2023 Senate Resolution 2
ENGROSSED RESOLUTION
To renumber and amend senate rule 8 (4); to amend senate rule 4 (8), senate rule 11 (6), senate rule
18 (1b), senate rule 25 (1) (c), senate rule 25 (4) (b), senate rule 28, senate rule 33 (2), senate
rule 34 (1), senate rule 35, senate rule 36 (2) (a), senate rule 36 (2) (c), senate rule 41 (1) (a),
senate rule 41 (1) (b), senate rule 47 (5) and senate rule 98 (4); and to create senate rule 8 (4)
(b) and senate rule 18 (1f); relating to: the senate rules.
Resolved by the senate, That:
SECTION 1. Senate rule 4 (8) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 4 (8) Receive messages and other communications from the assembly and from
other branches of the government, and may announce them to the senate.
SECTION 2. Senate rule 8 (4) is renumbered senate rule 8 (4) (a) and amended to read:
SENATE RULE 8 (4) (a) A member or other person may not, within the senate chamber, read
newspapers, periodicals, magazines, books, or similar materials, unless the publication is relevant
to the debate on the senate floor; consume food, beverages, or tobacco products; or take photographs
or make any video recording.
SECTION 3. Senate rule 8 (4) (b) is created to read:
SENATE RULE 8 (4) (b) A member or other person may consume beverages within the senate
chamber; however, at any time, the presiding officer may prohibit or restrict beverage consumption
to preserve decorum. For the purpose of consuming beverages within the senate chamber, the
presiding officer shall designate appropriate beverage containers and places at or on which the
containers may be placed or stored. In no instance may a beverage container be placed or stored on
the top of a member’s desk in the senate chamber.
SECTION 4. Senate rule 11 (6) is amended to read: 2023 Senate Resolution 2
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SENATE RULE 11 (6) Persons who are not specified in subs. (1) to (5) may be invited on the
floor of the senate by the committee on senate organization or the presiding officer.
SECTION 5. Senate rule 18 (1b) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 18 (1b) Messages from the assembly or from the governor may be received and
read, and any proposal referenced in the messages that is an assembly proposal initially received for
consideration of the senate shall be referred, except as provided in sub. (1f). Any other proposals
referenced in the messages shall be taken up immediately unless referred by the presiding officer
to a standing committee.
SECTION 6. Senate rule 18 (1f) is created to read:
SENATE RULE 18 (1f) An assembly proposal initially received for consideration of the senate
that is a companion proposal to a senate proposal that is on that day’s calendar, as determined by the
presiding officer, shall be taken up immediately unless referred by the presiding officer to a standing
committee.
SECTION 7. Senate rule 25 (1) (c) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 25 (1) (c) The public notice under par. (b) shall be posted on the bulletin board
of each house. The notice shall indicate the day, hour, and place of the meeting and the number,
author, and relating clause of each proposal to be considered. If an unintroduced legislation proposal
will be considered at the meeting, the notice shall indicate the draft number assigned to the
legislation proposal by the legislative reference bureau and the relating clause of the legislation
proposal, and shall indicate that copies of the draft legislation proposal are available at the chief
clerk’s office. The chairperson shall provide a copy of the draft legislation proposal to the chief clerk
before publishing the notice. The chief clerk shall distribute make available copies of the draft
legislation proposal to any person who requests such copies. Whenever a scheduled meeting is
canceled, the chairperson shall immediately notify the chief clerk and post cancellation notices on
the bulletin boards of each house.
SECTION 8. Senate rule 25 (4) (b) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 25 (4) (b) If a chairperson of a committee elects to vote by ballot under par. (am),
public notice shall be posted on the bulletin board of each house prior to the circulation of the ballot
as provided under sub. (1) (b) and (d). The notice shall indicate the day and hour when the ballot
will be circulated and the number, author, and relating clause of each proposal to be considered. If
an unintroduced legislation proposal will be considered, the notice shall indicate the draft number
assigned to the legislation proposal by the legislative reference bureau and the relating clause of the
legislation proposal, and shall indicate that copies of the draft legislation proposal are available at
the chief clerk’s office. The chairperson shall provide a copy of the draft legislation proposal to the
chief clerk before posting the notice. The chief clerk shall make available a copy of the draft
legislation proposal to any person who requests a copy.
SECTION 9. Senate rule 28 is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 28. Minority reports. Any member or members dissenting from a report of
a committee may make, at the time of the committee’s final vote on the matter, notify the chairperson
of his or her intent to file a separate minority report stating the reasons and conclusions; and all
reports. A minority report must be filed with the committee chairperson no later than the 2nd
business day after the committee’s vote. A minority report, if decorous in language and respectful
to the senate, shall be entered at length on the journal. Any minority report must be filed on the same
or the next legislative day as the majority report or recommendation.
SECTION 10. Senate rule 33 (2) is amended to read: 2023 Senate Resolution 2
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SENATE RULE 33 (2) A senate proposal identical with one already rejected may not be
introduced or offered. However, an assembly bill or joint resolution that is identical to a senate bill
or joint resolution previously rejected by the senate or may be considered for concurrence and any
bill repealing a former act of the same biennial session may be introduced or offered.
SECTION 11. Senate rule 34 (1) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 34 (1) All bills and joint resolutions, and all resolutions except those privileged
for immediate consideration under rule 69, after introduction, must lay over at least 24 hours before
being considered for passage, adoption, or concurrence.
SECTION 12. Senate rule 35 is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 35. Three separate readings. Every bill, and every joint resolution proposing
an amendment to the constitution, must receive 3 separate readings by relating clause prior to its
passage or adoption except where otherwise provided, but may not receive 2 readings on the same
day.
SECTION 13. Senate rule 36 (2) (a) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 36 (2) (a) Except as provided in pars. par. (c) and (d), all bills introduced in the
senate which by statute require reference in the senate to a particular committee shall be so referred
upon first reading and all assembly bills when received from the assembly shall be so referred upon
first reading except where the assembly record on the bill discloses that the statutory requirement
has been satisfied by reference to the committee in the assembly.
SECTION 14. Senate rule 36 (2) (c) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 36 (2) (c) Notwithstanding par. (a), the The president may refer a bill that
pertains only incidentally to a matter of concern to a joint survey committee directly to the committee
appropriate to the major substance of that bill, and in that case shall direct the appropriate joint
survey committee to prepare its report on the bill while that bill is in the possession of the other
committee. This rule does not suspend the requirement that the report of the appropriate joint survey
committee must be received before the bill is given its 2nd reading.
SECTION 15. Senate rule 41 (1) (a) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 41 (1) (a) A proposal or other matter may be rereferred at any time prior to its
passage, except that a motion to withdraw the proposal or other matter from committee may not take
effect during the 7 days preceding any scheduled committee meeting on that proposal or other matter
or the 7 days following the date on which such a committee meeting is held.
SECTION 16. Senate rule 41 (1) (b) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 41 (1) (b) A motion to withdraw and rerefer or to withdraw is in order, except
that if the senate has once refused to withdraw and rerefer or to withdraw a proposal or other matter
from committee, any subsequent motion to withdraw and rerefer or to withdraw the proposal or other
matter from committee requires a suspension of the rules.
SECTION 17. Senate rule 47 (5) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 47 (5) Amendments are not in order upon consideration of an executive veto
or a report of a conference committee.
SECTION 18. Senate rule 98 (4) is amended to read:
SENATE RULE 98 (4) All citations on behalf of the senate must be prepared on an artistic form,
must first be approved by the committee on senate organization, must be suitable for framing, and
must be in substantially the following form:
(Scrollwork Incorporating State Coat of Arms)
CITATION BY THE SENATE
Know You By These Presents: 2023 Senate Resolution 2
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Whereas, ...; and
Whereas, ...; now,
Therefore, The Members of the Wisconsin Senate, on the motion of Senator(s)...hereby .... .
State Capitol
Madison,Wisconsin
...................................
(Date)
..............................................
(Appropriate Signatures)
S t a t e C a p i t o l
Madison, Wisconsin
Senator Chris Kapenga
President of the Senate
Date
Michael J. Queensland
Senate Chief Clerk