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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Assembly Bill 65

Sales and transfers of firearms and providing a criminal penalty. (FE)

Passed the Assembly, then stopped

The Assembly passed it on Feb 20, 2018, but the Senate never voted on it. A bill has to ⁠. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 13, 2017

  2. Committee, passed

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 68 to 27

  4. Senate vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The Senate never voted on it.

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Failed to concur in pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law provides that certain conditions, including a background check of a prospective purchaser, must be met before a federally licensed firearms dealer may transfer a handgun after a sale. This bill generally prohibits a person from selling or transferring any firearm unless the sale or transfer occurs through a federally licensed firearms dealer and involves a background check of the prospective transferee. Under this bill, the following are excepted from that prohibition: a sale or transfer to a firearms dealer, to law enforcement, or to a member of the armed services; a sale or transfer of a firearm classified as antique; a transfer that is by gift, bequest, or inheritance to a family member; or a transfer that is intended to be temporary and that has a purpose that is not illegal. A person who is convicted of violating the prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be fined not less than $500 nor more than $10,000, may be imprisoned for not more than nine months, and may not possess a firearm for a period of two years.

Who's behind it

20 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 20 are Democrats.

8 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 28 names

Authors (20)

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 6 votes on this bill. Taking a bill up right away needs two-thirds of the members, a higher bar than passing it, so that vote can draw more yeses than the final one.

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 68 to 27 · Feb 20, 2018

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

Official motion: “Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 68, Noes 27”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 60 to 35 · Feb 20, 2018

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

Official motion: “Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 60, Noes 35”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 64 to 31 · Feb 20, 2018

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 64, Noes 31”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote

Passed, 60 to 35 · Feb 20, 2018 · 3 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (60)

Didn't vote (3)

Official motion: “SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 71 to 24 · Feb 20, 2018 · 3 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (71)

Didn't vote (3)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to take it up right away

Passed, 95 to 0 · Feb 20, 2018

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

Official motion: “Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on State Affairs, and take up Ayes 95, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2018

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 13, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  3. Mar 9, 2018

    “Printed engrossed by the direction of the Senate Chief Clerk-5570” (the official wording)

  4. Feb 21, 2018

    The Senate received it.

  5. Feb 20, 2018

    The Assembly passed it, 71 to 24.

  6. Feb 20, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it, 64 to 31.

  7. Feb 20, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it.

  8. Feb 20, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it, 68 to 27.

  9. Feb 20, 2018

    “Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 not well taken” (the official wording)

  10. Apr 26, 2017

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  11. Mar 14, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  12. Mar 13, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  13. Feb 24, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Feb 22, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Feb 20, 2017

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  16. Feb 17, 2017

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  17. Feb 13, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs.

  18. Feb 13, 2017

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Berceau, C. Taylor, Goyke, Fields, Crowley, Kolste, Ohnstad, Anderson, Sargent, Subeck, Spreitzer, Brostoff, Young, Hesselbein, Zamarripa, Riemer, Sinicki, Billings, Wachs and Bowen; cosponsored by Senators Johnson, Carpenter, Miller, C. Larson, Risser and L. Taylor

  2. Feb 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs

  3. Feb 17, 2017 · Assembly

    Representative Pope added as a coauthor

  4. Feb 20, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Feb 22, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Feb 24, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Mar 13, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Mar 14, 2017 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Apr 26, 2017 · Assembly

    Senator Shilling added as a cosponsor

  10. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on State Affairs, and take up Ayes 95, Noes 0

  11. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kleefisch

  13. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Point of order that Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 not well taken

  14. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair appealed

  15. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair upheld, Ayes 60, Noes 35

  16. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

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

  17. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

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

  18. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 68, Noes 27

  19. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

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

  20. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 60, Noes 35

  21. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  22. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Pope and Barca

  23. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  24. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 64, Noes 31

  25. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  27. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 71, Noes 24

  28. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1)

  30. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1)

  31. Feb 21, 2018 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  32. Mar 9, 2018 · Senate

    Printed engrossed by the direction of the Senate Chief Clerk-5570

  33. Mar 13, 2018 · Senate

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

  34. Mar 28, 2018 · Senate

    Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence. More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

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