Senate Bill 239
Prohibiting hotels, inns, and motels from discriminating against dog handlers who are accompanied by search and rescue dogs
Topics: Discrimination, Dogs, Hotel and motel
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
May 9, 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 238. 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 prohibits hotels, inns, and motels from discriminating against dog handlers who are accompanied by search and rescue dogs in the provision of accommodations.
Under current law, a public place of accommodation, including a lodging establishment, may not refuse entrance into, or use of, or otherwise deny the full and equal enjoyment of the establishment to a person with a disability or to a service animal trainer because the person is accompanied by a service animal, unless accommodation of the service animal would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the accommodations, goods, or services provided or would jeopardize the safe operation of the public accommodation. Also under current law, a public accommodation may not charge a person with a disability or a trainer a higher price than the regular rate, including a deposit or surcharge, for the full and equal enjoyment of the public accommodation because the person is accompanied by a service animal, and a public accommodation is prohibited from communicating, in writing, that entrance into, the use of, or the full and equal enjoyment of the public accommodation will be denied to a person with a disability or a trainer because he or she is accompanied by a service animal or that the patronage of such a person is unwelcome, objectionable, or unacceptable because he or she is accompanied by a service animal.
Read the full summary Show less
In addition, current law requires a public accommodation to modify its policies, practices, and procedures to allow the full and equal enjoyment of the public accommodation by a person with a disability or a trainer who is accompanied by a service animal and requires those policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that a person with a disability or a trainer who is accompanied by a service animal is not separated from the service animal, that the service animal is allowed to accompany the person with a disability or the trainer to all areas of the public accommodation that are open to the general public, and that the person with a disability or the trainer is not segregated from other patrons of the public accommodation.
This bill provides the same protections for a dog handler who is accompanied by a search and rescue dog that is wearing a harness or cape to identify the dog as a search and rescue dog in a public accommodation that is a hotel, inn, or motel. The bill also provides that a dog handler who is accompanied by a search and rescue dog in a hotel, inn, or motel is responsible for any damage the dog causes to the establishment.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
8 more lawmakers .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Jesse James · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (8)
- Deb Andraca · Democrat, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Angela Stroud · Democrat, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 13, 2026
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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 13, 2026
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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. 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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Jan 13, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Jan 13, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Nov 19, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Nov 12, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jun 10, 2025 to Jun 24, 2025
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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May 9, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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May 9, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 9, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators James and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Green, Andraca, Mursau, O'Connor and Piwowarczyk
- May 9, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Jun 10, 2025 · Senate
Representative Stroud added as a cosponsor
- Jun 24, 2025 · Senate
Representative Sinicki added as a cosponsor
- Oct 1, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator James
- Nov 12, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Nov 19, 2025 · Senate
Representative Stubbs added as a cosponsor
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 13, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 13, 2026 · 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