Senate Bill 940
The rule-making authority of agencies. (FE)
Topics: Administrative rules, State agencies
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
Feb 6, 2026
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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 955. That version was vetoed.
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.
Currently under the general law governing administrative procedure for state agencies, each agency may promulgate rules interpreting the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by the agency, if the agency considers it necessary to effectuate the purpose of the statute. This bill repeals this language and instead provides that no agency may promulgate rules interpreting the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by the agency without explicit and specific statutory authority.
Who's behind it
7 senators are its . All 7 are Republicans.
30 more lawmakers .
See all 37 names Hide the names
Authors (7)
- Julian Bradley · Republican, Senate
- Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Republican, Senate
- Rob Hutton · Republican, Senate
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Chris Kapenga · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Romaine Quinn · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (30)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Armstrong · Republican, Assembly
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Calvin Callahan · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Chanz Green · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Karen Hurd · Republican, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Adam Neylon · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Kevin Petersen · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Jessie Rodriguez · Republican, Assembly
- Shae Sortwell · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Duke Tucker · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
- Nancy VanderMeer · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Wittke · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
- Fiscal Estimate From DFI
- Fiscal Estimate From DHS
- Fiscal Estimate From DMA
- Fiscal Estimate From DNR
- Fiscal Estimate From DOC
- Fiscal Estimate From DVA
- Fiscal Estimate From ELEC
- Fiscal Estimate From ERC
- Fiscal Estimate From ETF
- Fiscal Estimate From ETHC
- Fiscal Estimate From JUDCM
- Fiscal Estimate From LWSRB
- Fiscal Estimate From OCI
- Fiscal Estimate From PSC
- Fiscal Estimate From RRC
- Fiscal Estimate From SWIB
- Fiscal Estimate From UWS
- Fiscal Estimate From WHS
- Fiscal Estimate From WTCS
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 Licensing vote on an amendment
Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 12, 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 Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Licensing vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 12, 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 Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, 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 23, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 10, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 9, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 5, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 24, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 20, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 19, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 18, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 12, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Feb 12, 2026
“Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
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Feb 12, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 10, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 10, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 6, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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Feb 6, 2026
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 6, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Jacque, Quinn, Hutton, Kapenga, Nass, Bradley and Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representatives B. Jacobson, Gustafson, Hurd, Tucker, Tusler, Sortwell, Allen, Behnke, Callahan, Dittrich, Goeben, Green, Gundrum, Kaufert, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Moses, Murphy, Neylon, O'Connor, Penterman, Petersen, Piwowarczyk, Rodriguez, VanderMeer, Wichgers, Wittke, Spiros and Armstrong
- Feb 6, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Jacque
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 19, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 5, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- 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