Wisconsin Assembly Rep. Ron Tusler bill establishing specialized treatment and commercial court dockets passes Assembly and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Ron Tusler seeks to establish statutory recognition for specialized court dockets, aiming to improve judicial efficiency and expertise in handling treatment and commercial cases, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

It passed both chambers as of May 15, clearing the Assembly by a vote of 53-42 and the Senate by a vote of 18-15.

However, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the bill on Aug. 11.

The bill, introduced as AB73 on Feb. 24, during the 2025 session, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: “statutory recognition of specialized treatment court and commercial court dockets.”.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill establishes statutory recognition for specialized court dockets in Wisconsin, focusing on treatment courts and commercial cases. It defines treatment courts to include types such as adult and juvenile drug courts, mental health courts, family dependency courts, and veterans courts. For commercial cases, the bill mandates that specific types of business disputes, including those related to corporate governance, securities, intellectual property, and substantial commercial real estate issues, be assigned to a commercial court docket when the amount in controversy exceeds set thresholds. The bill specifies that certain cases, such as small claims, government enforcement actions, and personal injury disputes, are ineligible for the commercial docket. It allows for joint petitions for the transfer of eligible commercial cases to a dedicated commercial court docket even in jurisdictions without one, and provides that judicial assignments for commercial courts cannot be contested or appealed once decided. The bill, effective upon creation of the docket, aims to enhance judicial efficiency and expertise in handling specific case types.

In the Assembly, 53 Republicans voted in favor while 42 Democrats opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 18 Republicans voted in favor while 15 Democrats voted against it.

Representatives Tusler, B. Jacobson, Brooks, Knodl, Murphy, and one other legislator introduced the bill in the Wisconsin Assembly on Feb. 24 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill was also co-authored by Sen. André Jacque (Republican-1st District), Rep. Robert Brooks (Republican-59th District), Rep. Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Rep. Daniel Knodl (Republican-24th District), and Rep. David Murphy (Republican-56th District).

The bill was also co-sponsored by Sen. Eric Wimberger (Republican-2nd District).

Tusler graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2007 with a BA and again in 2010 from Marquette University with a JD.

Tusler, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2017 to represent the state’s 3rd Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Alvin Ott.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.