Assembly Bill 296
Eliminating the 13-week limit on the garnishment of earnings of certain debtors
Topics: Creditor, Crime victim, Debt and debtors, Garnishment
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.
-
Introduced, passed
May 30, 2025
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
-
Senate vote, not reached
-
Governor, not reached
-
Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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 300. That version was vetoed.
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
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 eliminates the 13-week limit imposed on the garnishment of earnings of certain debtors. Under current law, a creditor may file a garnishment notice with a court and pay a fee to a garnishee for the purpose of collecting an unsatisfied judgment for money damages from earnings owed to the debtor by the garnishee. Current law limits the number of weeks in which the earnings of a debtor, other than a debtor who is an employee of the state or a political subdivision of the state, may be garnisheed to 13 weeks.
Under current law, a court-ordered assignment of a debtor’s earnings for support or maintenance in a family law matter takes priority over an earnings garnishment. The bill provides that a court-ordered earnings garnishment to satisfy an order for restitution in a criminal matter takes priority over other earnings garnishments but does not have priority over an assignment in a family law matter.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill makes various other changes, including changes to account for the increased length of time a garnishment may continue. For example, the bill requires a creditor to provide additional notices to a debtor when a garnishment extends beyond a 13-week period.
Who's behind it
13 representatives are its . All 13 are Republicans.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 15 names Hide the names
Authors (13)
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (2)
- Rob Hutton · 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.
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on State Affairs vote on an amendment
Passed, 10 to 0 · Nov 20, 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 State Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on State Affairs vote to recommend it
Passed, 7 to 3 · Nov 20, 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 State Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
-
Nov 20, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Nov 20, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 3.
-
Oct 8, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
-
May 30, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs.
-
May 30, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 30, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Tusler, Dittrich, Gundrum, Kaufert, Kitchens, Knodl, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Steffen and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Hutton and Wanggaard
- May 30, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs
- Sep 5, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Tusler
- Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Nov 12, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Nov 20, 2025 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0
- Nov 20, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 3
- Nov 20, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 1-15-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 11, 2026 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Tusler
- Feb 19, 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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote