scott Krug (R, 72)
- Sondy Pope (D, 80)
- Steve Doyle (D, 94)
- Terese Berceau (D, 77)
- Terry Katsma (R, 26)
- Thomas Larson (R, 67)
- Thomas Weatherston (R, 62)
- Tod Ohnstad (D, 65)
- Todd Novak (R, 51)
- Travis Tranel (R, 49)
- Tyler August (R, 31)
- Tyler Vorpagel (R, 27)
- Warren Petryk (R, 93)
No (1)
- Frederick Kessler (D, 12)
Didn't vote (3)
- André Jacque (R, 1)
- Daniel Riemer (D, 7)
- Josh Zepnick (D, 9)
Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 95, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 25, 2016
The new law was published.
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Apr 25, 2016
The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 371.
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Apr 21, 2016
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 24, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 16, 2016
The Assembly passed it too, 95 to 1.
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Feb 16, 2016
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jan 25, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 21, 2016
The Assembly received it.
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Jan 20, 2016
The Senate passed it.
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Jan 14, 2016
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 0.
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Jan 13, 2016
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Jan 7, 2016
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 6, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Dec 14, 2015
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Dec 14, 2015
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 14, 2015 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Darling, Wanggaard, Harsdorf, Vukmir, Kapenga, LeMahieu, Nass, Moulton and Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives J. Ott, E. Brooks, Sanfelippo, Gannon, Kitchens, Subeck, Tranel, T. Larson, Rohrkaste, Horlacher, Berceau, Petryk, R. Brooks, Craig, Zepnick and Duchow
- Dec 14, 2015 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 7, 2016 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 13, 2016 · Senate
Senator Carpenter added as a coauthor
- Jan 13, 2016 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 14, 2016 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 4, Noes 0
- Jan 14, 2016 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 19, 2016 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-20-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 20, 2016 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 20, 2016 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 20, 2016 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jan 20, 2016 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Jan 20, 2016 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Jan 25, 2016 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Representative Barca added as a cosponsor
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 95, Noes 1
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 17, 2016 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 24, 2016 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 25, 2016 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Feb 26, 2016 · Senate
LRB correction
- Apr 21, 2016 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 4-21-2016
- Apr 25, 2016 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 4-25-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 371
- Apr 25, 2016 · Senate
Published 4-26-2016
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote