Senate Bill 608
Use of wireless telephones while driving and providing a penalty. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Nov 30, 2017
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill prohibits, with certain exceptions, any person from driving while using a cellular or other wireless telephone (cellular phone). The exceptions include certain hands-free and emergency-related use.
Current law prohibits inattentive driving of a motor vehicle, which means that a driver of a motor vehicle may not be engaged or occupied with an activity, other than driving the vehicle, that interferes with the safe driving of the vehicle. Persons who violate this prohibition may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $400. Under current law, a person driving under an instruction permit or a probationary license is prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while using a cellular phone, except to report an emergency. Also, a person is prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while using a cellular phone in a highway construction zone, except to report an emergency. Persons who violate either of these prohibitions may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for a first offense, and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for a second or subsequent offense within one year.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill prohibits any person from driving while using a cellular phone. Except in certain cases involving persons driving under an instruction permit or a probationary license, the prohibition does not apply to any of the following: 1) operators of authorized emergency vehicles; 2) use of certain emergency alert or vehicle monitoring devices; 3) use of global positioning system devices; 4) certain amateur radio operators; 5) certain use of hands-free telephones; and 6) use in response to an emergency. Persons who violate this prohibition may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $400.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Democrats.
12 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (12)
- Jimmy Anderson · Democrat, Assembly
- Peter Barca · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Dave Considine · Democrat, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Melissa Sargent · Democrat, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 28, 2018
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Dec 20, 2017
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 30, 2017
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs.
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Nov 30, 2017
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 30, 2017 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Vinehout and L. Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Barca, Spiros, Anderson, Ohnstad, Fields, Hebl, Berceau, Considine, Pope, Sargent, Spreitzer and Subeck
- Nov 30, 2017 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs
- Dec 20, 2017 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 28, 2018 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
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