Senate Bill 249
Vacancies in appointive state offices
Topics: Governor: Appointments, Legislature, Public officers
Stopped in committee
The voted on it but didn't recommend it, so the full Senate never voted. 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, stopped here
Stopped here. The committee didn't recommend it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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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 ”
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 248. That version was vetoed.
Terms on this page
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. 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.
Under current law, vacancies in public office may occur in a number of ways, including when the incumbent resigns, dies, or is removed from office, or, in the case of elected office, when the incumbent’s term expires. However, as the Wisconsin Supreme Court held in State ex rel. Kaul v. Prehn , 2022 WI 50, expiration of an incumbent’s term of office does not create a vacancy if the office is filled by appointment for a fixed term. Absent a vacancy or removal for cause, these incumbents may remain in office until their successors are appointed and qualified.
Under this bill, a vacancy in public office is created if the office is an appointive state office for a fixed term and the incumbent’s term expires.
Who's behind it
7 senators are its . All 7 are Republicans.
16 more lawmakers .
See all 23 names Hide the names
Authors (7)
- Julian Bradley · Republican, Senate
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- Dan Feyen · Republican, Senate
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (16)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · 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 vote
Failed, 2 to 3 · Mar 12, 2026
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 2, Noes 3”. 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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Mar 12, 2026
“Report passage by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 2, Noes 3” (the official wording)
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Mar 12, 2026
The committee voted on it.
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Mar 11, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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May 9, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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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 Bradley, Quinn, Cabral-Guevara, Feyen, Marklein, Nass and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Allen, Maxey, Behnke, Brill, Brooks, Goeben, Green, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Steffen and Wichgers
- May 9, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
- Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Bradley
- Mar 11, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Report passage by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 2, Noes 3
- Mar 12, 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.
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. 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.
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
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