Relating to: increasing the maximum fee for court costs collectible in a municipal court action. (FE)
AB 443 increases the maximum fee municipal courts can collect for most cases from $38 to $48 per matter, such as traffic violations or other non-traffic offenses. The bill affects municipal courts directly, as they collect these fees for cases not excluded (like certain traffic violations under specific statutes). For each fee collected, $5 goes to the state general fund, while the remainder stays with the municipality. This change applies to all court actions in municipal courts except for financial responsibility violations or certain ordinance violations. The bill does not alter the minimum fee ($15) or the fee structure for excluded cases.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Assembly Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Mar 2026
Introduced Sep 19, 2025
Signed Mar 20, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Feb 11, 2026 · Assembly Jan 13, 2026
How they voted
33–1
Passed
Total votes 34
Feb 11, 2026
D
Democratic16
93% Yea
R
Republican18
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
36
Key actions
8
Committee
6
Amendments
2
Mar 20, 2026
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 3-20-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 113
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 88, Noes 11
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to joint committee on Finance
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules
lower
Nov 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
Nov 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Local Government, Ayes 9, Noes 0
lower
Nov 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Local Government, Ayes 9, Noes 0
lower
Oct 21, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kaufert
lower
Sep 19, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Kaufert, Gundrum, Maxey, B. Jacobson, Armstrong, Steffen, Allen, Dittrich, Piwowarczyk, Murphy, O'Connor, Mursau, Goeben, Kitchens and Brill;
cosponsored by Senators Wanggaard and Dassler-Alfheim
lower
15 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Barbara Dittrich
RRepublican
P
Brent Jacobson
RRepublican
P
Dave Armstrong
RRepublican
P
Dave Maxey
RRepublican
P
Dave Murphy
RRepublican
P
David Steffen
RRepublican
P
Dean Kaufert
RRepublican
P
Jeff Mursau
RRepublican
P
Jerry O'Connor
RRepublican
P
Jim Piwowarczyk
RRepublican
P
Joel Kitchens
RRepublican
P
Joy Goeben
RRepublican
P
Lindee Brill
RRepublican
P
Rick Gundrum
RRepublican
P
Scott Allen
RRepublican
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