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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 409

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: passing certain vehicles stopped on or near a highway and providing a penalty.

Motor vehicle — Regulation Motor vehicle — Taxation or registration Road

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Assembly, completed
  3. Passes Senate, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, commonly referred to as the “move over or slow down” law, if an authorized emergency vehicle or roadside service vehicle is parked or standing (stopped) on or within 12 feet of a roadway, the operator of another vehicle approaching the stopped vehicle must proceed with due regard for all other traffic and do either of the following: 1) if the roadway has at least two lanes in the applicable direction of travel, move into a lane that is not nearest the stopped vehicle; or 2) if the roadway has only one lane in the applicable direction of travel or if changing lanes cannot be done safely, slow down while passing the stopped vehicle. Under this bill, an operator approaching a disabled vehicle must also move over or slow down. “Disabled vehicle” is defined for purposes of the bill as a motor vehicle that is stopped and to which any of the following apply:

1. The motor vehicle is displaying warning or hazard lights.

2. Emergency flares or other emergency warning devices are placed near the motor vehicle.

3. One or more persons are attending the motor vehicle and visible to passing motorists.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Behnke (R) , DeSmidt (D) , Dittrich (R) , Duchow (R) , Gundrum (R) , Hysell (D) , Knodl (R) , Kreibich (R) , Maxey (R) , Penterman (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Roe (D) , Snodgrass (D) , Spaude (D) , Steffen (R)

9 cosponsors

Dassler-Alfheim (D) , James (R) , Marklein (R) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Ratcliff and Smith , Roys (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Subeck (D) , Wanggaard (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 2

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Votes

Assembly: Report passage recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 2

Passed 11–2 Oct 8, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Senate: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

Passed 8–0 Nov 11, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Senate: Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

Passed 3–2 Nov 14, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Full history

  1. Aug 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Piwowarczyk, Maxey, Behnke, DeSmidt, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Hysell, Knodl, Kreibich, Penterman, Roe, Snodgrass, Spaude and Steffen; cosponsored by Senators James, Marklein, Roys, Dassler-Alfheim, Spreitzer and Wanggaard

  2. Aug 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

  3. Sep 8, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor

  4. Sep 10, 2025 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Sep 23, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative Subeck added as a coauthor

  6. Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 2

  8. Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  9. Oct 9, 2025 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 by Committee on Rules

  10. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  11. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  12. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  13. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  14. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  15. Oct 15, 2025 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  16. Oct 15, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  17. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  18. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

  19. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  21. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  22. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Senators Ratcliff and Smith added as cosponsors

  23. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  24. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  25. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  26. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  27. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  28. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  29. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-19-2025

  30. Dec 4, 2025 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 12-4-2025

  31. Dec 10, 2025 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-9-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 54

  32. Dec 10, 2025 · Assembly

    Published 12-10-2025