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SB212 • 2025

the form of referendum questions

the form of referendum questions

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Senators Habush Sinykin, Wall, Roys, Ratcliff, Dassler-Alfheim, Hesselbein, Keyeski, Drake and Spreitzer, cosponsored by Representatives Andraca, Snodgrass, Joers, DeSmidt, Rivera-Wagner, Brown, Sheehan, Roe, Fitzgerald, Clancy, Prado, Subeck, Sinicki, Madison, Tenorio, Vining, Ortiz-Velez, Mayadev, Johnson and Miresse
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

the form of referendum questions

the form of referendum questions Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

What This Bill Does

  • the form of referendum questions Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-23 Sen.

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. 2025-05-28 Sen.

    Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor

  3. 2025-04-23 Sen.

    Representative Palmeri added as a cosponsor

  4. 2025-04-21 Sen.

    Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  5. 2025-04-18 Sen.

    Representative Haywood added as a cosponsor

  6. 2025-04-16 Sen.

    Introduced by Senators Habush Sinykin , Wall , Roys , Ratcliff , Dassler-Alfheim , Hesselbein , Keyeski , Drake and Spreitzer ; cosponsored by Representatives Andraca , Snodgrass , Joers , DeSmidt , Rivera-Wagner , Brown , Sheehan , Roe , Fitzgerald , Clancy , Prado , Subeck , Sinicki , Madison , Tenorio , Vining , Ortiz-Velez , Mayadev , Johnson and Miresse

  7. 2025-04-16 Sen.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

Official Summary Text

the form of referendum questions
Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: SB212: Bill Text

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SB212: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2656/1
MPG:skw
2025 SENATE BILL 212
April 16, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
Habush Sinykin
,
Wall
,
Roys
,
Ratcliff
,
Dassler-Alfheim
,
Hesselbein
,
Keyeski
,
Drake
and
Spreitzer
, cosponsored by Representatives
Andraca
,
Snodgrass
,
Joers
,
DeSmidt
,
Rivera-Wagner
,
Brown
,
Sheehan
,
Roe
,
Fitzgerald
,
Clancy
,
Prado
,
Subeck
,
Sinicki
,
Madison
,
Tenorio
,
Vining
,
Ortiz-Velez
,
Mayadev
,
Johnson
and
Miresse
. Referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
SB212,1,2
1
An Act

to amend
5.64 (2) (am) of the statutes;
relating to:
the form of
2
referendum questions.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, any referendum question submitted to the voters, including to approve or reject a constitutional amendment, must be concise and may not be worded in such a manner as to require a negative vote to approve a proposition or an affirmative vote to disapprove a proposition.
This bill adds the requirement that the referendum question be in plain language. The bill additionally adds the requirement that for a proposed constitutional amendment, the question must clearly indicate whether any part of the constitutional amendment is contained in the statutes as of the date of final passage of the joint resolution directing that the question be submitted to a vote of the people.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB212,1
3
Section
1
.
5.64 (2) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB212,2,12
4
5.64
(2)
(am) There shall be a separate ballot when any proposed
1
constitutional amendment or any other measure or question is submitted to a vote
2
of the people, except as authorized in s. 5.655. The ballot shall give a concise
3
statement of each question in accordance with the act or resolution directing
4
submission in the same form as prescribed by the commission under s. 7.08 (1) (a).
5
The question may not be worded in such a manner as to require a negative vote to
6
approve a proposition or an affirmative vote to disapprove a proposition.
The
7
question shall be in plain language. For a proposed constitutional amendment, the
8
question shall clearly indicate whether any part of the constitutional amendment is
9
contained in the statutes in effect as of the date of final passage of the joint
10
resolution directing that the question be submitted to a vote of the people.
Unless
11
otherwise expressly provided, this ballot form shall be used at all elections when
12
questions are submitted to a vote of the people.
SB212,2,13
13
(end)

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true

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