# Wisconsin AB190: An Act to renumber 19.37 (2) (a); to create 19.37 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: obtaining attorney fees and costs under the state’s public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court.

Wisconsin AB190, An Act to renumber 19.37 (2) (a); to create 19.37 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: obtaining attorney fees and costs under the state’s public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court., is a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session) House bill sponsored by Scott Allen (Republican), Clinton Anderson (Democratic), David Armstrong (Republican) and 20 others; status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB190-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Wisconsin AB190
- State: Wisconsin
- Session: 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)
- Title: An Act to renumber 19.37 (2) (a); to create 19.37 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes; Relating to: obtaining attorney fees and costs under the state’s public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-04-15
- Last action: 2026-03-23, Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Sponsors: Scott Allen (Republican), Clinton Anderson (Democratic), David Armstrong (Republican), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Benjamin Franklin (Republican), Joy Goeben (Republican), Rick Gundrum (Republican), Nate Gustafson (Republican), Joel Kitchens (Republican), Daniel Knodl (Republican), David Murphy (Republican), Jeffrey Mursau (Republican), Amanda Nedweski (Republican), Todd Novak (Republican), Jerry O'Connor (Republican), Jessie Rodriguez (Republican), David Steffen (Republican), Rob Swearingen (Republican), Paul Tittl (Republican), Travis Tranel (Republican), Ron Tusler (Republican), Chuck Wichgers (Republican), Robert Wittke (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 15
- Subjects: Attorney -- Fee, Court -- Procedure, Municipality, Public record, State agencies
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scott Allen (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Clinton Anderson (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: David Armstrong (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Elijah Behnke (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Benjamin Franklin (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Joy Goeben (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rick Gundrum (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Nate Gustafson (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Joel Kitchens (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Daniel Knodl (Republican), House
- Sponsor: David Murphy (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jeffrey Mursau (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Amanda Nedweski (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Todd Novak (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jerry O'Connor (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jessie Rodriguez (Republican), House
- Sponsor: David Steffen (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rob Swearingen (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Paul Tittl (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Travis Tranel (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Ron Tusler (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Chuck Wichgers (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Robert Wittke (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jill Billings (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Brienne Brown (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Steve Doyle (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jodi Emerson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dan Feyen (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris Kapenga (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Steve Nass (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Romaine Quinn (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Melissa Ratcliff (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kelda Roys (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mark Spreitzer (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Rob Stafsholt (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lisa Subeck (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cory Tomczyk (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Van Wanggaard (Republican), Senate

## Actions (13)

- 2026-03-23: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (House)
- 2026-03-19: Representative Emerson added as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-03-19: Representative Subeck added as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-03-10: Representative Billings added as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-03-06: Representative Brown added as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-01-23: Representative Doyle added as a coauthor (House)
- 2025-07-08: Referred to committee on Rules (House)
- 2025-07-08: Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 9, Noes 0 (House)
- 2025-07-01: Executive action taken (House)
- 2025-06-25: Public hearing held (House)
- 2025-05-15: Senator Ratcliff added as a cosponsor (House)
- 2025-04-15: Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs (House)
- 2025-04-15: Introduced by Representatives Novak, Swearingen, Anderson, Armstrong, Behnke, Franklin, Goeben, Gundrum, Gustafson, Kitchens, Knodl, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Rodriguez, Steffen, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, Wichgers, Wittke and Allen; cosponsored by Senators Wanggaard, Feyen, Kapenga, Nass, Quinn, Roys, Spreitzer, Stafsholt and Tomczyk (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB190), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB190.pdf)

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## Sources
- [Bill Text (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB190)
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB190.pdf)

## Related
- [AB913: An Act to create 71.05 (6) (b) 57. of the statutes; Relating to: subtraction fo…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB913-2025)
- [AB80: An Act to renumber 457.25 (1); to amend 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB80-2025)
- [AB1027: An Act Relating to: requiring information relating to the food stamp program to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB1027-2025)
- [SB36: An Act to repeal 71.63 (6) (n) 1. and 71.63 (6) (n) 2.; to renumber and amend 7…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB36-2025)
- [AB674: An Act to create 157.06 (15m) of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting knowing…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB674-2025)
- [SB176: An Act to create 71.05 (1) (j), 71.26 (1) (j), 71.34 (1k) (q) and 71.45 (1) (dp…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB176-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB190-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).