Senate Bill 546
Authorizing additional circuit court and criminal justice system positions. (FE)
Topics: Circuit court, Court: Reporter, District attorney, Judge, Public defender, State Courts, Director of
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
Oct 17, 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 514. That version died when the session ended.
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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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, Kenosha County has eight circuit court branches, Brown County has eight circuit court branches, and Menominee and Shawano Counties have two circuit court branches. This bill adds four circuit court branches: one in Brown County beginning August 1, 2027, one in Menominee and Shawano Counties beginning August 1, 2027, one in Brown County beginning August 1, 2028, and one in Kenosha County beginning August 1, 2028.
This bill provides position authority for many court and criminal justice system employees in the 2027-29 biennium, as follows:
Read the full summary Show less
1. Beginning August 1, 2027, two judges.
2. Beginning August 1, 2028, two judges.
3. Beginning August 1, 2027, two court reporters.
4. Beginning August 1, 2028, two court reporters.
5. Beginning July 1, 2027, 30.5 assistant district attorneys.
6. Beginning July 1, 2028, 34 assistant district attorneys.
7. Beginning July 1, 2027, 13 assistant state public defenders.
8. Beginning July 1, 2028, nine assistant state public defenders.
9. Beginning July 1, 2027, 23 state public defender support staff positions.
10. Beginning July 1, 2028, 18 state public defender support staff positions.
The bill requires the director of state courts, the district attorneys, and the public defender board to include a request for funding for the positions authorized under this bill in their 2027-29 biennial budget requests.
This bill also requires the director of state courts, the public defender board, and the district attorneys to submit to the legislature by December 31, 2032 a report that analyzes the workload and assesses the personnel needs for their operations.
Who's behind it
Eric Wimberger, a Republican, is its .
22 more lawmakers .
See all 23 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Eric Wimberger · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (22)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Ben Franklin · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Tony Kurtz · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Adam Neylon · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
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 3 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 3 · Feb 16, 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 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 3 · Feb 16, 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 Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 6 to 2 · Feb 16, 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 6, Noes 2”. 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 6, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Feb 16, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 6 to 2.
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Feb 16, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3” (the official wording)
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Feb 16, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3” (the official wording)
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Feb 4, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 22, 2026 to Jan 23, 2026
3 more representatives signed on in support.
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Dec 1, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 3, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Oct 17, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Oct 17, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 17, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Wimberger; cosponsored by Representatives Steffen, Kurtz, Allen, Behnke, Dittrich, Donovan, Franklin, Goeben, Gundrum, B. Jacobson, Kitchens, Knodl, Kreibich, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Neylon and O'Connor
- Oct 17, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Nov 3, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 1, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 22, 2026 · Senate
Representative Maxey added as a cosponsor
- Jan 22, 2026 · Senate
Representative Krug added as a cosponsor
- Jan 23, 2026 · Senate
Representative Duchow added as a cosponsor
- Jan 29, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wimberger
- Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wimberger
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 6, Noes 2
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 6, 2026 · Senate
Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a cosponsor
- 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote