Assembly Bill 449
Local regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE)
Topics: Administration, Department of: Agency and general functions, Housing, Ordinance, Real property
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
Sep 25, 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 473. 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.
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 requires political subdivisions with zoning ordinances to allow as a permitted use at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on each parcel that is zoned for residential use or mixed use on which an existing single-family dwelling is located. A permitted use under the bill is a use of property that complies with all requirements of the zoning district in which the property is located and for which no conditional use, variance, or special review or approval is required for an accessory dwelling unit. The bill specifically allows political subdivisions to 1) limit the size of an ADU to not larger than the square footage of the existing single-family dwelling, 2) limit the height of an ADU, other than an ADU that is a conversion of an existing legal nonconforming structure, to not greater than the maximum height permitted in the underlying zoning district, 3) require that an ADU satisfy current setback and lot coverage requirements, and 4) prohibit the use of an ADU created on a parcel after the effective date of the bill as a short-term rental.
Because this bill may increase or decrease, directly or indirectly, the cost of the development, construction, financing, purchasing, sale, ownership, or availability of housing in this state, the Department of Administration, as required by law, will prepare a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.
Who's behind it
13 representatives are its . 12 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 24 names Hide the names
Authors (13)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Amaad Rivera-Wagner · Democrat, Assembly
- Rob Summerfield · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (11)
- Julian Bradley · Republican, Senate
- Brienne Brown · Democrat, Assembly
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- Jodi Emerson · Democrat, Assembly
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- Lori Palmeri · Democrat, Assembly
- Kelda Roys · Democrat, Senate
- Snodgrass and Miresse
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Jamie Wall · 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 2 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 6 · Oct 3, 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 8, Noes 6”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate vote to recommend it
Passed, 13 to 1 · Oct 3, 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 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
-
Oct 10, 2025 to Mar 19, 2026
3 more representatives signed on in support.
-
Oct 8, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Oct 7, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
Oct 7, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Oct 6, 2025
2 more representatives signed on in support.
-
Oct 3, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 13 to 1.
-
Oct 2, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
Sep 30, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Sep 25, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
-
Sep 25, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Sep 25, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Goeben, Brooks, Kreibich, O'Connor, Krug, Rivera-Wagner, Piwowarczyk, Murphy, Brill, Knodl, Summerfield, Behnke and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Bradley, Feyen, Roys, Wall and Cabral-Guevara
- Sep 25, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Sep 30, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goeben
- Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Bare
- Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative Bare
- Oct 2, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Oct 2, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Palmeri added as a coauthor
- Oct 3, 2025 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 8, Noes 6
- Oct 3, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Housing and Real Estate, Ayes 13, Noes 1
- Oct 3, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to calendar of 10-7-2025
- Oct 6, 2025 · Assembly
- Oct 7, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 7, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Stubbs added as a coauthor
- Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Oct 10, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Subeck added as a coauthor
- Oct 15, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Allen
- Mar 6, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Brown added as a coauthor
- Mar 19, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Emerson 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