Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced 8 R cosponsors

AB 599 — Relating to: allowing voters to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election, eliminating the indefinitely confined voter status for receiving absentee ballots, and providing a penalty. (FE)

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

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

This bill has been introduced in the Assembly. Introduced October 29, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 9 sponsors

    1 primary, 8 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (8 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to repeal 6.86 (2) and 6.87 (4) (b) 2.; to amend 6.18 (intro.), 6.86 (1) (a) 3., 6.86 (1) (ac), 6.86 (1) (b), 6.86 (2m) (a), 6.87 (1), 6.87 (2) (intro.), 6.875 (3) (a), 6.875 (4) (a), 7.08 (1) (c) and 7.15 (1) (j); to create 5.02 (24d), 6.86 (1) (ad), 12.13 (6) and 12.60 (1) (e) of the statutes;

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

7 changes Share ↗

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

The bill repeals the indefinitely confined voter status for absentee ballots and requires voters to provide proof of identification for obtaining absentee ballots.

  • 6.86(2)

    An elector who is indefinitely confined because of age, physical illness or infirmity or is disabled for an indefinite period may by signing a statement to that effect require that an absentee ballot be sent to the elector automatically for every election.

    The bill eliminates the automatic absentee ballot provision for voters who are indefinitely confined.

  • 6.87(4)(b)2.

    A military elector or an overseas elector voting absentee, regardless of whether the elector qualifies as a resident of this state under s. 6.10, shall make and subscribe to the certification before one witness who is an adult but who need not be a U.S. citizen.

    The bill removes the requirement for military and overseas voters to provide an adult witness if they are voting absentee.

  • 6.18(intro.)

    Unless the applicant is exempted from providing proof of identification under s. 6.87 (4) (b) 2. or 3., or the applicant is a military or overseas elector, the elector shall enclose a copy of his or her proof of identification or any authorized substitute document with his or her application.

    The bill now requires proof of identification for former residents voting absentee.

  • 6.86(1)(ac)

    The elector shall transmit a copy of his or her proof of identification in the manner provided in s. 6.87 (1) unless the elector is a military elector or an overseas elector or the elector has a confidential listing under s. 6.47 (2). → The voter must transmit proof of identification as a condition to receive absentee ballots.

    Voters must now provide proof of identification to qualify for absentee ballots.

  • 6.86(1)(b)

    If the voter no longer wishes to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election, the voter must notify the municipal clerk.

    Voters must inform clerks if they no longer wish to receive absentee ballots automatically.

  • 6.86(1)(ad)

    If the elector’s proof of identification has expired, the municipal clerk shall notify the elector that the elector needs to submit a valid proof of identification in order to continue automatically receiving ballots.

    Clerks must inform voters of the expiration of their proof of identification for absentee ballots.

  • 6.875(3)(a)

    An authorized disability advocate may assist an elector with a disability in transmitting a copy of the elector’s proof of identification to the municipal clerk for purposes of filing a request to receive absentee ballots under sub. (2m) (a).

    The bill allows advocates to assist disabled voters in submitting identification for absentee ballots.

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Referred to committee on Rules

  3. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 2

  4. Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 4, Noes 2

  5. Executive action taken

  6. Fiscal estimate received

  7. Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Duchow

  8. Public hearing held

  9. LRB correction

  10. Representative Brooks added as a coauthor

  11. Read first time and referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections

  12. Introduced by Representatives Duchow, Knodl, Allen, Hurd, Kitchens, Krug, O'Connor and Penterman; cosponsored by Senator Tomczyk

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 123 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (123)

123 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

Votes

Subjects

civil-rights 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

What does AB 599 do?
An Act to repeal 6.86 (2) and 6.87 (4) (b) 2.; to amend 6.18 (intro.), 6.86 (1) (a) 3., 6.86 (1) (ac), 6.86 (1) (b), 6.86 (2m) (a), 6.87 (1), 6.87 (2) (intro.), 6.875 (3) (a), 6.875 (4) (a), 7.08 (1) (c) and 7.15 (1) (j); to create 5.02 (24d), 6.86 (1) (ad), 12.13 (6) and 12.60 (1) (e) of the statutes;
Who sponsors AB 599?
AB 599 is sponsored by Tomczyk, Duchow, Cindi (Republican), Knodl, Daniel (Republican), Allen, Scott (Republican), Hurd, Karen (Republican), Kitchens, Joel (Republican), Krug, Scott (Republican), O'Connor, Jerry (Republican), and Penterman, William (Republican).
What is the current status of AB 599?
This bill has been introduced in the Assembly. Introduced October 29, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track AB 599?
Track AB 599 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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