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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 205

Information provided to voters concerning proposed constitutional amendments and other statewide referenda. (FE)

Topics: Attorney General, Constitution, Wisconsin, Elections Commission, Referendum

Stopped in committee

It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 16, 2025

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It sat with the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 207. 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 requires that each proposed constitutional amendment, contingent referendum, advisory referendum, or other proposal requiring a statewide referendum that is passed by the legislature include a complete statement of the ballot question to be voted on at the referendum. The ballot question may not be worded in such a manner as to require a negative vote to approve a proposition or an affirmative vote to disapprove a proposition. Also under current law, the attorney general must prepare an explanatory statement for each proposed constitutional amendment or other statewide referendum describing the effect of either a “yes” or “no” vote on each ballot question.

This bill eliminates the requirement that the attorney general prepare such an explanatory statement. Instead, the bill requires that each proposal for a constitutional amendment or other statewide referendum that passes both houses of the legislature contain a complete state referendum disclosure notice that includes all of the following:

Read the full summary

1. The date of the referendum.

2. The entire text of the ballot question and proposed constitutional amendment or enactment, if any.

3. To the extent applicable, a plain language summary of current law.

4. An explanation in plain language of the effect of the proposed constitutional amendment or other statewide referendum.

5. An explanation in plain language of the effect of a “yes” vote and the effect of a “no” vote.

Under the bill, the content under items 3 to 5 combined may not exceed one page on paper not less than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and printed in at least 12-point font.

Under the bill, the complete state referendum disclosure notice agreed to by both houses of the legislature must be included in the type C notice entitled “Notice of Referendum” that each county clerk must provide prior to any referendum. Current law requires that the text of the type C notice be posted at polling places on election day in such a manner as to be readily observed by voters entering the polling place or waiting in line to vote. As such, the complete state referendum disclosure notice must be so posted at the polls on election day. Additionally, for at least 30 days prior to the date of a statewide referendum, the complete state referendum disclosure notice must be published by the Elections Commission on the website used for voter registration, currently titled MyVote Wisconsin, or other voter public access website maintained by the commission and must be posted by each county clerk at the county clerk’s office and published by the county clerk on the county clerk’s website. Finally, the notice must be included with absentee ballots provided to voters for voting in a statewide referendum.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its ⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

20 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 24 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (20)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2026

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Nov 19, 2025

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  3. Nov 12, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  4. May 5, 2025

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  5. Apr 16, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.

  6. Apr 16, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 16, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Tomczyk, Feyen, Cabral-Guevara and James; cosponsored by Representatives O'Connor, Knodl, Brooks, Murphy, Armstrong, Behnke, Dittrich, Donovan, Franklin, Gundrum, Gustafson, Kreibich, Melotik, Mursau, Neylon, Novak, Piwowarczyk, Tucker and Zimmerman

  2. Apr 16, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  3. May 5, 2025 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Nov 12, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Nov 19, 2025 · Senate

    Representatives Andraca and Stubbs added as cosponsors

  6. 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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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

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.

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

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

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

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