Senate Bill 517
Court-issued criminal complaints if the person's actions were in self-defense
Vetoed by the governor
Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Mar 29, 2024. Lawmakers did not , so it stands.
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Introduced, passed
Oct 16, 2023
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed 21 to 10
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 15, 2024
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Governor, stopped here
Vetoed Mar 29, 2024.
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, May 15, 2024: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”
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Terms on this page
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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 would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, a district attorney has the discretion as to whether or not to issue a complaint to charge a person with a crime. Current law also provides that, if a district attorney refuses to issue a complaint against a person, a judge may conduct a hearing to determine if there is probable cause to believe that the person committed a crime and, if so, issue a complaint.
Under this bill, if the district attorney refused to issue the complaint because the person has a defense of self-defense, the court may not conduct a hearing or issue a complaint unless the court has new evidence that the person's actions were not self-defense under the law.
Read the full summary Show less
Under current law, a person is privileged to threaten or intentionally use force against an actor to prevent or terminate what the person reasonably believes to be an unlawful interference with himself or herself or another person by the actor. The person may intentionally use only force or threat as the person believes is necessary to prevent or terminate the interference. Certain presumptions apply if the person is in his or her house, business, or vehicle. In addition, if the person engaged in unlawful conduct that was likely to provoke an attack and does provoke an attack, the person generally loses the privilege of self-defense.
Who's behind it
6 senators are its . All 6 are Republicans.
13 more lawmakers .
See all 19 names Hide the names
Authors (6)
- Julian Bradley · Republican, Senate
- Mary Felzkowski · Republican, Senate
- Rob Hutton · Republican, Senate
- Jesse James · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (13)
- Ty Bodden · Republican, Assembly
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Nik Rettinger · Republican, Assembly
- Donna Rozar · Republican, Assembly
- Ellen Schutt · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There were 3 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 4 to 3 · Jan 31, 2024
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 4, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote to pass it
Passed, 21 to 10 · Feb 13, 2024 · 1 didn't vote
See how each of the 32 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (21)
- André Jacque (R, 1)
- Chris Kapenga (R, 33)
- Cory Tomczyk (R, 29)
- Dan Feyen (R, 20)
- Dan Knodl (R, 24)
- Devin LeMahieu (R, 9)
- Duey Stroebel (R, 20)
- Howard Marklein (R, 17)
- Jesse James (R, 23)
- Joan Ballweg (R, 14)
- John Jagler (R, 13)
- Julian Bradley (R, 28)
- Mary Felzkowski (R, 12)
- Patrick Testin (R, 24)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R, 19)
- Rob Cowles (R, 2)
- Rob Hutton (R, 5)
- Rob Stafsholt (R, 10)
- Romaine Quinn (R, 25)
- Steve Nass (R, 11)
- Van Wanggaard (R, 21)
No (10)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Brad Pfaff (D, 32)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dianne Hesselbein (D, 27)
- Eric Wimberger (R, 2)
- Kelda Roys (D, 26)
- LaTonya Johnson (D, 6)
- Mark Spreitzer (D, 15)
- Melissa Agard (D, 16)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
Didn't vote (1)
- Jeff Smith (D, 31)
Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 21 to 10 · May 14, 2024 · 1 didn't vote
See how each of the 32 senators voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (21)
- André Jacque (R, 1)
- Chris Kapenga (R, 33)
- Cory Tomczyk (R, 29)
- Dan Feyen (R, 20)
- Dan Knodl (R, 24)
- Devin LeMahieu (R, 9)
- Duey Stroebel (R, 20)
- Howard Marklein (R, 17)
- Jesse James (R, 23)
- Joan Ballweg (R, 14)
- John Jagler (R, 13)
- Julian Bradley (R, 28)
- Mary Felzkowski (R, 12)
- Patrick Testin (R, 24)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R, 19)
- Rob Cowles (R, 2)
- Rob Hutton (R, 5)
- Rob Stafsholt (R, 10)
- Romaine Quinn (R, 25)
- Steve Nass (R, 11)
- Van Wanggaard (R, 21)
No (10)
- Bob Wirch (D, 22)
- Brad Pfaff (D, 32)
- Chris Larson (D, 7)
- Dianne Hesselbein (D, 27)
- Eric Wimberger (R, 2)
- Jeff Smith (D, 31)
- LaTonya Johnson (D, 6)
- Mark Spreitzer (D, 15)
- Melissa Agard (D, 16)
- Tim Carpenter (D, 3)
Didn't vote (1)
- Kelda Roys (D, 26)
Official motion: “PASS NOTWITHSTANDING OBJECTIONS OF GOVERNOR”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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May 15, 2024
The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.
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May 14, 2024
The Assembly voted to override the veto.
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May 14, 2024
“Messaged” (the official wording)
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May 14, 2024
The Senate voted to override the veto, 21 to 10.
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Mar 29, 2024
The governor vetoed it.
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Mar 26, 2024
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 15, 2024
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 13, 2024
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 13, 2024
The Assembly received it.
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Feb 13, 2024
The Senate passed it, 21 to 10.
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Jan 31, 2024
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 3.
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Jan 16, 2024
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jan 11, 2024
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 16, 2023
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Oct 16, 2023
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 16, 2023 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Hutton, Bradley, Wanggaard, James, Felzkowski and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Moses, Rettinger, Donovan, Schutt, O'Connor, Dittrich, Rozar, Gundrum, Mursau, Wichgers, Bodden and Brandtjen
- Oct 16, 2023 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Jan 11, 2024 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 16, 2024 · Senate
Representative Maxey added as a cosponsor
- Jan 31, 2024 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 31, 2024 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 4, Noes 3
- Jan 31, 2024 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 9, 2024 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-13-2024 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 21, Noes 10
- Feb 13, 2024 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 13, 2024 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 13, 2024 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 13, 2024 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-15-2024 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 15, 2024 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 15, 2024 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 19, 2024 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 26, 2024 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2024
- Mar 29, 2024 · Senate
Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-29-2024
- May 13, 2024 · Senate
Placed on calendar 5-14-2024 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- May 14, 2024 · Senate
Rules suspended and taken up
- May 14, 2024 · Senate
Passed notwithstanding the objections of the Governor, Ayes 21, Noes 10
- May 14, 2024 · Senate
Messaged
- May 14, 2024 · Assembly
Received from Senate passed notwithstanding the objections of the Governor
- May 14, 2024 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 5-15-2024 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- May 15, 2024 · Assembly
Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82
Terms on this page
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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
Veto override
Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.
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