Senate Bill 512
Dairy plant and food processing plant licensing requirements and granting rule-making authority
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 2, 2016. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jan 6, 2016
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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 Feb 9, 2016
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2015 Wisconsin Act 242
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 2, 2016: “Published 3-2-2016”
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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
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 makes changes to food regulations for dairy plants and food processing plants.
Under current law, an operator of a dairy plant must obtain a license to operate from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). The operator of a food processing plant must obtain a separate license from DATCP.
Read the full summary Show less
Under the bill, a licensed food processing plant that processes dairy products into prepared foods that are not dairy products need not also obtain a dairy plant license if the dairy products used at the plant are produced by a licensed dairy plant and are pasteurized or otherwise treated for safe consumption. The bill changes the definition of "dairy product" to include milk from cows, goats, sheep, or hooved or camelid mammals, any product or by-product derived solely from that milk, any item that meets a standard of identity under the federal regulations or the U.S. Code, and any item that fails to meet a federal standard of identity solely because it contains milk from goats, sheep, or hooved or camelid mammals instead of cow's milk.
The bill also changes other definitions relating to dairy plants and food processing plants.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
9 more lawmakers .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Terry Moulton · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (9)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Hutton · Republican, Senate
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- John Murtha · Republican, Assembly
- Lee Nerison · Republican, Assembly
- Thomas Larson · Republican, Assembly
- Gary Tauchen · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Agriculture vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 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 Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 2, 2016
The new law was published.
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Mar 2, 2016
The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 242.
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Feb 25, 2016
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 9, 2016
The Assembly passed it too.
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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 15, 2016
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.
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Jan 13, 2016
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 6, 2016
Sent to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism.
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Jan 6, 2016
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Moulton and Marklein; cosponsored by Representatives Nerison, E. Brooks, Ballweg, Hutton, T. Larson, Murphy, Murtha, A. Ott and Tauchen
- Jan 6, 2016 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism
- Jan 13, 2016 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 13, 2016 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 15, 2016 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Agriculture, Small Business, and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Jan 15, 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 4, 2016 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-9-2016 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 10, 2016 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 12, 2016 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Feb 25, 2016 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016
- Mar 2, 2016 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-1-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 242
- 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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote