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Bills from the 2019–20 session

Assembly Bill 17

Mandatory period of confinement for homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and providing a penalty. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Nov 20, 2019. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 8, 2019

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jun 20, 2019

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Nov 5, 2019

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2019 Wisconsin Act 31

Latest entry in the official record, Nov 20, 2019: “Published 11-21-2019”

Read the bill

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What it does

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

Under this bill, a person who is convicted of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle must be sentenced to a mandatory minimum period of confinement in prison of five years. The bill creates an exception to the mandatory minimum sentence created in this bill if the decedent was a passenger in the person's car and the court finds that the best interests of the community will be served and that the public will not be harmed. If the court sentences a person to a period of confinement that is less than the mandatory minimum sentence, the bill requires the court to put its findings in writing.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

Who's behind it

8 lawmakers are its ⁠. 7 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

6 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 14 names

Authors (8)

Signed on in support (6)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 10 to 0 · Jun 12, 2019

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 10, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 10 to 0 · Jun 12, 2019

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 Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 10, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 25, 2019

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

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Nov 20, 2019

    The new law was published.

  2. Nov 20, 2019

    The governor signed it. It became 2019 Wisconsin Act 31.

  3. Nov 14, 2019

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Nov 5, 2019

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Sep 25, 2019

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

  6. Sep 4, 2019

    The committee held a public hearing.

  7. Jun 24, 2019

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  8. Jun 20, 2019

    The Senate received it.

  9. Jun 20, 2019

    The Assembly passed it.

  10. Jun 20, 2019

    The Assembly adopted it.

  11. Jun 12, 2019

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Jun 12, 2019

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 10 to 0.

  13. Jun 5, 2019

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  14. May 10, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Apr 4, 2019

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. Mar 28, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  17. Mar 14, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  18. Mar 5, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  19. Mar 4, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  20. Feb 27, 2019

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  21. Feb 26, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  22. Feb 8, 2019

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

  23. Feb 8, 2019

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 8, 2019 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Ott, Kerkman, Spiros, Wichgers, Anderson, Gundrum, Murphy and Hutton; cosponsored by Senators Darling, Craig, Bernier and Marklein

  2. Feb 8, 2019 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

  3. Feb 26, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 27, 2019 · Assembly

    Representative Skowronski added as a coauthor

  5. Mar 4, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Mar 5, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Mar 14, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Mar 28, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Apr 4, 2019 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  10. May 1, 2019 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Crowley, Spreitzer and Emerson

  11. May 10, 2019 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  12. May 29, 2019 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Ott

  13. May 30, 2019 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  14. Jun 5, 2019 · Assembly

    Representative Rohrkaste added as a coauthor

  15. Jun 12, 2019 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 10, Noes 0

  16. Jun 12, 2019 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 10, Noes 0

  17. Jun 12, 2019 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  18. Jun 18, 2019 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 6-20-2019 by Committee on Rules

  19. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  20. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  21. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  22. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  23. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  24. Jun 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  25. Jun 20, 2019 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  26. Jun 24, 2019 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  27. Sep 4, 2019 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  28. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  29. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  30. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  31. Nov 1, 2019 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-5-2019 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  32. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Read a second time

  33. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  34. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  35. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  36. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  37. Nov 6, 2019 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  38. Nov 13, 2019 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-13-2019

  39. Nov 14, 2019 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 11-14-2019 by directive of the Speaker

  40. Nov 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 11-20-2019. 2019 Wisconsin Act 31

  41. Nov 20, 2019 · Assembly

    Published 11-21-2019

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

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