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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Senate Bill 208

Publication of Elections Commission meeting minutes

Became law

The governor signed it on May 24, 2021. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Mar 16, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Apr 14, 2021

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed May 11, 2021

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2021 Wisconsin Act 38

Latest entry in the official record, May 24, 2021: “Published 5-22-2021”

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.

Current law requires the Elections Commission to permit inspection of records that are distributed or discussed during a meeting or hearing by the commission in open session. This bill requires the commission also to post on its Internet site the minutes of each of its meetings and hearings no later than 24 hours after the completion of the meeting or hearing. The posted minutes must include a summary of every action that the commission voted on, a record of each member's vote for or against every action requiring a vote, a record of all motions and seconds made by each member, and a record of each member's status as being present or absent for any part of a meeting or hearing. Finally, the bill requires the commission to maintain the minutes on its Internet site so that the minutes are accessible to the public at all times.

Who's behind it

9 senators are its ⁠. All 9 are Republicans.

16 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 25 names

Authors (9)

Signed on in support (16)

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.

Senate Committee on Elections vote on an amendment

Passed, 4 to 1 · Apr 13, 2021

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 2 recommended by Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Elections vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 1 · Apr 13, 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 Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 24, 2021

    The new law was published.

  2. May 24, 2021

    The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 38.

  3. May 20, 2021

    Sent to the governor.

  4. May 11, 2021

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. May 6, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Apr 14, 2021

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Apr 14, 2021

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Apr 14, 2021

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Apr 13, 2021

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

  10. Apr 13, 2021

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, Ayes 4, Noes 1” (the official wording)

  11. Apr 8, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  12. Mar 16, 2021

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics.

  13. Mar 16, 2021

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Mar 16, 2021 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Stroebel, Darling, Roth, Feyen, Marklein, Wanggaard, Bradley, Ballweg and Felzkowski; cosponsored by Representatives Neylon, Magnafici, Edming, Steffen, Kerkman, Knodl, Spiros, Krug, Brooks, Loudenbeck, Gundrum, Kuglitsch, Murphy, Wichgers, VanderMeer and Macco

  2. Mar 16, 2021 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics

  3. Mar 17, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Stroebel

  4. Apr 8, 2021 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Apr 12, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senators Stroebel and Bernier

  6. Apr 13, 2021 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Apr 13, 2021 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  8. Apr 13, 2021 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  9. Apr 13, 2021 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  10. Apr 13, 2021 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 4-14-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  11. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Read a second time

  12. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 adopted

  13. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  14. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  15. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  16. Apr 14, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  17. Apr 14, 2021 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  18. May 6, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  19. May 6, 2021 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-11-2021 by Committee on Rules

  20. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  21. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  22. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  24. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  25. May 11, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. May 12, 2021 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  27. May 18, 2021 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  28. May 20, 2021 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 5-20-2021

  29. May 24, 2021 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 5-21-2021. 2021 Wisconsin Act 38

  30. May 24, 2021 · Senate

    Published 5-22-2021

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

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