Assembly Bill 779
Increasing jurisdictional amounts in small claims actions. (FE)
Topics: Consumer protection, Credit, Damage (personal injury), Small claims court
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.
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Introduced, passed
Dec 17, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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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 ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 787. That version became law.
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.
Under current law, with certain exceptions, civil actions in which the amount claimed is $10,000 or less and actions for replevin in which the value of the property does not exceed $10,000 must generally be tried in small claims court. This bill increases the $10,000 limit for those cases to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also increases the jurisdictional limit for third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort from $5,000 to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
Read the full summary Show less
Current law provides that certain consumer transactions and leases are not covered by the Wisconsin Consumer Act and, if the amount financed is $25,000 or less, these actions must be brought in small claims court. The bill increases that amount to $32,500 on January 1, 2027, to $40,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $50,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also requires that, beginning five years after the effective date of the last statutory increases made by the bill, these small claims jurisdictional amounts be adjusted every five years to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index.
Who's behind it
9 representatives are its . All 9 are Republicans.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, 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 Judiciary vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 15, 2026
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Judiciary vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 15, 2026
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 Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 17, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 15, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 15, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Jan 7, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 17, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.
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Dec 17, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives O'Connor, B. Jacobson, Allen, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Knodl, Murphy and Penterman; cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard
- Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Jan 6, 2026 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative O'Connor
- Jan 7, 2026 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative O'Connor
- Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly
Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly
Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 17, 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
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