Assembly Bill 885
Eliminating immunity for public campus administrators from liability for violations of individual expressive rights under the declaration of rights in the Wisconsin Constitution. (FE)
Vetoed by the governor
Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Apr 8, 2022. Lawmakers did not , so it stands.
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Introduced, passed
Jan 21, 2022
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed 60 to 34
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 8, 2022
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Governor, stopped here
Vetoed Apr 8, 2022.
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2022: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”
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Terms on this page
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill eliminates immunity for certain campus administrators from liability for violations of certain individual expressive rights. The bill defines a “campus administrator” as a University of Wisconsin System or technical college district board employee who is an academic staff member in an academic administrator, administrative director, or administrative officer position or a position with similar duties of authority to determine policy or administer violations. Under the bill, a person may bring a claim against a campus administrator if that administrator subjects a person or causes a person to be subjected to the deprivation of any individual expressive rights secured under article I of the Wisconsin Constitution on a University of Wisconsin System or technical college system campus. The bill provides that none of the following applies or may be used as a defense to claims made under the bill: 1) statutory immunity; 2) statutory limitations on damages; 3) any claim that the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by article I of the Wisconsin Constitution or the U.S. Constitution were not clearly established at the time of the conduct; or 4) any claim that the campus administrator acted in good faith or believed his or her conduct to be lawful at the time the conduct was committed, or that the campus administrator did not intend to cause a deprivation of the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by article I of the Wisconsin Constitution or the U.S.
Constitution.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill allows for the recovery of reasonable attorney fees and costs by a prevailing plaintiff and, if a plaintiff's claims are found to be frivolous, a defendant may also be awarded reasonable costs and attorney fees. Under the bill, actions against a college administrator must be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues.
Who's behind it
5 representatives are its . All 5 are Republicans.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (5)
- Cody Horlacher · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Shae Sortwell · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (5)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- John Jagler · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Roger Roth · Republican, Senate
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There were 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 to 4 · Feb 17, 2022
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 9, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 60 to 34 · Feb 22, 2022 · 3 didn't vote
See how each of the 97 representatives voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (60)
- Adam Neylon (R, 15)
- Alex Dallman (R, 39)
- Amy Loudenbeck (R, 31)
- Barbara Dittrich (R, 99)
- Bob Wittke (R, 63)
- Calvin Callahan (R, 35)
- Chuck Wichgers (R, 84)
- Cindi Duchow (R, 97)
- Clint Moses (R, 92)
- Cody Horlacher (R, 33)
- Dan Knodl (R, 24)
- Dave Armstrong (R, 67)
- Dave Murphy (R, 56)
- David Steffen (R, 4)
- Donna Rozar (R, 69)
- Elijah Behnke (R, 6)
- Gae Magnafici (R, 28)
- Gary Tauchen (R, 6)
- James Edming (R, 87)
- Janel Brandtjen (R, 22)
- Jeff Mursau (R, 36)
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R, 52)
- Jesse James (R, 23)
- Jessie Rodriguez (R, 21)
- Jim Steineke (R, 5)
- Joe Sanfelippo (R, 15)
- Joel Kitchens (R, 1)
- John Macco (R, 88)
- John Spiros (R, 86)
- Jon Plumer (R, 42)
- Ken Skowronski (R, 82)
- Kevin Petersen (R, 57)
- Loren Oldenburg (R, 96)
- Mark Born (R, 37)
- Michael Schraa (R, 53)
- Mike Kuglitsch (R, 84)
- Nancy VanderMeer (R, 70)
- Pat Snyder (R, 85)
- Paul Tittl (R, 25)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R, 19)
- Rick Gundrum (R, 58)
- Rob Brooks (R, 59)
- Rob Summerfield (R, 68)
- Rob Swearingen (R, 34)
- Robin Vos (R, 33)
- Ron Tusler (R, 3)
- Samantha Kerkman (R, 61)
- Scott Allen (R, 82)
- Scott Krug (R, 72)
- Shae Sortwell (R, 2)
- Shannon Zimmerman (R, 30)
- Terry Katsma (R, 26)
- Timothy Ramthun (R, 59)
- Todd Novak (R, 51)
- Tony Kurtz (R, 41)
- Travis Tranel (R, 49)
- Treig Pronschinske (R, 29)
- Tyler August (R, 31)
- Tyler Vorpagel (R, 27)
- Warren Petryk (R, 93)
No (34)
- Beth Meyers (D, 74)
- Christine Sinicki (D, 20)
- Daniel Riemer (D, 7)
- Dave Considine (D, 81)
- Deb Andraca (D, 23)
- Dianne Hesselbein (D, 27)
- Don Vruwink (D, 43)
- Dora Drake (D, 4)
- Evan Goyke (D, 18)
- Francesca Hong (D, 76)
- Gary Hebl (D, 46)
- Gordon Hintz (D, 54)
- Greta Neubauer (D, 66)
- Jill Billings (D, 95)
- Jimmy Anderson (D, 47)
- Jodi Emerson (D, 91)
- Jonathan Brostoff (D, 19)
- Kalan Haywood (D, 16)
- Kristina Shelton (D, 90)
- LaKeshia Myers (D, 12)
- Lee Snodgrass (D, 52)
- Lisa Subeck (D, 79)
- Mark Spreitzer (D, 15)
- Nick Milroy (D, 73)
- Robyn Vining (D, 13)
- Samba Baldeh (D, 48)
- Sara Rodriguez (D, 13)
- Shelia Stubbs (D, 78)
- Sondy Pope (D, 80)
- Steve Doyle (D, 94)
- Sue Conley (D, 44)
- Supreme Moore Omokunde (D, 17)
- Tip McGuire (D, 64)
- Tod Ohnstad (D, 65)
Didn't vote (3)
- David Bowen (D, 10)
- Marisabel Cabrera (D, 9)
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D, 8)
Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 4, 2022
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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May 17, 2022
The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.
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Apr 8, 2022
The governor vetoed it.
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Apr 4, 2022
Sent to the governor.
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Mar 8, 2022
The Senate passed it too.
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Mar 4, 2022
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
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Feb 24, 2022
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
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Feb 22, 2022
The Senate received it.
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Feb 22, 2022
The Assembly passed it, 60 to 34.
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Feb 17, 2022
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 17, 2022
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 4.
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Feb 10, 2022
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Feb 10, 2022
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 31, 2022
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jan 24, 2022
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 21, 2022
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.
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Jan 21, 2022
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 21, 2022 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Moses, Murphy, Horlacher, Knodl and Sortwell; cosponsored by Senators Roth, Jagler and Nass
- Jan 21, 2022 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities
- Jan 24, 2022 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 31, 2022 · Assembly
Representative Wichgers added as a coauthor
- Feb 10, 2022 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 10, 2022 · Assembly
Representative Cabral-Guevara added as a coauthor
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 9, Noes 4
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-22-2022 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 60, Noes 34, Paired 2
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 22, 2022 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 24, 2022 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Feb 24, 2022 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 4, 2022 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 4, 2022 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-8-2022 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 8, 2022 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 8, 2022 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 8, 2022 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 8, 2022 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 8, 2022 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 9, 2022 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Mar 15, 2022 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 3-15-2022
- Apr 4, 2022 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-4-2022 by directive of the Speaker
- Apr 8, 2022 · Assembly
Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-8-2022
- May 17, 2022 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 5-17-2022 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- May 17, 2022 · Assembly
Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82
Terms on this page
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote