Wisconsin Criminal Justice Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 11, 2026 WI SB 276 Requires Attorney Fees to be Awarded to Those Who Successfully Challenge State Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Nov. 18, 2025 WI AB 265 Establishes a Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 10 Years for Human Trafficking, and 15 Years if the Victim is a Child Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Nov. 18, 2025 WI SB 498 Expands State Requirements Relating to Freedom of Speech at University of Wisconsin System Institutions and Establishes Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Nov. 18, 2025 WI SB 394 Classifies Vandalism of Certain Monuments on Public Property as a Class I Felony Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Oct. 14, 2025 WI AB 168 Authorizes Felony Fraud Claims Related to Unemployment to be Prosecuted up to 8 Years After a Crime was Committed Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
June 18, 2025 WI AB 85 Increases Early Release Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 WI AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 WI AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 WI SB 94 Increases Penalties for Acts of Violence and Other Actions Which Contribute to a Riot Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 WI SB 111 Requires Counties That Approve Emergency Detention for a Minor to Transport the Minor to the Detention Facility Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
June 18, 2025 WI SB 278 Extends the Governmental Grant Program for Community-Oriented Policing-House Programs to July 1, 2027 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
May 15, 2025 WI SB 33 Classifies the Distribution of Deep Fake Intimate Content as a Class I Felony Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
March 18, 2025 WI SB 5 Classifies a Threat or Battery Against a Juror or Their Family as a Class H Felony Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
March 12, 2024 WI SB 822 Increases Various Election Security Protections Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 1)
March 12, 2024 WI AJR 109 Prohibits Governments from Giving Preferential Treatment to Staff on the Basis of Race, Sex, or National Origin Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Feb. 20, 2024 WI SB 613 Limits Non-Economic Damage Awarded in Lawsuits Involving Commercial Vehicle Accidents to $1 Million Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
Feb. 13, 2024 WI SB 874 Authorizes Counting Convictions and Findings for the PUrpose of the Sex Offender Registry Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
Jan. 16, 2024 WI SB 789 Authorizes Law Enforcement and Corrections Agencies to Charge a Requester a Fee for the Actual, Necessary, and Direct Cost for Redacting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Jan. 16, 2024 WI SB 466 Prohibits Credit Card Companies from Requiring a Merchant Category Code that Identifies Firearms Retailers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
March 22, 2023 WI SB 76 Increases Penalties for Carjacking Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
March 22, 2023 WI SB 75 Establishes Cash Bail in the State Constitution Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
March 22, 2023 WI SB 101 Increases Penalties for Providing or Selling Drugs that Result in an Individual's Death Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
March 22, 2023 WI SB 101 Increases Penalties for Providing or Selling Drugs that Result in an Individual's Death Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
Jan. 17, 2023 WI SJR 2 Requires a Defendant's Potential Risk Factors be Considered when Setting Bail Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Feb. 22, 2022 WI AB 828 Increases Employment Incentives for Correctional Officers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/11 SB 276 Requires Attorney Fees to be Awarded to Those Who Successfully Challenge State Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
11/18 AB 265 Establishes a Mandatory Minimum Sentence of 10 Years for Human Trafficking, and 15 Years if the Victim is a Child Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
11/18 SB 498 Expands State Requirements Relating to Freedom of Speech at University of Wisconsin System Institutions and Establishes Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
11/18 SB 394 Classifies Vandalism of Certain Monuments on Public Property as a Class I Felony Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
10/14 AB 168 Authorizes Felony Fraud Claims Related to Unemployment to be Prosecuted up to 8 Years After a Crime was Committed Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
6/18 AB 85 Increases Early Release Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 AB 87 Requires an Individual Convicted of Child Trafficking to Pay Restitution Immediately or Have Assets Seized Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 SB 94 Increases Penalties for Acts of Violence and Other Actions Which Contribute to a Riot Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 SB 111 Requires Counties That Approve Emergency Detention for a Minor to Transport the Minor to the Detention Facility Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14)
6/18 SB 278 Extends the Governmental Grant Program for Community-Oriented Policing-House Programs to July 1, 2027 Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
5/15 SB 33 Classifies the Distribution of Deep Fake Intimate Content as a Class I Felony Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
3/18 SB 5 Classifies a Threat or Battery Against a Juror or Their Family as a Class H Felony Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 4)
3/12 SB 822 Increases Various Election Security Protections Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 1)
3/12 AJR 109 Prohibits Governments from Giving Preferential Treatment to Staff on the Basis of Race, Sex, or National Origin Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
2/20 SB 613 Limits Non-Economic Damage Awarded in Lawsuits Involving Commercial Vehicle Accidents to $1 Million Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11)
2/13 SB 874 Authorizes Counting Convictions and Findings for the PUrpose of the Sex Offender Registry Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
1/16 SB 789 Authorizes Law Enforcement and Corrections Agencies to Charge a Requester a Fee for the Actual, Necessary, and Direct Cost for Redacting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
1/16 SB 466 Prohibits Credit Card Companies from Requiring a Merchant Category Code that Identifies Firearms Retailers Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
3/22 SB 76 Increases Penalties for Carjacking Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
3/22 SB 75 Establishes Cash Bail in the State Constitution Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10)
3/22 SB 101 Increases Penalties for Providing or Selling Drugs that Result in an Individual's Death Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
3/22 SB 101 Increases Penalties for Providing or Selling Drugs that Result in an Individual's Death Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 3)
1/17 SJR 2 Requires a Defendant's Potential Risk Factors be Considered when Setting Bail Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
2/22 AB 828 Increases Employment Incentives for Correctional Officers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 12)

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