Senate Bill 408
Furnishing, purchasing, or possessing a firearm for a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, mandatory minimum sentences for individuals who commit certain firearm violations, and providing criminal penalties. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 28, 2018. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Sep 14, 2017
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 20, 2018
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 22, 2018
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2017 Wisconsin Act 145
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
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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill creates a crime for purchasing a firearm with the intent to transfer it to a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, which is also known as “straw purchasing.” The crime under the bill includes furnishing or possessing a firearm for a prohibited person. Under current law, a person who knowingly furnishes with a firearm a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm may be convicted of illegal possession of a firearm.
Under current law, a federally licensed firearm dealer may not transfer a handgun to a person until the person has completed a form that the dealer must use to conduct a background check on the person. If a person provides false information on the form, the person must be fined not less than $500 nor more than $10,000 and may be imprisoned for not more than nine months. This bill increases the penalty to a Class H felony if the false information regards whether the person is purchasing the firearm with the purpose or intent of transferring the firearm to a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to prosecute the violation.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill also creates an affirmative defense to straw purchasing crimes if the defendant has ever filed a petition for a domestic abuse injunction or a child abuse injunction against the person for whom the defendant was furnishing, purchasing, or possessing the firearm or for whom the defendant provided false information on a firearm form.
Under this bill, a person is subject to a mandatory minimum period of confinement in prison of four years if the person is convicted of illegally possessing a firearm or convicted of another crime involving a firearm and, within five years prior to that conviction, he or she had been convicted of committing either three misdemeanors or one felony. This mandatory minimum sentence requirement expires on July 1, 2022.
Who's behind it
5 senators are its . 3 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.
13 more lawmakers .
See all 18 names Hide the names
Authors (5)
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- Alberta Darling · Republican, Senate
- Jon Erpenbach · Democrat, Senate
- Frank G. Lasee · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (13)
- Jimmy Anderson · Democrat, Assembly
- Peter Barca · Democrat, Assembly
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Edward Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Gannon · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Mike Kuglitsch · Republican, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- Mike Rohrkaste · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Sanfelippo · Republican, Assembly
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt · Republican, Assembly
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 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Oct 24, 2017
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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote on an amendment
Passed, 19 to 13 · Feb 20, 2018
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. 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 145.
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Mar 26, 2018
Sent to the governor.
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Mar 22, 2018
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Feb 22, 2018
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 20, 2018
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 20, 2018
The Assembly received it.
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Feb 20, 2018
The Senate passed it.
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Nov 17, 2017
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Nov 8, 2017
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Oct 24, 2017
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Oct 20, 2017
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Oct 19, 2017
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 5, 2017
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Sep 14, 2017
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Sep 14, 2017
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Sep 14, 2017 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Darling, Wanggaard, Carpenter, Erpenbach and Lasee; cosponsored by Representatives Sanfelippo, Anderson, Brandtjen, E. Brooks, Duchow, Edming, Gannon, Kuglitsch, Ripp, Rohrkaste and Thiesfeldt
- Sep 14, 2017 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Oct 5, 2017 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 19, 2017 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 20, 2017 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 20, 2017 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 24, 2017 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 24, 2017 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Oct 24, 2017 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Nov 8, 2017 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 17, 2017 · Senate
Representative Krug added as a cosponsor
- Feb 16, 2018 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-20-2018 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators L. Taylor, Bewley, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Johnson, Schachtner and Shilling
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 19, Noes 13
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 20, 2018 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 1:43 PM on 2-22-2018 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 27
- Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 23, 2018 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Mar 2, 2018 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 22, 2018 · Senate
Representative Barca added as a cosponsor
- Mar 26, 2018 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2018
- Mar 28, 2018 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-28-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 145
- Mar 28, 2018 · Senate
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
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
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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote