AB 385 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: online credit card contributions and providing a penalty.

AB 385 requires political committees and parties to collect a credit card's verification code and a U.S. billing address when accepting online credit card donations. It allows exceptions for U.S. citizens living abroad, who must instead provide their U.S. voter registration address. Financial institutions processing such payments without these verifications face fines equal to the total amount of the unverified contributions. The bill directly affects political groups and payment processors handling campaign donations.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Aug 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2026

Assembly Passage

Nov 2025

Senate Passage

Jan 2026

Vetoed

Mar 2026

Introduced Aug 20, 2025 Vetoed Mar 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill Text → Text as Enrolled · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a Wisconsin Assembly bill to its final enrolled version, updating the header to reflect the Wisconsin Legislature and the official act title. The core policy language was significantly rewritten to expand the definition of who must comply from 'committees' to 'any 3rd-party group' soliciting online contributions. Additionally, the requirement now explicitly includes debit cards alongside credit cards, and the penalty clause was shortened to remove specific reporting instructions for treasurers.

Scope change

The scope of the law was broadened to apply to any third-party group soliciting online donations, rather than just political committees, conduits, or parties. The applicability was also expanded to include debit card transactions in addition to credit cards.

REQUIREMENT

The entity subject to the rules changed from specific political committees and parties to any '3rd-party group' that solicits money online.

The payment method requirement was updated to explicitly include both credit cards and debit cards.

The text was restructured to combine the billing address and verification code requirements into a single, clearer paragraph.

ENFORCEMENT

The penalty section was simplified to remove specific instructions about maintaining names and addresses for reporting purposes.

TECHNICAL

The document header and metadata were updated to reflect the final enrolled status and correct the jurisdiction from Wisconsin Assembly to the Wisconsin Legislature.

Floor votes · Assembly Nov 19, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 27, 2026

Vetoed

Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-27-2026

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read a third time and concurred in

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Amended

Senate Substitute Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Hesselbein, Smith, Spreitzer, Drake, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Habush Sinykin, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Wall and Wirch

upper

Jan 16, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

upper

Jan 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2

upper

Nov 21, 2025

Introduced

LRB correction (Assembly Substitute Amendment 1)

upper

Nov 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read a third time and passed, Ayes 55, Noes 42

lower

Nov 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

lower

Nov 19, 2025

Introduced

Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Murphy

lower

Nov 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Placed on calendar 11-19-2025 by Committee on Rules

lower

Nov 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to committee on Rules

lower

Nov 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report passage recommended by Committee on Campaigns and Elections, Ayes 5, Noes 2

lower

Aug 20, 2025

Introduced

Introduced by Representatives Murphy, Tittl, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Goeben, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, O'Connor, Penterman, Wichgers and Armstrong; cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk, Cabral-Guevara, Feyen, Quinn and Wanggaard

lower

14 primary · 0 co-sponsors