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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 488

Creating a program to protect the confidentiality of addresses for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 11, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 29, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 9, 2016

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 9, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 356

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 11, 2016: “Published 4-12-2016”

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 creates a program, administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that keeps the addresses of victims of certain crimes confidential. Under the bill, a person who is a victim, or a parent or guardian of a person who is a victim, of certain acts of abuse, stalking, or human trafficking, or who is in fear for his or her physical safety or that of his or her child or ward, or who resides with any of those persons may participate in the program.

Under the bill, a person who participates in the program submits his or her actual address to DOJ and receives from DOJ an assigned address that the person may use for all personal and official purposes. The bill requires DOJ to forward mail and certain packages it receives at the assigned address to the person at his or her actual address. A person may renew his or her participation in the program every five years, and DOJ may discontinue the person's participation if he or she fails to notify DOJ that his or her address or legal name has changed.

Read the full summary

The bill requires DOJ to keep the person's actual address confidential, except pursuant to a court order or except from a law enforcement officer if the person is suspected of criminal activity. The bill also requires the person's actual address to be kept confidential by municipal and other local governmental clerks and election officials as long as the person is participating in the program. Under the bill, no one may refuse to use the assigned address or require the person to disclose his or her actual address without specific statutory authority to do so.

Who's behind it

18 senators are its ⁠. 11 are Democrats and 7 are Republicans.

47 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 65 names

Authors (18)

Signed on in support (47)

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 2 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Jan 28, 2016

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, 5 to 0 · Jan 28, 2016

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 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 11, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 11, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 356.

  3. Apr 7, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 9, 2016

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  5. Feb 9, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too.

  6. Feb 9, 2016

    “Read” (the official wording)

  7. Feb 9, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  8. Feb 9, 2016

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  9. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate passed it.

  10. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate adopted it.

  11. Jan 28, 2016 to Feb 9, 2016

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  12. Jan 28, 2016

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

  13. Jan 28, 2016

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

  14. Jan 25, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Jan 13, 2016

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  16. Jan 13, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  17. Dec 29, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  18. Dec 29, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 29, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators S. Fitzgerald, Shilling, Carpenter, Gudex, C. Larson, Hansen, L. Taylor, Risser, Erpenbach, Vukmir, Lassa, Darling, Wirch, Marklein, Ringhand, Harris Dodd, Harsdorf and Olsen; cosponsored by Representatives Kleefisch, C. Taylor, Ohnstad, Gannon, Horlacher, Petryk, Milroy, Hebl, Johnson, Thiesfeldt, Mason, Berceau, Zamarripa, Zepnick, Kremer, Bernier, Murphy, Kahl, Subeck, A. Ott, Goyke, Doyle, Jacque, Jagler, E. Brooks, Sinicki, Rohrkaste, T. Larson, Krug, Rodriguez, Kolste, Born, Allen, Considine, Nerison, Shankland, Billings, Ballweg, Skowronski, Heaton and Spreitzer

  2. Dec 29, 2015 · Senate

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

  3. Jan 13, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Jan 13, 2016 · Senate

    Representative Loudenbeck added as a cosponsor

  5. Jan 13, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Wanggaard added as a coauthor

  6. Jan 21, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators S. Fitzgerald and Shilling

  7. Jan 25, 2016 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Jan 27, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  9. Jan 28, 2016 · Senate

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

  10. Jan 28, 2016 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Jan 28, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  12. Jan 28, 2016 · Senate

    Representative Wachs added as a cosponsor

  13. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-9-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  14. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Miller added as a coauthor

  15. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended and taken up

  16. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  17. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  18. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  21. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Vinehout added as a coauthor

  22. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  23. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  24. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Read

  25. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended and taken up

  26. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  27. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  28. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  29. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  30. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Representative Schraa added as a cosponsor

  31. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  32. Feb 10, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  33. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  34. Apr 7, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 4-8-2016

  35. Apr 11, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-11-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 356

  36. Apr 11, 2016 · Senate

    Published 4-12-2016

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