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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 47

Responding to a request for an absentee ballot

Became law

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

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 27, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 21, 2015

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 209

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.

Under this bill, a municipal clerk who receives a request for an absentee ballot by mail, electronic mail, or facsimile transmission must respond to the request no later than one business day after receiving the request.

Who's behind it

10 senators are its ⁠. 8 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

21 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 31 names

Authors (10)

Signed on in support (21)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Apr 17, 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 Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Apr 17, 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 Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections vote to recommend it

Passed, 8 to 0 · Sep 10, 2015

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

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 8, 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 209.

  3. Feb 25, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Sep 10, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Sep 10, 2015

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.

  7. Aug 25, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  8. May 5, 2015

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.

  9. Apr 21, 2015

    The Assembly received it.

  10. Apr 21, 2015

    The Senate passed it.

  11. Apr 21, 2015

    “Read a third time” (the official wording)

  12. Apr 21, 2015

    The Senate adopted it.

  13. Apr 17, 2015

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

  14. Apr 17, 2015

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  15. Apr 9, 2015

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. Feb 27, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government.

  17. Feb 27, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 27, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Harsdorf, LeMahieu, Petrowski, Lassa, Marklein, Nass, Cowles, Vinehout, Moulton and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Horlacher, Allen, Ballweg, Berceau, E. Brooks, R. Brooks, Gannon, Heaton, Jacque, Jarchow, Kapenga, Katsma, Kremer, Murphy, Mursau, Murtha, Quinn, Steffen, Thiesfeldt, Tittl and Weatherston

  2. Feb 27, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Elections and Local Government

  3. Mar 23, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Harsdorf

  4. Apr 9, 2015 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Apr 16, 2015 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Apr 17, 2015 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Apr 17, 2015 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  8. Apr 17, 2015 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Apr 20, 2015 · Senate

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

  10. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  12. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Read a third time

  15. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Passed

  16. Apr 21, 2015 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  17. Apr 21, 2015 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  18. May 5, 2015 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Campaigns and Elections

  19. Aug 25, 2015 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  20. Aug 25, 2015 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  21. Sep 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 8, Noes 0

  22. Sep 10, 2015 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  23. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

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

  24. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  25. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  27. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  28. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  30. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  31. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016

  32. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-1-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 209

  33. 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