Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: March 8, 2023 Contact: Peggy Hurley, Senior Staff Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 56 Assembly Amendment 1
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 56
Assembly Bill 56 allows a city, village, town, or county to pass an ordinance that allows a law
enforcement officer to seize and impound a motor vehicle if all of the following are true:
The law enforcement officer cites the operator of the vehicle for a reckless driving offense.
The operator of the vehicle is the owner of the vehicle.
The operator of the vehicle has been found to have committed a previous reckless driving offense.
The operator of the vehicle has not fully paid a forfeiture assessed for a previous reckless driving
offense.
Under the bill, the ordinance may provide that the vehicle remained impounded until the owner of the
vehicle pays the amount due on the forfeiture assessed for a previous reckless driving offense and pays a
deposit for the citation for which the vehicle was impounded.
The bill requires the return of the vehicle to an owner when the previous forfeiture is paid in full and a
deposit is paid for the immediate citation, except that if a vehicle remains unclaimed for 90 days after
the disposition of the citation for which the vehicle was impounded, the city, village, town, or county
may initiate proceedings to treat the vehicle as an abandoned vehicle.
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1
Assembly Amendment 1 removes the requirement that, in order to retrieve a vehicle that has been
seized, the owner pay a deposit for the citation for which the vehicle was impounded. Additionally, the
amendment allows a city, village, town, or county to require that the owner pay the reasonable costs of
impounding the vehicle, including towing or other transportation costs and storage costs.
BILL HISTORY
Representative Donovan introduced Assembly Bill 56 on February 20, 2023. On March 3, 2023,
Representative Donovan introduced Assembly Amendment 1. On March 7, 2023, the Assembly
Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety voted to recommend adoption of Assembly
Amendment 1 on a vote of Ayes, 15; Noes, 0, and to recommend passage of Assembly Bill 56 on a vote of
Ayes, 14; Noes, 1.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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