Senate Bill 787
Increasing jurisdictional amounts in small claims actions. (FE)
Topics: Consumer protection, Credit, Damage (personal injury), Small claims court
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 20, 2026. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Dec 22, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 11, 2026
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 17, 2026
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 105
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 20, 2026: “Published 3-21-2026”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 779. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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 does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, with certain exceptions, civil actions in which the amount claimed is $10,000 or less and actions for replevin in which the value of the property does not exceed $10,000 must generally be tried in small claims court. This bill increases the $10,000 limit for those cases to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also increases the jurisdictional limit for third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort from $5,000 to $15,000 on January 1, 2027, to $20,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $25,000 on January 1, 2029.
Read the full summary Show less
Current law provides that certain consumer transactions and leases are not covered by the Wisconsin Consumer Act and, if the amount financed is $25,000 or less, these actions must be brought in small claims court. The bill increases that amount to $32,500 on January 1, 2027, to $40,000 on January 1, 2028, and to $50,000 on January 1, 2029.
The bill also requires that, beginning five years after the effective date of the last statutory increases made by the bill, these small claims jurisdictional amounts be adjusted every five years to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index.
Who's behind it
Van Wanggaard, a Republican, is its .
9 more lawmakers .
See all 10 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (9)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · 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 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 0 · Feb 2, 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 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 · Feb 2, 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 20, 2026
The new law was published.
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Mar 20, 2026
The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 105.
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Mar 18, 2026
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 17, 2026
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 13, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 12, 2026
The Assembly received it.
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Feb 11, 2026
The Senate passed it.
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Feb 11, 2026
The Senate adopted it.
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Feb 9, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 2, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Feb 2, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Jan 28, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 22, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Dec 22, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 22, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives O'Connor, B. Jacobson, Allen, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Knodl, Murphy and Penterman
- Dec 22, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Jan 7, 2026 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- Jan 22, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- Jan 28, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 9, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 9, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-11-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 adopted
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 12, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly
Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 18, 2026 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2026
- Mar 20, 2026 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-20-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 105
- Mar 20, 2026 · Senate
Published 3-21-2026
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
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