# Wisconsin AB561: An Act to renumber and amend 346.485 (2); to amend 346.485 (3) and 346.49 (3); to repeal and recreate 346.485 (4); to create 121.52 (6), 346.485 (2) (bm) and 346.49 (3m) of the statutes; Relating to: owner liability for illegally passing a school bus and providing a penalty.

Wisconsin AB561, An Act to renumber and amend 346.485 (2); to amend 346.485 (3) and 346.49 (3); to repeal and recreate 346.485 (4); to create 121.52 (6), 346.485 (2) (bm) and 346.49 (3m) of the statutes; Relating to: owner liability for illegally passing a school bus and providing a penalty., is a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session) House bill sponsored by Elijah Behnke (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Joy Goeben (Republican) and 11 others; status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB561-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Wisconsin AB561
- State: Wisconsin
- Session: 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)
- Title: An Act to renumber and amend 346.485 (2); to amend 346.485 (3) and 346.49 (3); to repeal and recreate 346.485 (4); to create 121.52 (6), 346.485 (2) (bm) and 346.49 (3m) of the statutes; Relating to: owner liability for illegally passing a school bus and providing a penalty.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-10-15
- Last action: 2026-03-23, Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Sponsors: Elijah Behnke (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Joy Goeben (Republican), Russell Goodwin (Democratic), Rick Gundrum (Republican), Dean Kaufert (Republican), Daniel Knodl (Republican), Rob Kreibich (Republican), Dave Maxey (Republican), Paul Melotik (Republican), David Murphy (Republican), Lori Palmeri (Democratic), William Penterman (Republican), Christine Sinicki (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Forfeiture, Motor vehicle -- Regulation, School -- Administration, School -- Conveyance of pupil
- 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: Elijah Behnke (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Barbara Dittrich (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Joy Goeben (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Russell Goodwin (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Rick Gundrum (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Dean Kaufert (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Daniel Knodl (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rob Kreibich (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Dave Maxey (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Paul Melotik (Republican), House
- Sponsor: David Murphy (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lori Palmeri (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: William Penterman (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Christine Sinicki (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Rob Hutton (Republican), Senate

## Actions (22)

- 2026-03-23: Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Available for scheduling (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0 (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Executive action taken (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Read first time and referred to committee on Transportation and Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Received from Assembly (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Ordered immediately messaged (House)
- 2026-02-18: Read a third time and passed (House)
- 2026-02-18: Rules suspended (House)
- 2026-02-18: Ordered to a third reading (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kaufert (House)
- 2026-02-18: Read a second time (House)
- 2026-02-17: Made a special order of business at 1:20 PM on 2-18-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 13 (House)
- 2026-02-16: Representatives Ortiz-Velez and Miresse added as coauthors (House)
- 2026-02-13: Withdrawn from committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026 (House)
- 2026-02-03: Referred to committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-02-03: Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation, Ayes 6, Noes 0 (House)
- 2026-02-03: Executive action taken (House)
- 2025-12-03: Public hearing held (House)
- 2025-10-15: Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation (House)
- 2025-10-15: Introduced by Representatives Kaufert, Maxey, Penterman, Gundrum, Sinicki, Palmeri, Goeben, Goodwin, Knodl, Dittrich, Murphy, Kreibich, Melotik and Behnke; cosponsored by Senator Hutton (House)

## Bill text

- Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, 2026-02-18: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB561-ASA1), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB561-ASA1.pdf)
- Bill Text: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB561), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB561.pdf)

## Related bills

- AB913: An Act to create 71.05 (6) (b) 57. of the statutes; Relating to: subtraction for certain income of members of the National Guard and Reserves. (FE) (signed)
- AB80: An Act to renumber 457.25 (1); to amend 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2), 49.45 (30j) (a) 1., 51.03 (6) (a), 55.043 (1m) (a) 4., 146.81 (1) (hg), 146.8… (signed)
- AB1027: An Act Relating to: requiring information relating to the food stamp program to be compiled and provided to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (FE) (vetoed)
- SB36: An Act to repeal 71.63 (6) (n) 1. and 71.63 (6) (n) 2.; to renumber and amend 71.63 (6) (n) (intro.); to amend 71.05 (6) (b) 19. cm., 71.05 (6) (b) 19. dm., 71… (vetoed)
- AB674: An Act to create 157.06 (15m) of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting knowingly covering organ transplantation and related care under health insurance polici… (vetoed)
- SB176: An Act to create 71.05 (1) (j), 71.26 (1) (j), 71.34 (1k) (q) and 71.45 (1) (dp) of the statutes; Relating to: an income and franchise tax exemption for broadb… (vetoed)

## Sources
- [Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB561-ASA1)
- [Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB561-ASA1.pdf)
- [Bill Text (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB561)
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB561.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)
- [Wisconsin bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/wisconsin/bills)
- [Wisconsin state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/wisconsin)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB561-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).