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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Senate Bill 845

Broadband expansion grant to cities, villages, towns, and counties and ordinances and resolutions regarding telecommunications, cable, video, or broadband service facilities

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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 21, 2018

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. 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 Elections and Utilities. 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.

This bill eliminates a requirement for a city, village, or town (local government) to prepare a report before holding a public hearing on a proposed ordinance or resolution authorizing the local government to construct or operate facilities for providing telecommunications service, cable television or similar video service, or broadband service to the public. With exceptions, current law prohibits a local government from enacting an ordinance or adopting a resolution authorizing the local government to construct or operate such a facility unless the local government gives notice and holds a public hearing on the proposed ordinance or resolution. In addition, at least 30 days prior to the hearing, current law requires the local government to prepare and make available to the public a report that estimates the total costs and revenues for the facility and includes a cost-benefit analysis of the facility for a period of at least three years. Under this bill, a local government is not required to prepare that report.

The bill also allows a local government or county to apply for a broadband expansion grant without submitting the application in partnership with another applicant. Under current law, the Public Service Commission makes the grants to eligible applicants for constructing broadband facilities in underserved areas.

Read the full summary

Current law specifies that telecommunications utilities and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are eligible applicants. However, under current law, a local government or county is an eligible applicant only if the local government or county applies for a grant in partnership with a telecommunications utility or for-profit or not-for-profit organization. This bill allows a local government or county to apply for a grant on its own.

Who's behind it

3 senators are its ⁠. All 3 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 12 names

Authors (3)

Signed on in support (9)

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2018

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Feb 21, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Elections and Utilities.

  3. Feb 21, 2018

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 21, 2018 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Vinehout, Ringhand and Carpenter; cosponsored by Representatives Vruwink, Anderson, Spreitzer, Novak, Subeck, Brostoff, Pope, Berceau and Considine

  2. Feb 21, 2018 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Elections and Utilities

  3. 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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

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

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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

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