Senate Bill 151
The environmental compliance audit program
Became law
The governor signed it on Aug 9, 2021. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Feb 24, 2021
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 23, 2021
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Jun 22, 2021
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2021 Wisconsin Act 78
Latest entry in the official record, Aug 9, 2021: “Published 8-7-2021”
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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
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 does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill makes several changes to the environmental compliance audit program. Under the program, an entity that is subject to environmental regulations may limit liability for certain violations by voluntarily submitting an environmental compliance audit report to the Department of Natural Resources that identifies violations and identifies corrective actions to be taken.
Under current law, a regulated entity has 90 days to correct violations identified in the audit. Under the bill, the time that a regulated entity has to correct violations is 60 days generally, 180 days if the entity is a small business stationary source, and 360 days if the entity is a small business stationary source and the corrective action involves a pollution prevention modification.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill also eliminates requirements that an entity notify DNR no fewer than 30 days before beginning an audit and that proposed compliance schedules be subject to a public notice and comment period.
Current law requires DNR and the Department of Justice, in determining whether to pursue criminal action for violations revealed by a compliance audit report, to consider various factors. The bill requires DNR and DOJ to also consider whether the entity is a small business stationary source that has committed a minor violation.
Who's behind it
André Jacque, a Republican, is its .
7 more lawmakers .
See all 8 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (7)
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Jesse James · Republican, Senate
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Donna Rozar · Republican, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 18, 2021
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 Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Aug 9, 2021
The new law was published.
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Aug 9, 2021
The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 78.
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Aug 5, 2021
Sent to the governor.
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Jun 22, 2021
The Assembly passed it too.
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Jun 15, 2021
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Apr 7, 2021
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Mar 23, 2021
The Assembly received it.
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Mar 23, 2021
The Senate passed it.
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Mar 18, 2021
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Mar 11, 2021
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 24, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
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Feb 24, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 24, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Jacque; cosponsored by Representatives Brooks, Knodl, Rozar, Brandtjen, Skowronski and Tusler
- Feb 24, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
- Mar 11, 2021 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 17, 2021 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 18, 2021 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 18, 2021 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 19, 2021 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-23-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 23, 2021 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 23, 2021 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 23, 2021 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 23, 2021 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Mar 23, 2021 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Apr 7, 2021 · Assembly
Representative James added as a cosponsor
- Jun 15, 2021 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Jun 16, 2021 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 6-22-2021 by Committee on Rules
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jun 22, 2021 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jun 22, 2021 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Jun 28, 2021 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Aug 5, 2021 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 8-5-2021
- Aug 9, 2021 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 8-6-2021. 2021 Wisconsin Act 78
- Aug 9, 2021 · Senate
Published 8-7-2021
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
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote