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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Assembly Bill 85

A general permit for hydrologic restoration projects and creating a hydrologic restoration and management advisory council

Stopped before the full Assembly voted

The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 18, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.

  4. Senate vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 15, 2022: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

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 requires the Department of Natural Resources to issue a general permit that authorizes wetland, stream, and floodplain restoration and management activities that will result in a net improvement in hydrologic connections, conditions, and functions. Under current law, DNR may issue a general permit to a person wishing to proceed with a wetland restoration activity sponsored by a federal agency.

The bill requires DNR to apply several conditions to the new general permit relating to improvement of hydrologic conditions. The bill authorizes DNR to require an individual seeking approval to conduct activities under the general permit to apply for an individual permit under certain circumstances.

Read the full summary

Like the existing general permit for wetland restoration activity, a general permit issued under the bill is valid for a period of five years, except that an activity that DNR determines is authorized by a general permit remains authorized under the permit until the activity is completed. Also, like the existing general permit for wetland restoration activity, a general permit issued under the bill is in lieu of any permit or approval that would otherwise be required for that activity under state navigable water law, water quality law, or wetland law.

The bill creates at DNR a hydrologic restoration and management advisory council to provide input, make recommendations, and generally assist DNR with the implementation of the new general permit and associated restoration projects.

Who's behind it

21 lawmakers are its ⁠. 14 are Republicans and 7 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 30 names

Authors (21)

Signed on in support (9)

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.

Assembly Committee on Environment vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 1 · May 14, 2021

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 Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Environment vote to recommend it

Passed, 6 to 2 · May 14, 2021

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 Environment, Ayes 6, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 15, 2022

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. May 14, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  3. May 14, 2021

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 6 to 2.

  4. Apr 15, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  5. Mar 8, 2021 to Apr 7, 2021

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  6. Feb 18, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Environment.

  7. Feb 18, 2021

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 18, 2021 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Oldenburg, Steineke, Billings, Cabrera, Doyle, Edming, Kitchens, Krug, Loudenbeck, B. Meyers, Milroy, Moses, Mursau, Novak, Rozar, Skowronski, Subeck, Tauchen, Thiesfeldt, Tusler and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Senators Cowles, Bewley, Feyen, Petrowski, Ringhand, Testin and Wirch

  2. Feb 18, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Environment

  3. Mar 8, 2021 · Assembly

    Senator Pfaff added as a cosponsor

  4. Apr 7, 2021 · Assembly

    Representative James added as a coauthor

  5. Apr 15, 2021 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. May 3, 2021 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Oldenburg and Steineke

  7. May 6, 2021 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  8. May 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Environment, Ayes 5, Noes 1

  9. May 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Environment, Ayes 6, Noes 2

  10. May 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  11. Jun 16, 2021 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 6-22-2021 by Committee on Rules

  12. Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly

    Laid on the table

  13. Mar 15, 2022 · Assembly

    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

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

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

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

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

Roll call

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

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary