Wisconsin 2021-2022 Regular Session Status: In Committee 5 R cosponsors

AB 194 — Relating to: actions for violations of elections laws.

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill changes the rules regarding who can initiate actions against election officials and establishes new venue rules for election law violations.

  • 5.06 (2)

    No person who is authorized to file a complaint under sub. (1), other than the attorney general or a district attorney, may commence an action or proceeding to test the validity of any decision, action or failure to act on the part of any election official with respect to any matter specified in sub. (1) without first filing a complaint under sub. (1), nor prior to disposition of the complaint by the commission. → Any person may commence an action or proceeding to test the validity of any decision, action or failure to act on the part of any election official with respect to any matter specified in sub. (1) without first filing a complaint under sub. (1), nor prior to disposition of the complaint by the commission.

    This change allows anyone to directly challenge the actions of election officials without needing to file a preliminary complaint.

  • 971.19 (12)

    Except as provided in s. 971.223, in an action for a violation of chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, or for a violation of any other law arising from or in relation to the official functions of the subject of the investigation or any matter that involves elections, ethics, or lobbying regulation under chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, a defendant who is a resident of this state shall be tried in circuit court for the county where the defendant resides. → Except as provided in s. 971.223, in an action for a violation of chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, or for a violation of any other law arising from or in relation to the official functions of the subject of the investigation or any matter that involves elections, ethics, or lobbying regulation under chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, a defendant who is a resident of this state shall be tried in circuit court for the county where the defendant resides. For purposes of this subsection, a person other than a natural person resides within a county if the person's principal place of operation is located within that county.

    This amendment maintains the existing residency rule for trials related to election law violations.

  • 971.223 (1)

    In an action for a violation of chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, or for a violation of any other law arising from or in relation to the official functions of the subject of the investigation or any matter that involves elections, ethics, or lobbying regulation under chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, a defendant who is a resident of this state may move to change the place of trial to the county where the offense was committed. → In an action for a violation of chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, or for a violation of any other law arising from or in relation to the official functions of the subject of the investigation or any matter that involves elections, ethics, or lobbying regulation under chs. 5 to 12, subch. III of ch. 13, or subch. III of ch. 19, a defendant who is a resident of this state may move to change the place of trial to the county where the offense was committed. The motion shall be in writing.

    This adjustment retains the existing procedure for changing trial venues for election law violations.

  • 12.14 Venue. In an action for a violation of chs. 5 to 12, venue is proper in any county within the area covered by any office on the ballot for the election that is affected by the conduct alleged to be in violation of chs. 5 to 12.

    This new section establishes a broader venue jurisdiction for election law violations, allowing actions to be brought in any relevant county.

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Withdrawn from committee on Judiciary and referred to committee on Rules pursuant to Assembly Rule 42 (3)(c)

  3. Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative Brooks

  4. Representative Allen added as a coauthor

  5. Public hearing held

  6. Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Brooks

  7. Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Brooks

  8. Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  9. Introduced by Representatives Brooks, Knodl, Loudenbeck, Murphy, Skowronski, VanderMeer and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Stroebel, Darling and Felzkowski

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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7 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 125 not signed on

Sponsors (7)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (125)

125 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors AB 194?
AB 194 is sponsored by Wichgers, Chuck (Republican), VanderMeer, Nancy (Republican), Skowronski, Murphy, David (Republican), Loudenbeck, Knodl, Daniel (Republican), and Brooks, Robert (Republican).
What is the current status of AB 194?
This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 194?
Track AB 194 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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