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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Assembly Bill 355

Neglect of a child and providing criminal penalties. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 17, 2018. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    May 31, 2017

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jan 23, 2018

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 20, 2018

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2017 Wisconsin Act 283

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 17, 2018: “Published 4-17-2018”

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 current law, any person who is responsible for a child's welfare who, through his or her actions or failure to take action, intentionally contributes to the neglect of the child is guilty of a misdemeanor or, if the child suffers bodily harm or death, the person is guilty of a felony. Under this bill, any person who is responsible for a child's welfare who negligently fails, for reasons other than poverty, to provide the child with necessary care or contributes to the failure is guilty of the crime of neglect. Under the bill, necessary care includes adequate food, clothing, medical care, shelter, and supervision; the opportunity for education; or the protection from exposure to the distribution, manufacture, or use of controlled substances. Under the bill, the penalties for the crime of neglect, or for contributing to neglect whether or not actual neglect occurs, vary from a Class D felony to a Class A misdemeanor depending on the consequence or risk of the consequence of death, injury, or becoming a victim of a crime.

The bill also creates a crime of repeated acts of neglect of the same child. If a jury agrees that a person committed at least three acts of neglect against the same child, but does not agree on which acts constitute the three acts, the person is convicted of committing this crime. The penalties for repeated acts of neglect of the same child vary from a Class B felony to a Class H felony, depending on the consequence of the repeated acts of neglect.

Who's behind it

18 lawmakers are its ⁠. 16 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

8 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 26 names

Authors (18)

Signed on in support (8)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 4 · Nov 14, 2017

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 7 to 4 · Nov 14, 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 Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 16, 2018

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. Apr 17, 2018

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 17, 2018

    The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 283.

  3. Apr 12, 2018

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 20, 2018

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Feb 16, 2018

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

  6. Jan 24, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Jan 23, 2018

    The Senate received it.

  8. Jan 23, 2018

    The Assembly passed it.

  9. Jan 23, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it.

  10. Nov 14, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Nov 14, 2017

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 4.

  12. Oct 31, 2017

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Aug 28, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Jul 25, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Jun 28, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  16. Jun 22, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Jun 20, 2017 to Jun 21, 2017

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  18. Jun 14, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  19. Jun 8, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  20. Jun 6, 2017

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  21. May 31, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

  22. May 31, 2017

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. May 31, 2017 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Horlacher, R. Brooks, Doyle, Edming, Hutton, Jacque, Kitchens, Kleefisch, Krug, Kulp, Macco, Murphy, Novak, Petryk, Ripp, Skowronski, Tusler and Vruwink; cosponsored by Senators Cowles, Darling, Kapenga, Olsen, Petrowski, Stroebel and Vinehout

  2. May 31, 2017 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

  3. Jun 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Representative Pronschinske added as a coauthor

  4. Jun 8, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Jun 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Jun 20, 2017 · Assembly

    Senator Wanggaard added as a cosponsor

  7. Jun 21, 2017 · Assembly

    Representative Ballweg added as a coauthor

  8. Jun 22, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Jun 28, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  10. Jun 28, 2017 · Assembly

    Representative Ballweg withdrawn as a coauthor

  11. Jul 25, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  12. Aug 28, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  13. Oct 27, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Horlacher

  14. Oct 31, 2017 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  15. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  16. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  17. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  18. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 4 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  19. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 5 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  20. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 6 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  21. Nov 6, 2017 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 7 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goyke

  22. Nov 7, 2017 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  23. Nov 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  24. Nov 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  25. Nov 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  26. Jan 18, 2018 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-23-2018 by Committee on Rules

  27. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  28. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  29. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  30. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  31. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  32. Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  33. Jan 23, 2018 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  34. Jan 24, 2018 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  35. Jan 24, 2018 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  36. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

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

  37. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-20-2018 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  38. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senator Vinehout withdrawn as a cosponsor

  39. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a second time

  40. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  41. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  42. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  43. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  44. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  45. Feb 26, 2018 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Substitute Amendment 1)

  46. Feb 26, 2018 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 2-26-2018

  47. Apr 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-12-2018

  48. Apr 17, 2018 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-16-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 283

  49. Apr 17, 2018 · Assembly

    Published 4-17-2018

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