Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: the freedom to gather in places of worship during a state of emergency (second consideration).
Constitutional amendments — Second consideration Governor Legislature Municipality Public health Religious societies
- Introduced, completed
- Passes Assembly, completed
- Passes Senate, completed
- Adopted, completed
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
EXPLANATION OF PROPOSAL
This proposed constitutional amendment, to be given second consideration by the 2025 legislature for submittal to the voters in November 2026, was first considered by the 2023 legislature in 2023 Senate Joint Resolution 54, which became 2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 11.
This constitutional amendment provides that the state or a political subdivision of the state may not order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.
PROCEDURE FOR SECOND CONSIDERATION
When a proposed constitutional amendment is before the legislature on second consideration, any change in the text approved by the preceding legislature causes the proposed constitutional amendment to revert to first consideration status so that second consideration approval would have to be given by the next legislature before the proposal may be submitted to the people for ratification [see joint rule 57 (2)].
If the legislature approves a proposed constitutional amendment on second consideration, it must also set the date for submitting the proposed constitutional amendment to the people for ratification and must determine the question or questions to appear on the ballot.
Sponsors
Introduced by: Allen (R) , Armstrong (R) , B. Jacobson (R) , Behnke (R) , Brill (R) , Brooks (R) , Callahan (R) , Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Franklin (R) , Goeben (R) , Green (R) , Gundrum (R) , Gustafson (R) , Hurd (R) , Knodl (R) , Kreibich (R) , Maxey (R) , Murphy (R) , Nedweski (R) , O'Connor (R) , Penterman (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Tittl (R) , Tusler (R) , Wichgers (R)
9 cosponsors
Bradley (R) , Cabral-Guevara (R) , Felzkowski (R) , James (R) , Kapenga (R) , Nass (R) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Quinn (R) , Tomczyk (R)
Registered lobbying interests · 4
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 adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 5, Noes 1
Passed 5–1 May 29, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Aye · 56
- Adam Neylon (15)
- Alex Dallman (39)
- Amanda Nedweski (32)
- Barbara Dittrich (99)
- Ben Franklin (88)
- Bob Donovan (61)
- Bob Wittke (63)
- Brent Jacobson (87)
- Calvin Callahan (35)
- Chanz Green (74)
- Chuck Wichgers (84)
- Cindi Duchow (97)
- Clint Moses (92)
- Dan Knodl (24)
- Dave Armstrong (67)
- Dave Maxey (83)
- Dave Murphy (56)
- David Steffen (4)
- Dean Kaufert (53)
- Duke Tucker (75)
- Elijah Behnke (6)
- Gus Gustafson (55)
- Jeff Mursau (36)
- Jerry O'Connor (60)
- Jessie Rodriguez (21)
- Jim Piwowarczyk (98)
- Joel Kitchens (1)
- John Spiros (86)
- Joy Goeben (5)
- Karen Hurd (69)
- Kevin Petersen (57)
- Lindee Brill (27)
- Mark Born (37)
- Nancy VanderMeer (70)
- Pat Snyder (85)
- Paul Melotik (22)
- Paul Tittl (25)
- Rick Gundrum (58)
- Rob Brooks (59)
- Rob Kreibich (28)
- Rob Summerfield (68)
- Rob Swearingen (34)
- Robin Vos (33)
- Ron Tusler (3)
- Russell Goodwin (12)
- Scott Allen (82)
- Scott Krug (72)
- Shae Sortwell (2)
- Shannon Zimmerman (30)
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (8)
- Todd Novak (51)
- Tony Kurtz (41)
- Travis Tranel (49)
- Treig Pronschinske (29)
- Tyler August (31)
- Will Penterman (38)
Nay · 43
- Alex Joers (81)
- Amaad Rivera-Wagner (90)
- Andrew Hysell (48)
- Angela Stroud (73)
- Angelina Cruz (62)
- Angelito Tenorio (14)
- Ann Roe (44)
- Ben DeSmidt (65)
- Brienne Brown (43)
- Christian Phelps (93)
- Christine Sinicki (20)
- Clint Anderson (45)
- Darrin Madison (10)
- Deb Andraca (23)
- Francesca Hong (76)
- Greta Neubauer (66)
- Jenna Jacobson (50)
- Jill Billings (95)
- Joan Fitzgerald (46)
- Jodi Emerson (91)
- Joe Sheehan (26)
- Kalan Haywood (16)
- Karen DeSanto (40)
- Karen Kirsch (7)
- Lee Snodgrass (52)
- Lisa Subeck (79)
- Lori Palmeri (54)
- Margaret Arney (18)
- Maureen McCarville (42)
- Mike Bare (80)
- Priscilla Prado (9)
- Randy Udell (47)
- Renuka Mayadev (77)
- Robyn Vining (13)
- Ryan Clancy (19)
- Ryan Spaude (89)
- Sequanna Taylor (11)
- Shelia Stubbs (78)
- Steve Doyle (94)
- Supreme Moore Omokunde (17)
- Tara Johnson (96)
- Tip McGuire (64)
- Vinnie Miresse (71)
Senate: Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
Passed 3–2 Jan 16, 2026 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Aye · 18
- André Jacque (1)
- Chris Kapenga (33)
- Cory Tomczyk (29)
- Dan Feyen (20)
- Devin LeMahieu (9)
- Eric Wimberger (2)
- Howard Marklein (17)
- Jesse James (23)
- John Jagler (13)
- Julian Bradley (28)
- Mary Felzkowski (12)
- Patrick Testin (24)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara (19)
- Rob Hutton (5)
- Rob Stafsholt (10)
- Romaine Quinn (25)
- Steve Nass (11)
- Van Wanggaard (21)
Nay · 15
- Bob Wirch (22)
- Brad Pfaff (32)
- Chris Larson (7)
- Dianne Hesselbein (27)
- Dora Drake (4)
- Jamie Wall (30)
- Jeff Smith (31)
- Jodi Habush Sinykin (8)
- Kelda Roys (26)
- Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (18)
- LaTonya Johnson (6)
- Mark Spreitzer (15)
- Melissa Ratcliff (16)
- Sarah Keyeski (14)
- Tim Carpenter (3)
Full history
- Feb 24, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Tusler, Green, Allen, Armstrong, Behnke, Brill, Brooks, Callahan, Dittrich, Donovan, Franklin, Goeben, Gundrum, Gustafson, Hurd, B. Jacobson, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Murphy, Nedweski, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Tittl and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk, Nass, Bradley, Cabral-Guevara, Felzkowski, James, Kapenga and Quinn
- Feb 24, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary
- May 7, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- May 20, 2025 · Assembly
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Ortiz-Velez
- May 21, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- May 29, 2025 · Assembly
Report adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 5, Noes 1
- May 29, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 8, 2026 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Adopted, Ayes 56, Noes 43
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor
- Jan 16, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Jan 16, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give joint resolution its third reading
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 15
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Jan 23, 2026 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 1-23-2026
- Jan 27, 2026 · Assembly
Deposited in the office of the Secretary of State on 1-27-2026
- May 26, 2026 · Assembly
Published 5-26-2026. Enrolled Joint Resolution 10