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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Assembly Bill 882

Town authority over the water elevation of an artificial water body created by a dam and recourse due to damage caused by an obstructed waterway

Topics: Natural Resources, Department of: Environmental protection, Town: Board, Waterways and water power

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Apr 8, 2026. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 16, 2026

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 18, 2026

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 17, 2026

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Apr 8, 2026.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 13, 2026: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 967. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law grants the Department of Natural Resources the authority to regulate and control the level and flow of water in all navigable waters. This bill gives a town board the authority to prescribe the maximum water elevation for an artificial water body created by a dam that includes the use of a diversion pump and and that is located in the town if the town board has determined that a certain water elevation of that water body causes the road bed of a highway in the town to be saturated.

Current law provides a procedure whereby the owner or occupant of any lands damaged by an obstruction in a natural watercourse due to negligent action by the owner, occupant, or person in charge of the land on which the obstruction is located may request and ultimately require removal of the obstruction. The bill specifies that the damage triggering this authority must be due to ground or surface water flooding.

Who's behind it

2 representatives are its ⁠. All 2 are Republicans.

3 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 5 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (3)

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 3 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Environment vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 2 · Jan 30, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Environment, Ayes 4, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Insurance vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 9, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 16, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 13, 2026

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Apr 8, 2026

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Apr 2, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 17, 2026

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Mar 16, 2026

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

  6. Mar 9, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  7. Mar 2, 2026

    The committee held a public hearing.

  8. Feb 20, 2026

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.

  9. Feb 19, 2026

    The Senate received it.

  10. Feb 18, 2026

    The Assembly passed it.

  11. Feb 18, 2026

    The Assembly adopted it.

  12. Feb 2, 2026 to Feb 9, 2026

    1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.

  13. Jan 30, 2026

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  14. Jan 30, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 2.

  15. Jan 21, 2026

    The committee held a public hearing.

  16. Jan 16, 2026

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Environment.

  17. Jan 16, 2026

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Tucker and Born; cosponsored by Senator Quinn

  2. Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Environment

  3. Jan 21, 2026 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Jan 29, 2026 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  5. Jan 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Environment, Ayes 4, Noes 2

  6. Jan 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  7. Feb 2, 2026 · Assembly

    Representative Moses added as a coauthor

  8. Feb 9, 2026 · Assembly

    Senator Stafsholt added as a cosponsor

  9. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 1:29 PM on 2-18-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 13

  10. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Neubauer

  11. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  12. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative Tucker

  13. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 adopted

  14. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  15. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  16. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  17. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  18. Feb 19, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  19. Feb 20, 2026 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry

  20. Mar 2, 2026 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  21. Mar 9, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  22. Mar 9, 2026 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  23. Mar 9, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  24. Mar 16, 2026 · Senate

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

  25. Mar 16, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  26. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Read a second time

  27. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  28. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  29. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  30. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  31. Mar 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  32. Mar 20, 2026 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-20-2026

  33. Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  34. Apr 8, 2026 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-8-2026

  35. May 12, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  36. May 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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