Senate Bill 136
School bus back-up lamps
Topics: Administrative rules: Revisions, Motor vehicle: Equipment, Transportation, Department of: Vehicles
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 9, 2026. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Mar 14, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Oct 14, 2025
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Jan 13, 2026
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 208
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 9, 2026: “Published 4-9-2026”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 126. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill provides that a school bus may be equipped with one back-up lamp mounted to each side of the vehicle and directed to project a white or amber light illuminating the rear wheels of the vehicle when backing. Under current law, a motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two back-up lamps, which must be directed to project white or amber light illuminating the roadway to the rear of the vehicle for a distance of up 75 feet.
Who's behind it
3 senators are its . 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
13 more lawmakers .
See all 16 names Hide the names
Authors (3)
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (13)
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Maureen McCarville · Democrat, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Vinnie Miresse · Democrat, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Melissa Ratcliff · Democrat, Senate
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
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.
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 30, 2025
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Sep 30, 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 Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 9, 2026
The new law was published.
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Apr 9, 2026
The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 208.
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Apr 2, 2026
Sent to the governor.
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Jan 13, 2026
The Assembly passed it too.
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Jan 13, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Jan 7, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Oct 14, 2025
The Assembly received it.
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Oct 14, 2025
The Senate passed it.
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Oct 14, 2025
The Senate adopted it.
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Oct 14, 2025
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Sep 30, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Sep 30, 2025
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Sep 23, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 15, 2025 to Apr 30, 2025
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Mar 14, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
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Mar 14, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 14, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Tomczyk, Nass and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives Tusler, Dittrich, Gundrum, Goeben, Knodl, Melotik, Ortiz-Velez, Sinicki and Subeck
- Mar 14, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Apr 15, 2025 · Senate
Representative Miresse added as a cosponsor
- Apr 30, 2025 · Senate
Representative McCarville added as a cosponsor
- May 22, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Tomczyk
- Sep 23, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Sep 26, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Sep 30, 2025 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Sep 30, 2025 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Sep 30, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 13, 2025 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Senator Ratcliff added as a coauthor
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 adopted
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 14, 2025 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Jan 7, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and 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 to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Stubbs added as a cosponsor
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
LRB correction (Senate Amendment 1)
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Apr 2, 2026 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026
- Apr 9, 2026 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 4-8-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 208
- Apr 9, 2026 · Senate
Published 4-9-2026
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote