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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Assembly Bill 323

Requiring an open season for woodchucks

Became law

The governor signed it on Nov 13, 2017. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    May 16, 2017

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jun 21, 2017

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Oct 31, 2017

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2017 Wisconsin Act 64

Latest entry in the official record, Nov 13, 2017: “Published 11-12-2017”

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.

The Department of Natural Resources currently, by rule, prohibits hunting and trapping woodchucks without DNR's authorization by designating the woodchuck as a “protected wild animal."

Under this bill, a woodchuck is defined as a “game animal" and as a “fur-bearing animal." As a result, a person may hunt woodchucks under the authority of a small game hunting license and trap woodchucks under a trapping license. Also under this bill, DNR is required to establish an open season for woodchucks that begins on July 1 of each year and ends on the following December 31. DNR may not impose a bag or possession limit for this season.

Who's behind it

9 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 9 are Republicans.

3 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 12 names

Authors (9)

Signed on in support (3)

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.

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage vote on an amendment

Passed, 11 to 2 · Jun 13, 2017

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 11, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage vote to recommend it

Passed, 9 to 4 · Jun 13, 2017

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 Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 9, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 27, 2017

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

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Nov 13, 2017

    The new law was published.

  2. Nov 13, 2017

    The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 64.

  3. Nov 9, 2017

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Oct 31, 2017

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Oct 27, 2017

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  6. Jun 23, 2017

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Jun 22, 2017

    The Senate received it.

  8. Jun 21, 2017

    The Assembly passed it.

  9. Jun 21, 2017

    The Assembly adopted it.

  10. Jun 13, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Jun 13, 2017

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 4.

  12. May 24, 2017

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. May 16, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage.

  14. May 16, 2017

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. May 16, 2017 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Jacque, Kleefisch, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, Edming, Horlacher, Murphy, Tittl and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Tiffany, Marklein and Stroebel

  2. May 16, 2017 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage

  3. May 24, 2017 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. May 30, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Jacque

  5. Jun 7, 2017 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Jun 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 11, Noes 2

  7. Jun 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 9, Noes 4

  8. Jun 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Jun 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 6-21-2017 by Committee on Rules

  10. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  11. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  12. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  14. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  15. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Jun 22, 2017 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  17. Jun 23, 2017 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  18. Jun 23, 2017 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  19. Oct 27, 2017 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  20. Oct 27, 2017 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 10-31-2017 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  21. Oct 31, 2017 · Senate

    Read a second time

  22. Oct 31, 2017 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. Oct 31, 2017 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  24. Oct 31, 2017 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  25. Oct 31, 2017 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. Oct 31, 2017 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  27. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-6-2017

  28. Nov 9, 2017 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 11-9-2017

  29. Nov 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 11-11-2017. 2017 Wisconsin Act 64

  30. Nov 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Published 11-12-2017

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