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Bills from the 2023–24 session

Senate Bill 36

Modifying the Department of Tourism's reporting duties and repealing requirements to distribute cheese, submit a financial statement, and use famous residents in marketing

Became law

The governor signed it on May 9, 2023. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 3, 2023

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 22, 2023

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Apr 18, 2023

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2023 Wisconsin Act 7

Latest entry in the official record, May 9, 2023: “Published 5-9-2023”

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 several changes to laws administered by the Department of Tourism.

The bill modifies the requirement imposed under current law that the department annually report on its activities to the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Committee on Tourism. Under the bill, the department is directed to report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature, rather than the specifically named committees.

Read the full summary

Additionally, the bill repeals the following three provisions:

1. The requirement that the department distribute donated cheese that is made in Wisconsin at tourist information centers. The department no longer operates tourist information centers.

2. The requirement that the Council on Tourism consider the use of famous Wisconsin residents and former residents in tourism marketing strategies.

3. The requirement that WPGA Junior Foundation, Inc., annually submit to the attorney general and the legislature an audited financial statement on the foundation's use of the contributions it receives when drivers purchase a special Golf Wisconsin license plate.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. 3 are Democrats and 3 are Republicans.

13 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 19 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (13)

How lawmakers voted

There were 2 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Agriculture and Tourism vote to recommend it

Passed, 9 to 0 · Mar 8, 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 Agriculture and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Tourism vote to recommend it

Passed, 11 to 0 · Apr 12, 2023

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

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Tourism, Ayes 11, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 9, 2023

    The new law was published.

  2. May 9, 2023

    The governor signed it. It became 2023 Wisconsin Act 7.

  3. May 4, 2023

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Apr 18, 2023

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Apr 12, 2023

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Apr 12, 2023

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 0.

  7. Mar 28, 2023

    The committee held a public hearing.

  8. Mar 24, 2023

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Tourism.

  9. Mar 22, 2023

    The Assembly received it.

  10. Mar 22, 2023

    The Senate passed it.

  11. Mar 8, 2023

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.

  12. Feb 22, 2023

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  13. Feb 16, 2023

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Feb 8, 2023

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  15. Feb 3, 2023

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Tourism.

  16. Feb 3, 2023

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 3, 2023 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Ballweg, Cowles, Marklein, Smith, Spreitzer and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Plumer, Dallman, C. Anderson, Armstrong, Kitchens, Mursau, Myers, Novak, Penterman, Rozar and Schutt

  2. Feb 3, 2023 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and Tourism

  3. Feb 8, 2023 · Senate

    Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  4. Feb 16, 2023 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Feb 22, 2023 · Senate

    Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor

  6. Mar 8, 2023 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Mar 8, 2023 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  8. Mar 8, 2023 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Mar 20, 2023 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-22-2023 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Mar 22, 2023 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Mar 22, 2023 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  12. Mar 22, 2023 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  13. Mar 22, 2023 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  14. Mar 22, 2023 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  15. Mar 22, 2023 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  16. Mar 24, 2023 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Tourism

  17. Mar 28, 2023 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  18. Apr 12, 2023 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  19. Apr 12, 2023 · Assembly

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Tourism, Ayes 11, Noes 0

  20. Apr 12, 2023 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  21. Apr 13, 2023 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 4-18-2023 by Committee on Rules

  22. Apr 18, 2023 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  23. Apr 18, 2023 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. Apr 18, 2023 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  25. Apr 18, 2023 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  26. Apr 18, 2023 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. Apr 18, 2023 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  28. Apr 19, 2023 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  29. May 4, 2023 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 5-4-2023

  30. May 9, 2023 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 5-8-2023. 2023 Wisconsin Act 7

  31. May 9, 2023 · Senate

    Published 5-9-2023

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

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