Fond Du Lac Times

The new bill authored by State Rep. Dean Kaufert seeks to authorize flashing purple lights on vehicles during funeral processions in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "authorized lights for funeral procession vehicles".

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

In essence, this bill amends a statute to authorize the use of a flashing purple light on vehicles in a funeral procession, in addition to the currently permitted flashing amber light. The amendment specifies that either the lead vehicle or all vehicles in the procession can be equipped with these lights, but their use is restricted solely to the duration of the procession. The effective date of the bill is not specified in the text provided.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Julian Bradley (Republican-28th District), Representative Calvin T. Callahan (Republican-35th District), Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District), Representative Ben DeSmidt (Democrat-65th District), Representative Joy L. Goeben (Republican-5th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), and Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), along 14 other co-sponsors.

Dean Kaufert has co-authored or authored another 43 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

kaufert graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

kaufert, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 53rd Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Michael Schraa.

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.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
AB302	06/06/2025	Authorized lights for funeral procession vehicles
AB258	05/19/2025	License eligibility and restriction extensions relating to ignition interlock devices
AB253	05/08/2025	Independence accounts. (FE)
AB176	04/15/2025	Financial eligibility for the Alzheimer’s family and caregiver support program. (FE)