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Bills from the 2019–20 session

Senate Bill 163

Causing bodily harm to a nurse and providing a penalty. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Feb 6, 2020. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 11, 2019

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Nov 5, 2019

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Jan 21, 2020

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2019 Wisconsin Act 97

Latest entry in the official record, Feb 6, 2020: “Published 2-6-2020”

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 current law, a person who intentionally causes bodily harm to another person without the other person's consent commits the crime of battery, a Class A misdemeanor. Under current law, the penalty for battery is increased in certain circumstances. For example, if a person commits battery against certain victims, such fire fighters, jurors, or emergency medical care providers, the person is guilty of a Class H felony. This bill makes it a Class H felony to commit battery against a licensed registered nurse (RN), a licensed practical nurse (LPN), or an individual working under the supervision of an RN or LPN.

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 concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.

Who's behind it

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

25 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 33 names

Authors (8)

Signed on in support (25)

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.

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment

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 adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 1 · Sep 25, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 62 to 36 · Jan 21, 2020

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 36”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Feb 6, 2020

    The new law was published.

  2. Feb 6, 2020

    The governor signed it. It became 2019 Wisconsin Act 97.

  3. Feb 3, 2020

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 21, 2020

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Jan 16, 2020

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Nov 6, 2019

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Nov 5, 2019

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Nov 5, 2019

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Nov 4, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  10. Sep 25, 2019

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.

  11. Sep 25, 2019

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  12. Sep 17, 2019

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Jun 11, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  14. Jun 6, 2019

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  15. Apr 30, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  16. Apr 11, 2019

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  17. Apr 11, 2019

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 11, 2019 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Kooyenga, Carpenter, Cowles, Feyen, Jacque, Marklein, Nass and Testin; cosponsored by Representatives Magnafici, Duchow, Tittl, Kuglitsch, Brooks, Dittrich, Horlacher, James, Kerkman, Kulp, Kurtz, Murphy, Novak, Ohnstad, Ott, Petersen, Rohrkaste, Sinicki, Skowronski, Spiros, Thiesfeldt, Tranel, Tusler, Wichgers and Quinn

  2. Apr 11, 2019 · Senate

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

  3. Apr 30, 2019 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jun 6, 2019 · Senate

    Representative Fields added as a cosponsor

  5. Jun 11, 2019 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Jun 11, 2019 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Sep 17, 2019 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  8. Sep 18, 2019 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Jacque

  9. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  12. Sep 25, 2019 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Oct 17, 2019 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Kooyenga

  14. Nov 1, 2019 · Senate

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

  15. Nov 4, 2019 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  16. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Read a second time

  17. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  18. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  21. Nov 5, 2019 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Nov 6, 2019 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  23. Jan 16, 2020 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  24. Jan 16, 2020 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-21-2020 by Committee on Rules

  25. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  26. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Spreitzer, Emerson, Crowley, Stubbs and McGuire

  27. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 62, Noes 36

  28. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  29. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  30. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  31. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Representative Sinicki withdrawn as a cosponsor

  32. Jan 21, 2020 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  33. Jan 22, 2020 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  34. Jan 27, 2020 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  35. Feb 3, 2020 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-3-2020

  36. Feb 6, 2020 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-5-2020. 2019 Wisconsin Act 97

  37. Feb 6, 2020 · Senate

    Published 2-6-2020

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