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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 409

Passing certain vehicles stopped on or near a highway and providing a penalty

Topics: Motor vehicle: Regulation, Road

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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Sep 4, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.

  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 ⁠”

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 409. That version became law.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, commonly referred to as the “move over or slow down” law, if an authorized emergency vehicle or roadside service vehicle is parked or standing (stopped) on or within 12 feet of a roadway, the operator of another vehicle approaching the stopped vehicle must proceed with due regard for all other traffic and do either of the following: 1) if the roadway has at least two lanes in the applicable direction of travel, move into a lane that is not nearest the stopped vehicle; or 2) if the roadway has only one lane in the applicable direction of travel or if changing lanes cannot be done safely, slow down while passing the stopped vehicle. Under this bill, an operator approaching a disabled vehicle must also move over or slow down. “Disabled vehicle” is defined for purposes of the bill as a motor vehicle that is stopped and to which any of the following apply:

1. The motor vehicle is displaying warning or hazard lights.

Read the full summary

2. Emergency flares or other emergency warning devices are placed near the motor vehicle.

3. One or more persons are attending the motor vehicle and visible to passing motorists.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. 3 are Democrats and 3 are Republicans.

18 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 24 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (18)

How lawmakers voted

There was one vote on this bill.

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 8 to 0 · Nov 11, 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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2026

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Nov 18, 2025

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  3. Nov 11, 2025

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.

  4. Oct 22, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  5. Sep 23, 2025 to Oct 14, 2025

    2 more representatives signed on in support.

  6. Sep 4, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  7. Sep 4, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Sep 4, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators James, Marklein, Roys, Dassler-Alfheim, Spreitzer and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Piwowarczyk, Maxey, Behnke, DeSmidt, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Hysell, Knodl, Kreibich, Penterman, Roe, Snodgrass, Spaude and Steffen

  2. Sep 4, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  3. Sep 23, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor

  4. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Miresse added as a cosponsor

  5. Oct 22, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

  8. Nov 11, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Ratcliff added as a coauthor

  10. 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

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

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote