Senate Bill 259
Payday loans
Became law
The governor signed it on Nov 17, 2023. It's .
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Introduced, passed
May 2, 2023
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Oct 17, 2023
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Nov 14, 2023
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2023 Wisconsin Act 37
Latest entry in the official record, Nov 17, 2023: “Published 11-17-2023”
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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 exempts from payday loan regulation any transaction in which no finance charge or other charge or fee is imposed against or accepted from the loan recipient.
Under current law, a person must be licensed by the Division of Banking (division) in the Department of Financial Institutions to originate or service a payday loan involving a Wisconsin resident. A “payday loan" is defined as a transaction between an individual with an account at a financial establishment and another person (payday lender) in which the payday lender agrees to accept a check or electronic fund transfer (EFT) authorization from the individual, to delay negotiating the check or initiating the EFT for a period of time, and to extend a loan to the individual for a term of 90 days or less. Current law imposes various requirements and restrictions applicable to payday lenders and payday loan transactions. However, there is an exemption from the payday loan licensing requirement and all other payday loan requirements and restrictions for banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, credit unions, and their affiliates.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill creates a transaction-based exemption from the requirements and restrictions applicable to payday loans. These requirements and restrictions do not apply to any transaction in which no finance charge, as defined under federal Truth-in-Lending Act regulations, and no other fees or charges of any kind, are required or accepted, at any time, from the person receiving the loan.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Democrats and 1 is a Republican.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Dianne Hesselbein · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Rob Stafsholt · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (11)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Marisabel Cabrera · Democrat, Assembly
- Steve Doyle · Democrat, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Alex Joers · Democrat, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Nik Rettinger · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 29, 2023
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 Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Nov 17, 2023
The new law was published.
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Nov 17, 2023
The governor signed it. It became 2023 Wisconsin Act 37.
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Nov 15, 2023
Sent to the governor.
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Nov 14, 2023
The Assembly passed it too.
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Nov 13, 2023 to Nov 14, 2023
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Nov 8, 2023
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Oct 17, 2023
The Assembly received it.
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Oct 17, 2023
The Senate passed it.
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Sep 29, 2023
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Aug 23, 2023
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jul 12, 2023
1 more representative signed on in support.
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May 2, 2023
Sent to the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage.
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May 2, 2023
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 2, 2023 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Stafsholt, Hesselbein and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives O'Connor, Doyle, Penterman, Subeck, Green, Rettinger, Wichgers and Allen
- May 2, 2023 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage
- Jul 12, 2023 · Senate
Representative Joers added as a cosponsor
- Aug 23, 2023 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Sep 28, 2023 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Sep 29, 2023 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Sep 29, 2023 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 16, 2023 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-17-2023 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 17, 2023 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 17, 2023 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 17, 2023 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Oct 17, 2023 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 17, 2023 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 17, 2023 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Nov 8, 2023 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Nov 9, 2023 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 11-14-2023 by Committee on Rules
- Nov 13, 2023 · Assembly
Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Representative Cabrera added as a cosponsor
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 15, 2023 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Nov 15, 2023 · Senate
LRB correction
- Nov 15, 2023 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Nov 15, 2023 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 11-15-2023
- Nov 17, 2023 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 11-16-2023. 2023 Wisconsin Act 37
- Nov 17, 2023 · Senate
Published 11-17-2023
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