Senate Bill 603
Allowing a court commissioner to address stipulated final legal separation hearings
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 14, 2022. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Oct 8, 2021
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 25, 2022
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 22, 2022
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2021 Wisconsin Act 169
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 14, 2022: “Published 3-12-2022”
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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.
This bill extends the authority of a court commissioner to preside over a final hearing in an action for legal separation under certain circumstances. Under current law, a court commissioner may preside over a final hearing to determine whether a judgment of divorce will be granted if both parties to the action state that the marriage is irretrievably broken and that the parties have resolved all material issues or if one party does not participate in the divorce action. This bill extends that authority to actions for legal separation. Under the bill, the court commissioner may preside over a final hearing to determine if a judgment of legal separation will be granted if both parties to the action state that the marital relationship is broken and that the parties have resolved all material issues. The court commissioner may also preside over any hearing held to determine whether a judgment of legal separation will be granted when one party does not participate in the action. Under current law, a court commissioner may proceed to grant and enter judgment in an action for divorce over which the commissioner has presided unless the commissioner does not approve of an agreement between the parties on material issues. Under the bill, a court commissioner may exercise that same authority in an action for legal separation.
Who's behind it
4 senators are its . 2 are Democrats and 2 are Republicans.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 15 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (11)
- Jill Billings · Democrat, Assembly
- Marisabel Cabrera · Democrat, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Steve Doyle · Democrat, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Jessie Rodriguez · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Mike Kuglitsch · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Pat Snyder · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 7 to 0 · Jan 14, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 14, 2022
The new law was published.
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Mar 14, 2022
The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 169.
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Mar 10, 2022
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 22, 2022
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 17, 2022
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 25, 2022
The Assembly received it.
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Jan 25, 2022
The Senate passed it.
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Jan 14, 2022
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 0.
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Jan 6, 2022
The committee held a public hearing.
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Nov 3, 2021
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Oct 8, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Oct 8, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 8, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Ballweg, Marklein, Johnson and Roys; cosponsored by Representatives J. Rodriguez, Snyder, Doyle, Billings, Cabrera, Dittrich, Duchow, Kuglitsch, Tusler and Sinicki
- Oct 8, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Nov 3, 2021 · Senate
Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor
- Jan 6, 2022 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 13, 2022 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 14, 2022 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Jan 14, 2022 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 21, 2022 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-25-2022 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 25, 2022 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 25, 2022 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 25, 2022 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jan 25, 2022 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Jan 25, 2022 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 25, 2022 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-22-2022 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- 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 concurred in
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 22, 2022 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 25, 2022 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 10, 2022 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-10-2022
- Mar 14, 2022 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-11-2022. 2021 Wisconsin Act 169
- Mar 14, 2022 · Senate
Published 3-12-2022
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