2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2361/1
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2025 SENATE BILL 141
March 21, 2025 - Introduced by Senator BRADLEY, cosponsored by Representatives
MAXEY, DONOVAN, PIWOWARCZYK, RODRIGUEZ, DITTRICH, GUNDRUM,
GUSTAFSON, KNODL, KREIBICH, MURSAU, PENTERMAN, B. JACOBSON and
O'CONNOR. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
AN ACT to amend 343.45 (3) and 343.46 (4); to create 343.45 (2m) and 343.46
(2m) of the statutes; relating to: allowing an unlicensed person to use a motor
vehicle and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person who owns or is in control of a motor vehicle is
prohibited from allowing another person to operate the vehicle if the vehicle
operator is not authorized to operate a motor vehicle. Current law also prohibits a
person from renting a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer to another person who is
not authorized to operate a motor vehicle. A violation of either prohibition is a
forfeiture of not more than $100.
This bill increases the penalty for both violations to a fine not to exceed $1,000
for a first offense and not to exceed $10,000 for a second or subsequent offense. The
bill also provides that the prohibitions apply irrespective of whether the person
permitting the operation of a motor vehicle had actual knowledge of the vehicle
operator[s authorization to operate a motor vehicle.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
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SENATE BILL 141
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SECTION 1
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 343.45 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
343.45 (2m) Subsections (1) and (2) apply irrespective of whether the person
authorizing or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle had actual knowledge of
the vehicle operator[s authorization under this chapter to operate a motor vehicle.
SECTION 2. 343.45 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
343.45 (3) Except as another penalty is provided by s. 343.245 (4) (b), any
person violating this section may be required to forfeit not more than $100 is subject
to a fine not to exceed $1,000 for a first offense and not to exceed $10,000 for a 2nd
or subsequent offense.
SECTION 3. 343.46 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
343.46 (2m) Subsection (1) applies irrespective of whether the person renting
a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer to another had actual knowledge of the
vehicle operator[s authorization under this chapter to operate a motor vehicle.
SECTION 4. 343.46 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
343.46 (4) Any person violating this section may be required to forfeit not
more than $100 is subject to a fine not to exceed $1,000 for a first offense and not to
exceed $10,000 for a 2nd or subsequent offense.
SECTION 5. Initial applicability.
(1) This act first applies to a violation committed on the effective date of this
subsection.
(END)
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