Senate Bill 831
Operation of autonomous vehicles on highways and providing a penalty
Topics: Motor vehicle, Transportation, Department of: Roads, Transportation, Department of: Vehicles
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.
-
Introduced, passed
Jan 15, 2026
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.
-
Assembly vote, not reached
-
Governor, not reached
-
Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
Embed this on your site
Paste this code into your page. The card shows the latest record each time it loads. Preview the card
The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 848. 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
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.
This bill creates an Autonomous Driving Safety Board, attached to the Department of Transportation, that may authorize the operation of autonomous vehicles on specific highways in this state.
Under the bill, a person proposing to operate an autonomous vehicle in this state must submit an application for a permit to the board. If the board approves the permit, the permit holder may not operate an autonomous vehicle under the permit unless they 1) title and register with DOT each autonomous vehicle to be operated, 2) provide DOT with proof of financial responsibility for any damages, injury, or death caused by the operation of an autonomous vehicle, and 3) provide the board with information detailing how emergency services personnel should interact with autonomous vehicles for which the permit is issued. A permit holder may operate autonomous vehicles only on highways approved by the board.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill provides that the board may temporarily suspend a permit if the board determines that the operation of an autonomous vehicle is an unreasonable risk to public safety. The board must then conduct a hearing to determine if the permit should be suspended or revoked, based on a determination that a permit condition has been violated or that continued operation of autonomous vehicles under the permit would be an unreasonable risk to public safety.
The bill requires a permit holder to annually submit to the board a report summarizing results and observations related to safety, traffic operations, interaction with roadway infrastructure, comments from the public, and other information the permit holder deems relevant.
Who's behind it
Rachael Cabral-Guevara, a Republican, is its .
4 more lawmakers .
See all 5 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (4)
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 2, 2026
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 Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
-
Mar 2, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
-
Feb 12, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Jan 15, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
-
Jan 15, 2026
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representatives Maxey, Gustafson, Kitchens and Murphy
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 2, 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.
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
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