Skip to content
Bills from the 2017–18 session

Senate Bill 84

Access to investigational drugs, devices, and biological products and limitations on liability related to their use

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 28, 2018. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Mar 2, 2017

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 20, 2018

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 22, 2018

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2017 Wisconsin Act 165

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Published 3-29-2018”

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it does

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

Under this bill, a manufacturer of an investigational drug, device, or biological product may make the investigational drug, device, or biological product available to an eligible patient. Under the bill, an investigational drug, device, or biological product is one that has not yet been approved for use by the federal Food and Drug Administration, but, among other requirements, has successfully completed a phase one clinical trial and remains under investigation or is pending approval by the FDA.

A patient is eligible under the bill if, among other things, the patient has considered all other available treatment options, has received a treating physician's recommendation or prescription order for an investigational drug, device, or biological product, and has given written informed consent for use of the investigational drug, device, or biological product.

Read the full summary

The bill provides a limitation of liability under state law for a manufacturer, distributor, pharmacist, physician or other practitioner, or other person who makes available, delivers, distributes, prescribes, dispenses, or administers an investigational drug, device, or biological product to an eligible patient consistent with the bill's provisions, and who in doing so exercises reasonable care.

Finally, the bill prohibits an official, employee, or agent of the state from blocking or attempting to block an eligible patient's access to an investigational drug, device, or biological product.

Who's behind it

17 senators are its ⁠. 11 are Republicans and 6 are Democrats.

45 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 62 names

Authors (17)

Signed on in support (45)

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 Health and Human Services vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 7, 2018

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

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 7, 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 Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2018

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 28, 2018

    The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 165.

  3. Mar 26, 2018

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 22, 2018

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Feb 21, 2018

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 20, 2018

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 20, 2018

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 20, 2018

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 7, 2018

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  10. Feb 7, 2018

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  11. Aug 16, 2017

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Mar 2, 2017

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

  13. Mar 2, 2017

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Mar 2, 2017 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Moulton, Risser, Carpenter, Johnson, L. Taylor, Cowles, Feyen, Lasee, Craig, Kapenga, Darling, Marklein, Miller, Petrowski, LeMahieu, Harsdorf and Vinehout; cosponsored by Representatives Snyder, Kleefisch, Hesselbein, Krug, Skowronski, Steffen, Milroy, Kremer, Brandtjen, Pope, Kooyenga, Edming, Mursau, Tittl, Sargent, Horlacher, Kulp, Mason, E. Brooks, Spiros, Bernier, C. Taylor, Vruwink, Novak, R. Brooks, VanderMeer, Jagler, Knodl, Quinn, Anderson, Ballweg, Tauchen, Berceau, Murphy, Subeck, Gannon, Sinicki, Ripp, Katsma, Allen, Doyle, Zamarripa, Tusler, Hutton and Loudenbeck

  2. Mar 2, 2017 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  3. Aug 16, 2017 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Jan 29, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Moulton

  5. Feb 6, 2018 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Feb 7, 2018 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Feb 7, 2018 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  8. Feb 7, 2018 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Senate Organization and take up

  10. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  12. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  15. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  17. Feb 21, 2018 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  18. Feb 21, 2018 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 2:03 PM on 2-22-2018 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 28

  19. Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  20. Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  23. Feb 22, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Feb 23, 2018 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  25. Mar 2, 2018 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  26. Mar 26, 2018 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2018

  27. Mar 28, 2018 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-28-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 165

  28. 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

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary