Publication of New Laws

After the Legislature passes a bill and the Governor signs it, the bill is delivered to the Office of the Secretary of State to be scheduled for publication. After publication, the "bill" becomes a new law. A new law is effective the day after the publication date, or on a particular date specified in the text of the bill.

The Secretary of State prints a notice in the official state newspaper (currently the Wisconsin State Journal), that alerts the public a new law has been created. The newspaper notice also contains a summary of the law, the date of publication, and directions on obtaining the full text of the new law. The complete text of a new law may be obtained from the Legislative Reference Bureau, located at 1 East Main Street, Suite 200, Madison, or through the legislative website at www.legis.state.wi.us.

Bills which become law are called "Acts". The original bills, with cover pages bearing signatures of the Governor, Secretary of State, and Clerks of the Assembly and Senate, are preserved in the Office of the Secretary of State. At the end of each two-year legislative session, the acts are bound into hardcover volumes for safekeeping. Presently, all Acts from 1945 to present are housed in the Office of the Secretary of State. Original copies of previous laws are located at Wisconsin's State Historical Society.