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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Senate Bill 867

The construction of bridges in a shoreland setback area and vegetative buffer zone requirements

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 18, 2022. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 13, 2022

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 22, 2022

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 23, 2022

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2021 Wisconsin Act 200

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 18, 2022: “Published 3-19-2022”

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.

This bill makes changes to shoreland zoning laws relating to the construction of bridges and required vegetative buffer zones.

Current law requires each county to zone by ordinance all shorelands in its unincorporated area. The Department of Natural Resources is required to promulgate by rule shoreland zoning standards, and a county shoreland zoning ordinance may not regulate a matter more restrictively than the matter is regulated by a shoreland zoning standard.

Read the full summary

Under current law, a “shoreland setback area” is an area in a shoreland that is within a certain distance of the ordinary high-water mark in which the construction or placement of structures has been limited or prohibited under a shoreland zoning ordinance. Current law requires a county shoreland zoning ordinance to establish a shoreland setback of 75 feet, but provides that a county shoreland zoning ordinance may not prohibit the construction of certain structures within the shoreland setback area, such as a boathouse or a structure that provides pedestrian access to the shoreline. This bill adds that a county shoreland zoning ordinance may not prohibit within the shoreland setback area the construction of a bridge for which DNR has issued a bridge permit.

Under current law, a county shoreland zoning ordinance generally may not require a person to establish a vegetative buffer zone on previously developed land unless it allows the buffer zone to contain a viewing corridor that is at least 35 feet wide for every 100 feet of shoreline frontage. Under the bill, the minimum width of the viewing corridor is 35 percent of the shoreline frontage or 35 feet wide, whichever is greater.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its ⁠. All 2 are Republicans.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 7 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (5)

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 Natural Resources and Energy vote on an amendment

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 10, 2022

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 10, 2022

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 Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 18, 2022

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 18, 2022

    The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 200.

  3. Mar 15, 2022

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 23, 2022

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Feb 22, 2022

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 22, 2022

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 22, 2022

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 22, 2022

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 11, 2022

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  10. Feb 10, 2022

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  11. Feb 10, 2022

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  12. Feb 10, 2022

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  13. Jan 31, 2022

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Jan 13, 2022

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.

  15. Jan 13, 2022

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 13, 2022 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Felzkowski and Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives Swearingen, Callahan and Dittrich

  2. Jan 13, 2022 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

  3. Jan 31, 2022 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Feb 7, 2022 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Felzkowski

  5. Feb 10, 2022 · Senate

    Senator Stafsholt added as a coauthor

  6. Feb 10, 2022 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Feb 10, 2022 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Feb 10, 2022 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  9. Feb 10, 2022 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  10. Feb 11, 2022 · Senate

    Representative Wichgers added as a cosponsor

  11. Feb 15, 2022 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Felzkowski

  12. Feb 18, 2022 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-22-2022 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  13. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Read a second time

  14. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  15. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  19. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  20. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  21. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  22. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 9:08 AM on 2-23-2022 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 29

  23. Feb 23, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  24. Feb 23, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Feb 23, 2022 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  26. Feb 23, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  27. Feb 23, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Feb 23, 2022 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  29. Mar 2, 2022 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  30. Mar 15, 2022 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-15-2022

  31. Mar 18, 2022 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-18-2022. 2021 Wisconsin Act 200

  32. Mar 18, 2022 · Senate

    Published 3-19-2022

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

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