Senate Bill 163
Income change notifications for child support or maintenance orders
Topics: Divorce, Family: Support, Privacy
Stopped before the full Senate voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Senate 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
Mar 27, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.
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Assembly 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 Assembly as AB 153. 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
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.
This bill makes changes to the requirements for notice of a change of employer, address, and ability to pay for parties in child support and maintenance agreements.
Under current law, the requirements for a notice of a change of employer, address, or ability to pay in child support and maintenance agreements apply only to payers of child support or maintenance. The bill extends these requirements to payees. The bill also specifies that the type of income for which a party must notify the other party of a change is defined by rule by the Department of Children and Families. DCF currently defines “gross income” for child support purposes to include a number of income sources, including wages and salaries, investment income, and certain benefits.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill establishes that in an order for child support, but not maintenance, neither party is required to disclose income that is not considered gross income under DCF rules and the payee is not required to disclose a change in employer or income if the payer is not a “shared-placement parent,” as defined by DCF.
The bill also removes references to “family support,” an alternative form of support that combined child support and maintenance into a single obligation. Orders for family support in this state were eliminated by 2021 Wisconsin Act 35 .
Finally, the bill allows a party to redact certain personally identifying information from an income change notice to another party, establishes the confidentiality of any information disclosed as part of an income change notice, and establishes that an individual who fails to provide an income change notice required under law may be proceeded against for contempt of court and may be required to provide damages, including reasonable attorney fees.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
9 more lawmakers .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Jesse James · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (9)
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, 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 was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Mental Health vote to recommend it
Passed, 4 to 1 · Oct 10, 2025
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 Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 4, Noes 1”. 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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Oct 10, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.
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May 7, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Mar 27, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.
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Mar 27, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 27, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators James and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Tusler, Armstrong, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor and Piwowarczyk
- Mar 27, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families
- May 7, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- May 19, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator James
- Oct 2, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 10, 2025 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 4, Noes 1
- Oct 10, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote