Senate Bill 460
Traffic violations when railroad workers are present and providing a penalty
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 22, 2024. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Sep 29, 2023
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Nov 14, 2023
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 20, 2024
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2023 Wisconsin Act 159
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 22, 2024: “Published 3-22-2024”
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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 increases the penalties for certain traffic violations that are committed where workers are present in a railroad construction or maintenance area and are at risk from traffic.
Under current law, the amount of any applicable minimum and maximum fine or forfeiture is doubled for specified traffic violations committed where persons working in a highway maintenance or construction area, utility area, or emergency or roadside response area are at risk from traffic. These traffic violations include failing to follow certain traffic signs and signals, failing to follow certain orders of traffic officers, exceeding certain maximum speed limits, and driving recklessly. In addition, if the violation results in an injury to another, the operator may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than nine months, or both. The bill expands these provisions to apply to violations committed in a railroad construction or maintenance area.
Read the full summary Show less
Current law prohibits inattentive driving of a motor vehicle in general and specifically prohibits the use of a wireless telephone while driving a motor vehicle where persons are engaged in work in a highway maintenance or construction area, utility work area, or emergency or roadside response area. The bill expands this prohibition to apply to railroad construction or maintenance areas where workers are present.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
12 more lawmakers .
See all 15 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (12)
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Supreme Moore Omokunde · Democrat, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Lori Palmeri · Democrat, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
- Katrina Shankland · Democrat, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
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 · Nov 10, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 22, 2024
The new law was published.
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Mar 22, 2024
The governor signed it. It became 2023 Wisconsin Act 159.
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Mar 18, 2024
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 20, 2024
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 15, 2024
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Nov 17, 2023 to Feb 8, 2024
3 more representatives signed on in support.
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Nov 14, 2023
The Assembly received it.
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Nov 14, 2023
The Senate passed it.
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Nov 14, 2023
“Placed on the foot of the 14th order of business on the calendar of 11-14-2023” (the official wording)
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Nov 10, 2023
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 0.
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Nov 2, 2023
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 12, 2023 to Nov 2, 2023
1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.
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Sep 29, 2023
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Sep 29, 2023
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Sep 29, 2023 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Cowles, Feyen and Taylor; cosponsored by Representatives Spiros, Donovan, Moses, Mursau, Ohnstad, Penterman and Shankland
- Sep 29, 2023 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Oct 12, 2023 · Senate
Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor
- Nov 2, 2023 · Senate
Senator Wanggaard added as a coauthor
- Nov 2, 2023 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Nov 10, 2023 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Nov 10, 2023 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Nov 10, 2023 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Nov 13, 2023 · Senate
Placed on calendar 11-14-2023 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Placed on the foot of the 14th order of business on the calendar of 11-14-2023
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Read a second time
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Nov 14, 2023 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 14, 2023 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Nov 17, 2023 · Assembly
Representative Palmeri added as a cosponsor
- Jan 29, 2024 · Assembly
Representative Moore Omokunde added as a cosponsor
- Feb 8, 2024 · Assembly
Representative Ratcliff added as a cosponsor
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-20-2024 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 20, 2024 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 21, 2024 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 22, 2024 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 18, 2024 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2024
- Mar 22, 2024 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-21-2024. 2023 Wisconsin Act 159
- Mar 22, 2024 · Senate
Published 3-22-2024
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