Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: SJR4: Joint Resolution Text
Skip navigation
Home
Documents
Senate
Assembly
Committees
Service Agencies
Docs
Options
Help
2025 Biennium
Statutes
Admin. Rules
Indices
Miscellaneous
Archives
Home
Bill, Rule, and Appointment Histories
Senators
Representatives
Committees
Text of Introduced Proposals
Amendment Text
Acts
Veto Messages
Enrolled Bills
Votes
Assembly and Senate Floor Calendars
Schedule of Committee Activities
Assembly and Senate Journals
Committee Records (ROCPs)
Legislative Rules
All Session-Related Documents
Subject Index to Acts
Subject Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Journals
Author Index to Legislation
Subject Index to Clearinghouse Rules
Miscellaneous Budget Documents
Executive Orders
Rulings of the Chair
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules
Opinions of the Attorney General
Town Law Forms
Law
Districts
Session
Drafting Files
Feeds
Preferences
Show tree
Hide tree
Feedback
Help
Home
Senate Home
Senators
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Civics Education
Human Resources
Assembly Home
Representatives
Committees
Session
Chief Clerk
Sergeant at Arms
Human Resources
Schedule
Joint
Senate
Assembly
Study
Legislative Audit Bureau
Legislative Council
Legislative Fiscal Bureau
Legislative Human Resources Office
Legislative Reference Bureau
Legislative Technology Services Bureau
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SJR4: Joint Resolution Text
Up
Up
2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1220/1
MPG:emw
2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4
February 5, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
Tomczyk
,
Nass
,
Bradley
,
Cabral-Guevara
,
Felzkowski
,
James
,
Kapenga
and
Quinn
, cosponsored by Representatives
Tusler
,
Green
,
Allen
,
Armstrong
,
Behnke
,
Brill
,
Brooks
,
Callahan
,
Dittrich
,
Donovan
,
Franklin
,
Goeben
,
Gundrum
,
Gustafson
,
Hurd
,
B. Jacobson
,
Knodl
,
Kreibich
,
Maxey
,
Murphy
,
Nedweski
,
O'Connor
,
Penterman
,
Piwowarczyk
,
Tittl
and
Wichgers
. Referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
SJR4,1,2
1
To amend
section 18 of article I of the constitution;
relating to:
the freedom to
2
gather in places of worship during a state of emergency (second consideration).
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
EXPLANATION OF PROPOSAL
This proposed constitutional amendment, to be given second consideration by the 2025 legislature for submittal to the voters in November 2026, was first considered by the 2023 legislature in 2023 Senate Joint Resolution 54, which became 2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 11.
This constitutional amendment provides that the state or a political subdivision of the state may not order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.
PROCEDURE FOR SECOND CONSIDERATION
When a proposed constitutional amendment is before the legislature on second consideration, any change in the text approved by the preceding legislature causes the proposed constitutional amendment to revert to first consideration status so that second consideration approval would have to be given by the next legislature before the proposal may be submitted to the people for ratification [see joint rule 57 (2)].
If the legislature approves a proposed constitutional amendment on second consideration, it must also set the date for submitting the proposed constitutional amendment to the people for ratification and must determine the question or questions to appear on the ballot.
SJR4,2,4
1
Whereas, the 2023 legislature in regular session considered a proposed
2
amendment to the constitution in 2023 Senate Joint Resolution 54, which became
3
2023 Enrolled Joint Resolution 11, and agreed to it by a majority of the members
4
elected to each of the two houses, which proposed amendment reads as follows:
SJR4,1
Section
1
.
Section 18 of article I of the constitution is amended to read:
[Article I] Section 18. The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed; nor shall any person be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, without consent; nor shall any control of, or interference with, the rights of conscience be permitted, or any preference be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship; nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of religious societies, or religious or theological seminaries
; nor shall the state or a political subdivision of the state order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health
.
SJR4,2,12
5
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the
senate
, the
assembly
concurring,
6
That
the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution is agreed to by the
7
2025 legislature; and, be it further
8
Resolved, That
the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution be
9
submitted to a vote of the people at the election to be held on the first Tuesday of
10
November 2026; and, be it further
11
Resolved, That
the question concerning ratification of the foregoing proposed
12
amendment to the constitution be stated on the ballot as follows:
SJR4,3,4
13
Question
1
:
“
Freedom to gather in places of worship during an
1
emergency.
Shall section 18 of article I of the constitution, which deals with
2
religious liberty, be amended to prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the
3
state from ordering the closure of, or forbidding gatherings in, places of worship in
4
response to a state of emergency, including a public health emergency?”
SJR4,3,5
5
(end)
Down
Down
/2025/related/proposals/sjr4
true
proposaltext
/2025/related/proposals/sjr4
proposaltext/2025/REG/SJR4
proposaltext/2025/REG/SJR4
section
true
Menu
»
2025
»
Related Documents
»
Proposal Text
»
SJR4: Joint Resolution Text
×
Details for
PDF view
Link
(Permanent link)
Bookmark this location
View toggle
Go to top of document
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Search in this agency
Search in this chapter group
Search in this chapter
Search in this section
Cross references for section
Acts affecting this section
References to this
1970 Statutes Annotations
Appellate Court Citations
Administrative Code Index
Reference lines
Clear highlighting