Assembly Bill 157
Prohibiting filing or recording contracts for services or materials that do not improve real estate and providing a penalty. (FE)
Topics: Contracts, Court: Procedure, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on, Real property, Register of deeds
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Apr 2, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 172. That version became law.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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.
This bill provides that, with certain, specified exceptions, no person may file or record with, or present for filing or recording to, a register of deeds a non-improvement contract or a notice, memorandum, or other instrument related to a non-improvement contract (document) and authorizes the register of deeds to reject such a document and return it unrecorded. The bill defines “non-improvement contract” as a contract 1) under which a person agrees to perform, furnish, or procure any work, labor, service, materials, plans, or specifications that are not used or consumed for the improvement of real estate, and 2) that purports to create a lien, encumbrance, or other security interest on real estate. A person that violates the recording or filing prohibition in the bill may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than nine months, or both.
In addition, under the bill, an owner of real estate affected by such a filing or recording may bring a civil action against the person that files or records the document. If the owner prevails in the action, the court must order the real estate released from the effect of the document and may award actual damages, costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
Read the full summary Show less
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
10 representatives are its . 9 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
14 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (10)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Treig Pronschinske · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Summerfield · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (14)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Clancy and Penterman
- Kristin Dassler-Alfheim · Democrat, Senate
- Jenna Jacobson · Democrat, Assembly
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Stroud, O'Connor, Miresse and Stubbs
- Tucker and Hysell
- Randy Udell · Democrat, Assembly
- Jamie Wall · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
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 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate vote on an amendment
Passed, 13 to 0 · May 19, 2025
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate vote on an amendment
Passed, 13 to 0 · May 19, 2025
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate vote to recommend it
Passed, 13 to 0 · May 19, 2025
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 Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jun 24, 2025 to Sep 9, 2025
5 more representatives signed on in support.
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May 28, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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May 19, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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May 19, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 0.
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May 8, 2025 to May 15, 2025
2 more representatives and 1 senator signed on in support.
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May 8, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 25, 2025
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Apr 16, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 14, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 8, 2025 to Apr 10, 2025
4 more representatives signed on in support.
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Apr 2, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
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Apr 2, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Apr 2, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Maxey, Piwowarczyk, Behnke, Dittrich, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Pronschinske, Summerfield and Ortiz-Velez; cosponsored by Senators Quinn, Marklein, Dassler-Alfheim, Nass, Spreitzer and Wall
- Apr 2, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Apr 4, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Maxey
- Apr 8, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Allen added as a coauthor
- Apr 9, 2025 · Assembly
- Apr 10, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Udell added as a coauthor
- Apr 14, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 16, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 25, 2025 · Assembly
Senator Wirch added as a cosponsor
- May 7, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Maxey
- May 8, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- May 8, 2025 · Assembly
- May 15, 2025 · Assembly
Senator Ratcliff added as a cosponsor
- May 15, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- May 19, 2025 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- May 19, 2025 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- May 19, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 0
- May 19, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- May 28, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jun 20, 2025 · Assembly
Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 6-24-2025
- Jun 24, 2025 · Assembly
Representatives Stroud, O'Connor, Miresse and Stubbs added as coauthors
- Jun 24, 2025 · Assembly
Laid on the table
- Sep 9, 2025 · Assembly
Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
- Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote