Assembly Bill 249
Prohibiting abandonment of a boat and providing a penalty
Topics: Boat, Natural Resources, Department of: Recreation and boating, Personal property, Police
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
-
Introduced, passed
May 8, 2025
-
Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
-
Assembly vote, not reached
-
Senate vote, not reached
-
Governor, not reached
-
Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It sat with the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
Embed this on your site
Paste this code into your page. The card shows the latest record each time it loads. Preview the card
The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 250. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill prohibits a person from abandoning a boat on the waters of this state or upon adjacent riparian land. “Abandon” is defined to mean 1) leaving a boat unattended, without demonstrated intent to return to or moor or maintain the boat, for a period of more than seven consecutive days, or 2) leaving a boat that is partially submerged, in a state of disrepair, or otherwise neglected such that the boat presents a hazard to navigation, public safety, or environmental health and the owner has failed to take reasonable actions to remove or maintain the boat.
Under the bill, if a law enforcement officer determines that a boat has been abandoned, the officer must notify the owner, who must remove the boat within 30 days. If the boat remains abandoned after that period, the owner is subject to imprisonment for up to nine months and a fine of up to $10,000, or both. In addition, the Department of Natural Resources shall require the person to obtain a certificate of satisfactory completion of a safety course before operating a boat.
Who's behind it
8 representatives are its . 7 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 13 names Hide the names
Authors (8)
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Shannon Zimmerman · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (5)
- Jenna Jacobson · Democrat, Assembly
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Rob Stafsholt · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
What happened
-
Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
-
Nov 4, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Sep 9, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
May 8, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
-
May 8, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 8, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Zimmerman, Kreibich, Dittrich, Duchow, Green, Gundrum, O'Connor and Subeck; cosponsored by Senators Stafsholt, L. Johnson, Nass and Wanggaard
- May 8, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Forestry, Parks and Outdoor Recreation
- Sep 4, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Zimmerman
- Sep 9, 2025 · Assembly
Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
- Nov 4, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- 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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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