Assembly Bill 820
The standard of proof required to effect a temporary or permanent closure of a sport shooting range based on an unsafe condition
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 28, 2018. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jan 8, 2018
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 15, 2018
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Senate vote, passed
Passed 21 to 11
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2017 Wisconsin Act 179
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Published 3-29-2018”
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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 creates a procedure that law enforcement officers and courts must follow to temporarily or permanently close any portion of a sport shooting range due to an alleged unsafe condition on the premises.
Under the bill, a law enforcement officer may order the owner or operator of a sport shooting range to cease a portion of the operation for up to 72 hours if the officer has probable cause to believe a clear and immediate public safety hazard exists at the sport shooting range. The bill defines a “clear and immediate public safety hazard” as an unsafe condition that originates from, or is at, a sport shooting range and that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious injury to an individual. Under the bill, a court may, in response to a petition filed by an individual or a local unit of government, order the owner or operator of a sport shooting range to cease a portion of the operation for up to 72 hours if it finds by a preponderance of the evidence that a clear and immediate public safety hazard is present. When a court issues such an order, it must also order the petitioner to submit a report from an investigator within five days identifying any clear and immediate public safety hazard that may warrant permanent cessation of any portion of the sport shooting range's operation. If the court finds such a clear and immediate public safety hazard, the court must order the owner or operator of the sport shooting range to remedy the condition to eliminate the public safety hazard. If the owner or operator of the sport shooting range demonstrates to the court that it has properly remedied the unsafe condition, the court must lift any order to cease a portion of the sport shooting range's operation. This procedure applies retroactively.
Who's behind it
12 lawmakers are its . All 12 are Republicans.
4 more lawmakers .
See all 16 names Hide the names
Authors (12)
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Mary Felzkowski · Republican, Senate
- Adam Jarchow · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kleefisch · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Treig Pronschinske · Republican, Assembly
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Stafsholt · Republican, Senate
- Gary Tauchen · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (4)
- Terry Moulton · Republican, Senate
- Thomas Tiffany · Republican, Senate
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
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 4 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage vote on an amendment
Passed, 11 to 2 · Feb 1, 2018
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 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, 11 to 2 · Feb 1, 2018
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 11, Noes 2”. 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
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 21 to 11 · Feb 20, 2018
See how each of the 32 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (21)
- Alberta Darling (R, 8)
- Chris Kapenga (R, 33)
- Dan Feyen (R, 20)
- David Craig (R, 28)
- Devin LeMahieu (R, 9)
- Duey Stroebel (R, 20)
- Howard Marklein (R, 17)
- Janet Bewley (D, 25)
- Jerry Petrowski (R, 29)
- Kathleen Vinehout (D, 31)
- Leah Vukmir (R, 5)
- Luther S. Olsen (R, 14)
- Patrick Testin (R, 24)
- Patty Schachtner (D, 10)
- Rob Cowles (R, 2)
- Roger Roth (R, 19)
- Scott L. Fitzgerald (R, 13)
- Steve Nass (R, 11)
- Terry Moulton (R, 23)
- Thomas Tiffany (R, 12)
- Van Wanggaard (R, 21)
No (11)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dave Hansen (D, 30)
- Fred A. Risser (D, 26)
- Janis Ringhand (D, 15)
- Jennifer Shilling (D, 32)
- Jon Erpenbach (D, 27)
- LaTonya Johnson (D, 6)
- Lena Taylor (D, 4)
- Mark Miller (D, 16)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 28, 2018
The new law was published.
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Mar 28, 2018
The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 179.
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Mar 27, 2018
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 20, 2018
The Senate passed it too, 21 to 11.
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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)
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Feb 16, 2018
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
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Feb 16, 2018
The Senate received it.
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Feb 15, 2018
The Assembly passed it.
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Feb 15, 2018
The Assembly adopted it.
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Feb 1, 2018
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 1, 2018
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 2.
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Jan 23, 2018
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jan 10, 2018
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 8, 2018
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage.
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Jan 8, 2018
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 8, 2018 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Stafsholt, Kleefisch, Brandtjen, R. Brooks, Edming, Felzkowski, Jarchow, Krug, Pronschinske, Quinn, Skowronski and Tauchen; cosponsored by Senators Tiffany, Moulton and Wanggaard
- Jan 8, 2018 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage
- Jan 10, 2018 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jan 16, 2018 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Stafsholt
- Jan 16, 2018 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kleefisch
- Jan 17, 2018 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jan 23, 2018 · Assembly
Representative Tusler added as a coauthor
- Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly
Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 11, Noes 2
- Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 11, Noes 2
- Feb 1, 2018 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 2, 2018 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative Stafsholt
- Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 1:11 PM on 2-15-2018 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 23
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 adopted
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 15, 2018 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-20-2018 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 21, Noes 11
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Feb 26, 2018 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 2-26-2018
- Mar 27, 2018 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 3-27-2018
- Mar 28, 2018 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 3-28-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 179
- Mar 28, 2018 · Assembly
Published 3-29-2018
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
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