Assembly Bill 1037
The length of time for a declared state of emergency; reporting of arrests for a violation of an order relating to the control of an outbreak or epidemic; requiring legislative approval of any statewide order mandating individuals to stay at home for reasons related to an epidemic, pandemic, or communicable disease; requiring a written report to the legislature detailing the justification for any ban of gatherings of 50 or fewer individuals
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
Mar 26, 2020
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 1, 2020: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Rules. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the governor may issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency if he or she determines that an emergency exists due to disaster, public health emergency, or computer or telecommunications systems. Under current law, a state of emergency cannot exceed 60 days, unless it is extended by joint resolution of the legislature, and the executive order may be revoked at the discretion of either the governor by executive order or the legislature by joint resolution.
This bill requires the governor to submit a copy of any order declaring a state of emergency that may exceed 30 days to the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization. Under the bill, if the cochairpersons of JCLO do not notify the governor that JCLO has scheduled a meeting to review the order within 14 working days after the date the governor submits the order, the state of emergency may last for up to 60 days. If, within 14 working days after the date the governor submits the order, the cochairpersons of JCLO notify the governor that JCLO has scheduled a meeting to review the order, the state of emergency may exceed 30 days only if approved or as modified by JCLO. This bill applies retroactively to any executive order declaring a state of emergency that is in effect on the effective date of the bill.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law, a person who fails to comply with an order issued by the Department of Health Services for the control of an outbreak or epidemic may be imprisoned for not more than 30 days or fined not more than $500 or both. Under this bill, if a person is arrested for such a violation, the arresting law enforcement agency must immediately report the arrest to the legislature.
This bill provides that any statewide order issued by DHS or any other state agency requiring individuals to stay at their home or place of residence for reasons related to an epidemic, pandemic, or communicable disease may not go into effect unless legislation authorizing the specific order is enacted.
Under current law, the governor may issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency. During a declared state of emergency, state agencies have authority to issue orders and otherwise act to respond to the emergency. Regardless of whether a state of emergency has been declared, under current law, without additional approval, DHS may, among other things, close schools and forbid public gatherings in schools, churches, and other places to control outbreaks and epidemics, and authorize and implement all emergency measures necessary to control communicable diseases.
This bill requires that before any ban of gatherings of 50 or fewer individuals goes into effect, a written report be submitted to the legislature detailing the justification for the ban, including how the restrictions in the order serve a compelling governmental interest and are narrowly tailored to achieve that compelling governmental interest.
Who's behind it
4 representatives are its . All 4 are Republicans.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 6 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Timothy Ramthun · Republican, Assembly
- Shae Sortwell · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (2)
- David Craig · Republican, Senate
- Chris Kapenga · Republican, Senate
What happened
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Apr 1, 2020
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Mar 26, 2020
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Mar 26, 2020
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
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
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