Senate Bill 395
Responses to reports relating to elder adults at risk and adults at risk
Became law
The governor signed it on Feb 7, 2022. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jun 10, 2021
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Oct 25, 2021
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Jan 20, 2022
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2021 Wisconsin Act 122
Latest entry in the official record, Feb 7, 2022: “Published 2-5-2022”
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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.
Current law requires employees of entities that are credentialed by the Department of Health Services to report to the county department, the elder-adult-at-risk agency, DHS, the Board on Aging and Long-term Care, or law enforcement a request by an elder adult at risk to make a report; a reasonable belief that an elder adult at risk is at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault, or significant property loss but is unable to make an informed judgment whether to make a report; or a reasonable belief that any elder adult at risk is at risk of any of those harms by a suspected perpetrator. An “elder adult at risk” is defined under current law as a person age 60 or older who has experienced, is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect.
Upon receiving a report, the elder-adult-at-risk agency must respond to the report or refer the report to another agency for investigation or, if the alleged victim is a client of a credentialed entity and if the suspected perpetrator of the harm is a caregiver or nonclient resident of the entity, must refer the report to DHS. Current law specifies that the agency's response or investigation may include any of the following actions: a visit to the elder adult at risk's residence; observation of or interview with the elder adult at risk; interview with a guardian, agent under an activated power of attorney for health care, or caregiver of the elder adult at risk; or review of treatment and patient health care records or financial records. This bill requires that at least one of these specified actions be included in the response or investigation.
Read the full summary Show less
Current law contains a similar reporting requirement for similar types of harms to adults at risk, who are adults who have a physical or mental condition that substantially impairs their ability to care for their needs and who have experienced, are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect. Current law requires the recipient of a report, if the alleged victim is a client of a credentialed entity and if the suspected perpetrator is a caregiver or nonresident client of the entity, to refer the report to DHS, but under other circumstances, the adult-at-risk agency is allowed but not required to respond to a reasonable belief that an adult at risk is the subject of abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect. The bill requires an adult-at-risk agency that receives a report of alleged abuse or an adult-at-risk agency that has reason to believe an adult-at-risk is the subject of the harms specified under current law to respond by conducting an investigation or by referring the report to another agency for investigation. The bill also requires the investigating agency to include at least one of the actions specified in current law, which are the same actions described for investigations related to elder adults at risk.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
13 more lawmakers .
See all 16 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (13)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- Marisabel Cabrera · Democrat, Assembly
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Donna Rozar · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
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 Human Services vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 19, 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 1 recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Human Services vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 19, 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 Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Feb 7, 2022
The new law was published.
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Feb 7, 2022
The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 122.
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Feb 1, 2022
Sent to the governor.
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Jan 20, 2022
The Assembly passed it too.
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Jan 18, 2022
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Dec 7, 2021
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Oct 25, 2021
The Assembly received it.
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Oct 25, 2021
The Senate passed it.
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Oct 25, 2021
The Senate adopted it.
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Oct 19, 2021
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Oct 19, 2021
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Oct 14, 2021
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jun 10, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Human Services, Children and Families.
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Jun 10, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jun 10, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Jacque, Ballweg and L. Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Rozar, Skowronski, Armstrong, Brandtjen, Cabral-Guevara, Edming, Gundrum, Murphy, Sinicki, Spiros, Subeck and Wichgers
- Jun 10, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Human Services, Children and Families
- Jul 28, 2021 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Jacque
- Oct 14, 2021 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 19, 2021 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 19, 2021 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 19, 2021 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 19, 2021 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 22, 2021 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-25-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 adopted
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 25, 2021 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 25, 2021 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Dec 7, 2021 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 18, 2022 · Assembly
Representative Cabrera added as a cosponsor
- Jan 18, 2022 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 1-20-2022 by Committee on Rules
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jan 20, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 20, 2022 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Jan 28, 2022 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Feb 1, 2022 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 2-1-2022 by directive of the Majority Leader
- Feb 7, 2022 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 2-4-2022. 2021 Wisconsin Act 122
- Feb 7, 2022 · Senate
Published 2-5-2022
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