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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 440

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: newspaper publication and typeface for certain legal notices.

Newspaper and magazine Public document

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Senate, completed
  3. Passes Assembly, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, certain legal notices are required by statute or by order of a court to be published in a newspaper. Currently, legal notices must be published in Arial typeface, and a standard line rate applies for all publications. This bill requires that legal notices be published in a sans serif typeface, rather than Arial specifically.

The bill also repeals obsolete language regarding newspaper publication of proposed constitutional amendments and other resolutions.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Marklein (R) , Pfaff (D) , Quinn (R) , Roys (D) , Spreitzer (D)

15 cosponsors

Gundrum (R) , Johnson (D) , Knodl (R) , Kreibich (R) , Mursau (R) , Novak (R) , O'Connor (R) , Palmeri (D) , Penterman (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Ratcliff (D) , Roe (D) , Swearingen (R) , Tranel (R) , Wichgers (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 2

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Votes

Senate: Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

Passed 5–0 Nov 10, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Full history

  1. Sep 29, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Quinn, Marklein, Pfaff, Roys and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives Novak, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Roe, Swearingen, Tranel, Wichgers, Johnson and Palmeri

  2. Sep 29, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government

  3. Nov 5, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  5. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  6. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  7. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  8. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  9. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Ratcliff added as a coauthor

  10. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  11. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  12. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  14. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  15. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read

  16. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from Senate message and take up

  17. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  18. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  20. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  21. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Nov 20, 2025 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  23. Nov 24, 2025 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  24. Dec 4, 2025 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 12-4-2025

  25. Dec 10, 2025 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-9-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 72

  26. Dec 10, 2025 · Senate

    Published 12-10-2025