Assembly Bill 188
Reduction of penalty surcharge when certain fines or forfeitures reduced. (FE)
Topics: Court: Fee, Fines, Forfeiture
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 15, 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 188. 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.
Under current law, when a court imposes a fine or forfeiture for certain violations of state law or municipal or county ordinances, a penalty surcharge in the amount of 26 percent of the amount of the fine or forfeiture is also imposed. Current law provides that when a fine or forfeiture is suspended in whole or in part, the penalty surcharge must be reduced in proportion to the suspension. This bill requires the same rule to be applied for reduction of a fine or forfeiture. Under the bill, when a fine or forfeiture to which the penalty surcharge applies is reduced, the penalty surcharge must also be reduced in proportion to the reduction.
Who's behind it
9 representatives are its . 8 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 12 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Todd Novak · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (3)
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- Madison, Phelps and Clancy
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Local Government vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 to 0 · Jan 14, 2026
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 Local Government, Ayes 9, 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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Jan 20, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 16, 2026
3 more representatives signed on in support.
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Jan 14, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 14, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.
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Nov 18, 2025
1 more senator signed on in support.
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May 7, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 15, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Local Government.
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Apr 15, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Apr 15, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Brooks, Knodl, Behnke, Moses, Mursau, Novak, Sinicki, Wichgers and O'Connor; cosponsored by Senator Feyen
- Apr 15, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Local Government
- May 7, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Nov 18, 2025 · Assembly
Senator Ratcliff added as a cosponsor
- Jan 7, 2026 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Local Government, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 1-20-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly
Representatives Madison, Phelps and Clancy added as coauthors
- Jan 20, 2026 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 20, 2026 · Assembly
Laid on the table
- 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