Wisconsin 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 R cosponsors

SB 131 — Relating to: self-insurance by religious sects for purposes of motor vehicle financial responsibility and liability insurance requirements. (FE)

Last action — Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

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

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” 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This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis.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

What changed in the latest version

87 added · 11 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment changes the provisions around certificates of self-insurance for religious sects. Specifically, it establishes that these certificates will not have an expiration date and eliminates the requirement for religious sects to reapply for them. This matters because it simplifies the process for religious organizations, allowing them to maintain self-insurance without ongoing administrative burdens.

→
Previous
Latest
- 2020 LEGISLATURE LRBa0468/1 ZDW:ahe SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 131 August 21, 2019 - Offered by Senator BERNIER .
- 2020 LEGISLATURE LRB-2285/1 ZDW:cdc SENATE BILL 131 March 20, 2019 - Introduced by Senators B ERNIER , OLSEN, JACQUE and S TROEBEL , cosponsored by Representatives K ULP, B ALLWEG , FIELDS, SORTWELL , TITTL, STEFFEN , TUSLER , MURPHY, QUINN and T HIESFELDT .
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight and Courts.
1.
A N A CT to renumber and amend 344.16 (1);
Page 3, line 4:
to amend 344.14 (2) (d) and 344.16 (2);
delete “sect." and substitute “sect.
and to create 344.16 (1) (a) and (b), 344.16 (2m) and 344.63 (1) (cm) of the statutes;
A certificate of self-insurance issued to a religious sect under this section may not have an expiration date and the secretary may not require the religious sect to reapply for a certificate of self-insurance.".
relating to:
self-insurance by religious sects for purposes of motor vehicle financial responsibility and liability insurance requirements.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Under this bill, the Department of Transportation may issue a certificate of self-insurance to a religious sect that meets specified requirements.
Under current law, subject to certain exceptions, a person may not operate a motor vehicle in this state unless the owner or operator of the vehicle has in effect a motor vehicle liability insurance policy for the vehicle providing coverage in specified minimum liability limits.
However, there is an exception for a motor vehicle owned by a self-insurer possessing a certificate of self-insurance issued by DOT.
Also under current law, if a motor vehicle accident results in injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more, DOT is required to notify the operator and the owner of the vehicle that the person must deposit with DOT security for the accident in an amount sufficient to satisfy any resulting judgment for damages.
If DOT receives a copy of a judgment for damages of $500 or more arising out of a motor vehicle accident, the person against whom the judgment was rendered is required to provide proof of financial responsibility.
In both situations, proof of financial responsibility includes coverage under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy with specified minimum liability limits.
In lieu of a motor vehicle liability insurance - 2020 Legislature - 2 - LRB-2285/1 ZDW:cdc SENATE BILL 131 policy, a person may show that the person is a self-insurer possessing a certificate of self-insurance issued by DOT.
Under this bill, upon application, DOT may issue a certificate of self-insurance to a religious sect the members of which have a history of mutual financial assistance and have collectively registered with DOT more than 25 vehicles.
If DOT issues a certificate of self-insurance to a religious sect, the certificate of self-insurance may be used in lieu of motor vehicle liability insurance by members of the religious sect to satisfy proof of financial responsibility and mandatory motor vehicle liability insurance requirements.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
S ECTION 1.
344.14 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
344.14 (2) (d) To any person qualifying as a self-insurer under s.
344.16 or to any person operating a vehicle for such self-insurer or to any member of a religious sect issued a certificate of self-insurance under s.
344.16.
S ECTION 2.
344.16 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 344.16 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:
344.16 (1) (intro.) Any person in whose name more than 25 motor vehicles are registered of the following may qualify as a self-insurer by obtaining a certificate of self-insurance issued by the secretary as provided in sub.
(2).:
S ECTION 3.
344.16 (1) (a) and (b) of the statutes are created to read:
344.16 (1) (a) A person in whose name more than 25 motor vehicles are registered.
(b) Subject to sub.
(2m), a religious sect the members of which have collectively registered with the department more than 25 motor vehicles.
S ECTION 4.
344.16 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
LRB-2285/1 - 2020 Legislature - 3 - ZDW:cdc SECTION 4 SENATE BILL 131 344.16 (2) TheSubject to sub.
(2m), the secretary may, upon the application of such a person or religious sect, issue a certificate of self-insurance when satisfied that such person or religious is possessed and will continue to be possessed of ability to pay judgments obtained against such person or religious sect.
SECTION 5.
344.16 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
344.16 (2m) The secretary may issue a certificate of self-insurance under sub.
(2) to a religious sect if all of the following apply:
Show all 50 changed rows (10 more)
Previous
Latest
(a) The secretary determines that the members of the religious sect have a history of not less than 25 years of mutual financial assistance in time of need to the extent that they share in financial obligations of other members who would otherwise be unable to meet their obligations.
(b) The department receives an application for a certificate of self-insurance from the religious sect within one year after the effective date of this paragraph ....
[LRB inserts date].
SECTION 6.
344.63 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
344.63 (1) (cm) The motor vehicle is owned by a member of a religious sect that is a self-insurer holding a valid certificate of self-insurance under s.
344.16, the self-insurer has made an agreement described in s.
344.30 (4), and the vehicle is being operated with the owner's permission.
SECTION 7.0Effective date.
(1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

How this bill changes current law

6 changes Share ↗

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

This bill allows religious sects with a history of mutual financial assistance to qualify as self-insurers and issue certificates of self-insurance for their members.

  • 344.14 (2) (d)

    To any person qualifying as a self-insurer under s. 344.16 or to any person operating a vehicle for such self-insurer. → To any person qualifying as a self-insurer under s. 344.16 or to any person operating a vehicle for such self-insurer or to any member of a religious sect issued a certificate of self-insurance under s. 344.16.

    This change expands exceptions for those operating vehicles under self-insurance to include members of religious sects.

  • 344.16 (1)

    Any person in whose name more than 25 motor vehicles are registered may qualify as a self-insurer by obtaining a certificate of self-insurance issued by the secretary as provided in sub. (2). → Any person in whose name more than 25 motor vehicles are registered of the following may qualify as a self-insurer by obtaining a certificate of self-insurance issued by the secretary as provided in sub. (2):

    This change renumbers and sets up subsequent conditions for self-insurance eligibility.

  • 344.16 (1)

    Subject to sub. (2m), a religious sect the members of which have collectively registered with the department more than 25 motor vehicles.

    This addition allows religious sects that collectively register more than 25 vehicles to qualify as self-insurers.

  • 344.16 (2)

    The secretary may, upon the application of such a person, issue a certificate of self-insurance when satisfied that such person is possessed and will continue to be possessed of ability to pay judgments obtained against such person. → The secretary may, upon the application of such a person or religious sect, issue a certificate of self-insurance when satisfied that such person or religious is possessed and will continue to be possessed of ability to pay judgments obtained against such person or religious sect.

    This change allows both individuals and religious sects to apply for self-insurance.

  • 344.16

    The secretary may issue a certificate of self-insurance under sub. (2) to a religious sect if all of the following apply: (a) The secretary determines that the members of the religious sect have a history of not less than 25 years of mutual financial assistance in time of need to the extent that they share in financial obligations of other members who would otherwise be unable to meet their obligations. (b) The department receives an application for a certificate of self-insurance from the religious sect within one year after the effective date of this paragraph ....

    This addition creates specific criteria for religious sects to qualify for self-insurance.

  • 344.63 (1) (cm)

    The motor vehicle is owned by a member of a religious sect that is a self-insurer holding a valid certificate of self-insurance under s. 344.16, the self-insurer has made an agreement described in s. 344.30 (4), and the vehicle is being operated with the owner's permission.

    This new provision allows vehicles owned by members of self-insuring religious sects to satisfy insurance requirements.

Action History

  1. Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Public hearing held

  3. Read first time and referred to committee on Insurance

  4. Received from Senate

  5. Ordered immediately messaged

  6. Read a third time and passed

  7. Rules suspended

  8. Ordered to a third reading

  9. Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  10. Read a second time

  11. Placed on calendar 10-8-2019 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  12. Available for scheduling

  13. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight and Courts, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  14. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight and Courts, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  15. Executive action taken

  16. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Bernier

  17. Public hearing held

  18. Fiscal estimate received

  19. Read first time and referred to Committee on Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight and Courts

  20. Introduced by Senators Bernier, Olsen, Jacque and Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives Kulp, Ballweg, Fields, Sortwell, Tittl, Steffen, Tusler, Murphy, Quinn and Thiesfeldt

Sponsors

  • Bernier · Primary
  • Olsen · Primary
  • Stroebel · Primary
  • André Jacque · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 128 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (128)

128 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 128 →

"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

public-safety transportation
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 SB 131?
SB 131 is sponsored by Bernier, Olsen, Stroebel, and Jacque, André (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 131?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” 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 SB 131?
Track SB 131 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 131

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 131

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →