Assembly Bill 631
Use of public lands to provide temporary residence for the homeless and providing a penalty. (FE)
Topics: Administration, Department of: Budget and fiscal issues, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on, Municipality, Public assistance, Public land
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.
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Introduced, passed
Nov 7, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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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 ”
It sat with the Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 621. 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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 authorizes the Department of Administration and, under the circumstances described below, cities, villages, towns, and counties (political subdivisions) to designate public property, other than county fairgrounds and public parks, for use as a “structured camping facility” at which DOA may assign to a homeless individual or family a specific location for the purpose of allowing the individual or family to set up temporary residence at the facility. DOA may allow homeless individuals and families assigned to a structured camping facility to bring camping equipment and other personal items onto the facility. Additionally, DOA must provide for public safety at structured camping facilities and must ensure that potable water and adequate sanitary facilities are available at each facility. The bill also requires DOA to collect data related to the number of individuals who set up temporary residence at each structured camping facility.
Also, under the bill, if a resident of a political subdivision petitions the political subdivision to designate public property of the political subdivision as a structured camping facility, the political subdivision may make a designation and must provide DOA notice of the designation. If the political subdivision fails to make a designation within 12 months after the resident’s petition, DOA may designate public property of the political subdivision as a structured camping facility without the political subdivision’s approval, but only if the political subdivision had a homeless population above the per capita statewide average for political subdivisions in any of the immediately preceding two statewide counts of the homeless population in the state, as determined by DOA. Otherwise, the bill provides that DOA may designate public property of a political subdivision as a structured camping facility only with the approval of the political subdivision.
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Under the bill, if DOA is unable to assign to a homeless individual or family a specific location at a structured camping facility because every structured camping facility in the applicable political subdivision is at capacity, DOA must place the homeless individual or family on a waiting list until a location at a structured camping facility within the political subdivision becomes available. Notwithstanding the general requirements for designating public property as a structured camping facility under the bill, if at any time 12 or more individuals are listed on a waiting list in a single political subdivision, DOA must immediately designate public property of the political subdivision as a structured camping facility for the purpose of assigning the individuals listed on the waiting list to the structured camping facility.
The bill also prohibits the setting up of a temporary residence on public property that is not designated for recreational camping or designated as a structured camping facility under the bill. An individual who violates the prohibition is subject to a warning notice for a first violation and then is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor for a second or subsequent violation. The penalty does not apply if the individual has been placed on a waiting list under the bill.
Finally, under the bill, DOA must condition a homeless individual’s or family’s temporary residence at a structured camping facility on the completion of mental health or substance use evaluations, and DOA may expel individuals who fail to comply with DOA instructions.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.
Who's behind it
4 representatives are its . All 4 are Republicans.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 5 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 10, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 21, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Nov 25, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 7, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
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Nov 7, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Maxey, Melotik, Murphy and Mursau; cosponsored by Senator Tomczyk
- Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Nov 25, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 21, 2026 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate