Introduced Legislation

In this section is information about a variety of bills related to disability issues that have been introduced in the state Assembly, Senate, or both houses. The information is listed by bill number in numerical order, starting with bills from the Assembly followed by bills from the Senate. This information is also available sorted by the issues DAWN tracks.

Assembly

• Assembly Bill 15 - Autism Insurance
  This is a companion autism insurance bill to SB-3. This bill requires health insurance policies to cover the cost of treatment for someone diagnosed with autism, Asperger's syndrome, or a pervasive developmental disorder if the treatment is provided by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker or a paraprofessional working under the supervision of any of those three types of providers, or a professional working under the supervision of an outpatient mental health clinic. The coverage requirement applies to both individual and group health insurance policies and plans. [More on Assembly Bill 15 ]
  Outcome: Insurance coverage for children with autism was included in the 2009-2011 state budget, AB-75, which was passed into law on June 29, 2009 as Act 28.
• Assembly Bill 16 - Hearing Aids
  This bill requires health insurance coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants for persons under 18 years of age. [More on Assembly Bill 16 ]
  Outcome: The Senate version of this bill, SB-27, passed both houses of the legislature on April 23, 2009. It was signed into law as Act 14 by Gov. Doyle on may 21, 2009.
• Assembly Bill 39 - Voter Registration
  This bill allows municipalities to create satellite voting stations for absentee voting. The bill permits an elector to obtain and cast an absentee ballot at a satellite station. It also ensures that all satellite stations have accessible voting equipment. [More on Assembly Bill 39 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 42 - Fund Raising and the Budget
  This bill would prohibit elected state officials and their campaign committees from fundraising during state budget deliberations. [More on Assembly Bill 42 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 63 - Issue Ad Disclosure
  This bill requires special interest groups with some limitations, who issue a campaign issue ad 60 days before an election to disclose the donors for that issue ad. This bill mirrors the new rules issued by the State Government Accountability Board in Novemeber 2008. [More on Assembly Bill 63 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 65 - Impartial Justice Bill
  This bill creates a system of public financing of campaigns for the office of state supreme court justice. [More on Assembly Bill 65 ]
  Outcome: The Senate version of this bill was signed into law on Dec. 1, 2009 and became Act 89.
• Assembly Bill 70 - Handgun Registration
  This bill requires the Dept. of Justice, when conducting a background check on a possible handgun purchaser, to check whether the person is ineligible under federal law to possess a firearm based on the person's mental health status. [More on Assembly Bill 70 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 74 - Health Savings Accounts
  This a companion bill to SB-45. This bill creates a non-refundable income tax credit for certain amounts for health savings account contributions that may be deducted or are exempt from federal income taxes. [More on Assembly Bill 74 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 75 - State Budget
  This bill is Gov. Doyle's proposed 2009-2011 State Budget. It covers all of the state's expenese and revenues for the next two years starting 7-1-09. It affects most of the services and programs used by people with disabilities. [More on Assembly Bill 75 ]
  Outcome: This bill was passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Doyle on June 29, 2009. It became Act 28.
• Assembly Bill 83 - Fishing Licenses
  This bill allows a disabled veteran who has been determined to be "individually unemployable" to purchase an annual fishing license at a reduced fee. [More on Assembly Bill 83 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 93 - Robo Calls
  This would prohibit the use of certain automated telephone calls commonly called "Robo Calls". These are typically used during elections. [More on Assembly Bill 93 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 116 - School Conferences
  This bill would allow a parent to take up to 16 hours of leave per 12 month period to attend a school conference or school activities that cannot be scheduled during non-school hours. School is broadly defined to include most settings where children are located, ex. day care centers, pre-kindergarten, etc. [More on Assembly Bill 116 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 141 - Autism Services (Alternative)
  This bill offers an alternative approach to AB-15 and SB-3 for providing services to people with autism. It requires services be provided to all eligible persons under the MA autism benefit and prohibits the use of waiting lists for these services. [More on Assembly Bill 141 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 152 - Healthcare Workers and Overtime
  This bill prohibits a health care facility from requiring an employee of the health care facility or an employee of a temporary help agency who is involved in providing direct health care services for patients, residents, or clients and who is paid an hourly wage to work more than a regularly scheduled daily work shift. [More on Assembly Bill 152 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 228 - State Contracts to Disabled Vets
  This bill sets up a system to award state contracts to certified businesses owned by disabled vets. [More on Assembly Bill 228 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 234 - Tax Credits for Hires
  This bill gives income and franchise tax credits to employers who hire certain classes of people including people referred by Vocational Rehabilitation and someone participating in a program run by a local workforce development board. [More on Assembly Bill 234 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 238 - Marriage Penalty
  This bill is similar to one introduced last session. It would allow a disabled person receiving MA and who marries to be treated as a single person when determining MA eligibility by disregarding the income and assets of the spouse. [More on Assembly Bill 238 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 249 - Election Practices
  This bill makes several changes in the laws relating to elections and voting. Included in the bill are deceptive election practices, and voter intimidation, suppression, and protection. [More on Assembly Bill 249 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 259 - Treatment of Alzheimer's Patients
  This bill relates to the care and treatment of persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia in residential care facilities and more. [More on Assembly Bill 259 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 282 - Regional Transit Authorities
  This bill creates regional transit authorities. These authorities may choose to coordinate services to people with disabilities and elderly but are not required to do so. [More on Assembly Bill 282 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 284 - Disabled Parking ID Cards
  This bill corrects oversights in a 2005 disabled parking law. It increases the penalty for selling a disabled parking card to an unauthorized user. It forbids the use of fake disabled parking cards. The bill also eliminates the loophole requirement that in order to be a disabled parking violation, the violator must know that the vehicle is not authorized to have the card displayed on it. [More on Assembly Bill 284 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 285 - Gas Station Responsibility
  This bill expands the current requirements of retailers of motor vehicle fuel. Under this bill they must provide an employee or other attendant to dispense motor vehicle fuel for a person with a disability using either self-service or full service pumps. The bill also requires a retailer to post signs designed by the Department of Commerce indicating that disabled customers may obtain assistance in fueling. The bill provides for a $100 forfeiture for each violation. [More on Assembly Bill 285 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 287 - Beer Tax
  Increases the beer tax to fund law enforcement grants as well as alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention programs. [More on Assembly Bill 287 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 296 - Coordinated Services to Children
  This bill makes several changes in state law, 46.56, in the way services are coordinated to children with severe disabilities. [More on Assembly Bill 296 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 330 - Absentee Voting
  This bill allows overseas and military voters to vote by absentee ballot without obtaining a U.S. citizen to verify their eligibility. The bill also removes the requirement that every absentee voter must certify that he or she is unwilling to appear at their polling place. [More on Assembly Bill 330 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 331 - Health Care Plans
  This bill would require health care plans that cover hospital, medical, or surgical expenses to also cover the cost of orthotic devices and prosthetic devices that are prescribed by a doctor as medically necessary. [More on Assembly Bill 331 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 334 - Special Olympics Tax Deduction
  This bill creates an individual income tax checkoff for Special Olympics Wisconsin, Inc., and requires that an amount equal to the total amount of designations received, less the total cost of administering the income tax check-off procedure, be appropriated to Special Olympics Wisconsin, Inc. [More on Assembly Bill 334 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 342 - Disabled Hunting
  This bill allows a person with a physical disability and who holds a hunting or fishing license to operate a lightweight utility vehicle on town and forest roads to travel to a hunting or fishing area. [More on Assembly Bill 342 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 353 - Felon Voting
  This bill would restore the right to vote to persons convicted of a felony and changing the information required on voter registration forms. [More on Assembly Bill 353 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 382 - Disabled Vet Fishing License
  This bill expands who is eligible to receive a fishing license at a reduced fee to include disabled veterans. [More on Assembly Bill 382 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 388 - Election Practices
  This bill makes several changes to the campaign financing law. It also makes changes to income tax laws, lobbying regulation law, and the staff of the Government Accountability Board. [More on Assembly Bill 388 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 398 - Nursing Home Notification
  This bill requires nursing homes to notify residents in writing when the facility has received a written violation or deficiency. [More on Assembly Bill 398 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 405 - BPA Free Kids Act
  This bill prohibits the sale of bottles and cups for children that contain BPA, a chemical that can cause ADHD in children, obesity, and diabetes. [More on Assembly Bill 405 ]
  Outcome: The companion bill in the Senate (SB 271) was passed by the Senate and Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Doyle on March 3, 2010. It became Act 145.
• Assembly Bill 406 - Ballot Challenges
  This bill would change current law challenging the ballots of electors at polling places. It would provide that an elector who challenges the ballot of a voter must reside in the same ward or election district as the challenged voter. [More on Assembly Bill 406 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 483 - Child Labor
  This bill would allow a non-profit organization to employee a child 12 years of age and older to work in and around the homes of elderly and persons with disabilities to perform snow shoveling, leaf raking and similar work. [More on Assembly Bill 483 ]
  Outcome: The Senate versiion of this bill was signed into law on Dec. 10, 2009 and became Act....
• Assembly Bill 488 - Newborn Hearing Screening
  This bill would require a hearing screen for all babies born outside of a hospital for possible hearing impairments. Current law requires this for babies born in hospitals. [More on Assembly Bill 488 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 506 - Epilepsy Drugs
  This bill prohibits a pharmacist from issuing a generic drug used for the treatment of epilepsy for a brand name drug unless written permission is obtained. [More on Assembly Bill 506 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 512 - Mental Health Insurance Parity
  This bill provides insurance coverage of mental and nervous disorders, alcoholism, and other substance abuse. This bill is similar to others that have been introduced in past sessions. [More on Assembly Bill 512 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 526 - Psychotropic Medications
  This bill requires informed consent before giving a psychotropic medication to a nursing home resident who has degenerative brain disorder. [More on Assembly Bill 526 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 584 - Dyslexia Screening
  This bill directs the Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop or adopt a screening device for children in grades K-5 who are at risk of reading failure because of lack of phonemic awareness and rapid naming (dyslexia). [More on Assembly Bill 584 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 616 - School Nurses
  This bill defines and clarifies the boundaries for a school nurse. It also defines which school personnel can distribute both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs to students at school. [More on Assembly Bill 616 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 682 - Seclusion and Restraint in Schools
  The companion to this bill is SB 468. This bill limits the use of seclusion and restraint in schools by prohibiting dangerous practices, setting standards for training of school personnel, and requiring documentation of incidents and reports to parents and the Department of Public Instruction. The bill also requires each school to have an employee trained in the use of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). [More on Assembly Bill 682 ]
  Outcome: In Committee
• Assembly Bill 789 - Autism Insurance Coverage
  This bill would require insurance coverage for the services of behavior analysts for the treatment of autism. [More on Assembly Bill 789 ]
  
• Assembly Bill 814 - Voter ID - Optional
  This bill allows a person at the time of voter registration to choose to be required to show identification when voting. The bill defines what identification would be acceptable. [More on Assembly Bill 814 ]
  

Senate

• Senate Bill 3 - Autism Insurance
  This bill requires health insurance policies to cover the cost of treatment for someone diagnosed with autism, Asperger's syndrome, or a pervasive developmental disorder if the treatment is provided by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker or a paraprofessional working under the supervision of any of those three types of providers, or a professional working under the supervision of an outpatient mental health clinic. The coverage requirement applies to both individual and group health insurance policies and plans. [More on Senate Bill 3 ]
  Outcome: Insurance coverage for children with autism was included in the 2009-2011 state budget, AB-75, which was passed into law on June 29, 2009 as Act 28.
• Senate Bill 19 - Sovereign Immunity Bill
  This bill would make it possible for state employees to sue the state of WI for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other significant Federal Acts. [More on Senate Bill 19 ]
  
• Senate Bill 20 - Fair Employment Act
  This bill allows a person who has been discriminated against to bring an action in circuit court to recover damages caused by the act of discrimination. [More on Senate Bill 20 ]
  
• Senate Bill 23 - Fund Raising and the Budget
  This bill would prohibit elected state officials and their campaign committees from fundraising during state budget deliberations. [More on Senate Bill 23 ]
  
• Senate Bill 27 - Hearing Aids
  This is a companion bill to AB-16. This bill requires health insurance coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants for persons under 18. [More on Senate Bill 27 ]
  Outcome: This bill was passed by both the Senate and Assembly on April 23, 2009. It was signed into law as Act 14 by Gov. Doyle on May 21, 2009.
• Senate Bill 40 - Impartial Justice Bill
  This bill creates a system of public financing of campaigns for the office of state supreme court justice. [More on Senate Bill 40 ]
  Outcome: This bill was signed into law on Dec. 1, 2009 and became Act 89.
• Senate Bill 43 - Issue Ad Disclosure
  This bill requires special interest groups with some limitations, who issue a campaign issue ad 60 days before an election to disclose the donors for that issue ad. This bill mirrors the new rules issued by the State Government Accountability Board in Novemeber 2008. [More on Senate Bill 43 ]
  
• Senate Bill 44 - Handgun Registration
  This bill requires the Dept. of Justice, when conducting a background check on a possible handgun purchaser, to check whether the person is ineligible under federal law to possess a firearm based on the person's mental health status. [More on Senate Bill 44 ]
  
• Senate Bill 45 - Health Savings Accounts
  This bill creates a non-refundable income tax credit for certain amounts for health savings account contributions that may be deducted or are exempt from federal income taxes. [More on Senate Bill 45 ]
  
• Senate Bill 96 - Nursing Home Diversion
  This bill eliminates the limitation on the number of persons (currently 150) who meet MA level of care requirements and are diverted from imminent entry into a nursing home and for whom an enhanced rate of payment for MA services may be made under CIP II. [More on Senate Bill 96 ]
  
• Senate Bill 108 - Healthcare Workers and Overtime
  This bill prohibits a health care facility from requiring an employee of the health care facility or an employee of a temporary help agency who is involved in providing direct health care services for patients, residents, or clients and who is paid an hourly wage to work more than a regularly scheduled daily work shift. [More on Senate Bill 108 ]
  
• Senate Bill 154 - School Safety and Bullying
  This bill requires schools to develop plans for addressing school safety and bullying as well as record keeping. [More on Senate Bill 154 ]
  
• Senate Bill 179 - Election Practices
  This bill makes several changes in the laws relating to elections and voting. Included in the bill are deceptive election practices, and voter intimidation, suppression, and protection. [More on Senate Bill 179 ]
  
• Senate Bill 199 - Voter ID
  This bill requires a person to present a vaild Wisconsin driver's license, military ID or Wisconsin ID before registering to vote or voting. The bill also contains other provisions related to voting. [More on Senate Bill 199 ]
  
• Senate Bill 202 - Bullying in Schools
  This bill directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop a model school policy on bullying by pupils. The bill also directs DPI to develop a model education and awareness program on bullying. The bill directs each school board to adopt a policy prohibiting bullying by pupils. Once each year, the school board must distribute the policy to all pupils enrolled in the school district and to their parents. Finally, this bill establishes a Bullying Awareness Day, to the list of special observance days for schools. [More on Senate Bill 202 ]
  
• Senate Bill 205 - Regional Transit Authorities
  This bill creates regional transit authorities. These authorities may choose to coordinate services to people with disabilities and elderly but are not required to do so. [More on Senate Bill 205 ]
  
• Senate Bill 209 - Beer Tax
  Increases the beer tax to fund law enforcement grants as well as alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention programs. [More on Senate Bill 209 ]
  
• Senate Bill 210 - Coordinated Services to Children
  This bill makes several changes in state law, 46.56, in the way services are coordinated to children with severe disabilities. [More on Senate Bill 210 ]
  
• Senate Bill 221 - Election Practices
  This bill makes numerous changes in the campaign financing law. The bill also makes changes to the income tax laws, the lobbying regulation law, and the staffing of the Government Accountability Board. [More on Senate Bill 221 ]
  
• Senate Bill 233 - Special Olympics Tax Deduction
  This bill creates an individual income tax checkoff for Special Olympics Wisconsin, Inc., and requires that an amount equal to the total amount of designations received, less the total cost of administering the income tax check-off procedure, be appropriated to Special Olympics Wisconsin, Inc. [More on Senate Bill 233 ]
  
• Senate Bill 240 - Felon Voting
  This bill would restore the right to vote to certain persons barred from voting as a result of a felony conviction and changing the information required on voter registration forms. [More on Senate Bill 240 ]
  
• Senate Bill 271 - BPA Free Kids Act
  This bill prohibits the sale of bottles and cups for children that contain BPA, a chemical that can cause ADHD in children, obesity, and diabetes. [More on Senate Bill 271 ]
  Outcome: This bill was passed by the Senate and Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Doyle on March 3, 2010. It became Act 145.
• Senate Bill 272 - Ballot Challenges
  This bill would change current law challenging the ballots of electors at polling places. It would provide that an elector who challenges the ballot of a voter must reside in the same ward or election district as the challenged voter. [More on Senate Bill 272 ]
  
• Senate Bill 323 - Newborn Hearing Screening
  This bill would require a hearing screen for all babies born outside of a hospital for possible hearing impairments. Current law requires this for babies born in hospitals. [More on Senate Bill 323 ]
  
• Senate Bill 349 - Child Labor
  This bill would allow a non-profit organization to employee a child 12 years of age and older to work in and around the homes of elderly and persons with disabilities to perform snow shoveling, leaf raking and similar work. [More on Senate Bill 349 ]
  Outcome: This bill was signed into law on Dec. 1, 2009 and became Act....
• Senate Bill 350 - Optional Voting ID
  With certain limitations, this bill allows a voter, at the time of registration, to volunteer to be required to show a valid indentification card (ID) in order to vote in elections. Current law does not require that a voter show valid ID when voting once registered. [More on Senate Bill 350 ]
  
• Senate Bill 354 - Epilepsy Drugs
  This bill prohibits a pharmacist from issuing a generic drug used for the treatment of epilepsy for a brand name drug unless written permission is obtained. [More on Senate Bill 354 ]
  
• Senate Bill 362 - Mental Health Insurance Parity
  This bill would provide health insurance coverage of mental and nervous disorders, alcoholism, and other substance abuse. This is similar to bills that have been introduced in past sessions. [More on Senate Bill 362 ]
  
• Senate Bill 389 - Sign Language Interpreters
  This bill licenses sign language interpreters and creates two types of licenses: renewable and restricted. It also creates a state Sign Language Interpreter Council that would advise the state about interpreters. In addition, it would not allow an interpreter to disclose confidential communication unless all parties agreed to disclose it. [More on Senate Bill 389 ]
  
• Senate Bill 414 - School Nurses
  This bill defines and clarifies the boundaries for a school nurse. It also defines which school personnel can distribute both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs to students at school. [More on Senate Bill 414 ]
  
• Senate Bill 468 - Seclusion and Restraints in Schools
  This bill limits the use of seclusion and restraint in schools by prohibiting dangerous practices, setting standards for training of school personnel, and requiring documentation of incidents and reports to parents and the Department of Public Instruction. It also requires each school to have an employee who is trained in the use of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS). [More on Senate Bill 468 ]
  Outcome: In Committee
• Senate Bill 490 - Disabled Registration Plates
  This bill corrects and clarifies provisions for disabled parking plates for people with disabilities who lease their vehicle. [More on Senate Bill 490 ]
  
• Senate Bill 491 - ADRCs and IRIS
  This bill requires that an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) to provide information about the self-directed services option (IRIS) and expands the people to whom information must be given to include adults with developmental disabilities. [More on Senate Bill 491 ]
  
• Senate Bill 494 - ADRCs and Non-Profits
  This bill would allow non-profit organizations to operate an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) under Family Care. [More on Senate Bill 494 ]
  
• Senate Bill 609 - Psychotropic Medications
  This bill requires nursing homes to obtain written consent before giving a psychotropic drug to someone with a degenerative brain disorder. [More on Senate Bill 609 ]
  

Joint Assembly

• Joint Assembly Bill 39 - Age to Vote
  This amendment to the state constitution would change the eligibilty age of voting from 18 to 17 years. [More on Joint Assembly Bill 39 ]
  

Joint Senate