Wisconsin Bills

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 713: Relating to: access to prisons and jails for oversight purposes. (FE)

SB 713 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide immediate access (within 24 hours) to certain oversight personnel for facility tours. It directly affects legislators on committees related to corrections and county employees responsible for overseeing county jails, granting them access to residential areas, cells, meal spaces, and prisoner discussions. Key provisions include a limit of 12 facility tours per year per person and restrictions on visits between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., with access required during daylight hours instead. The bill does not change prison operations but establishes a structured process for oversight access.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 725: Relating to: in-person visiting periods for inmates of state correctional institutions and county jails or houses of correction. (FE)

SB 725 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide inmates with at least two in-person visiting periods per week, with exceptions during lockdowns or solitary confinement (up to 10 days). The bill mandates that inmates may physically embrace visitors for 20 seconds at the start and end of each visit, and facilities must provide paper, pens, and art supplies upon request, allowing inmates to keep original visitor-made artwork. It directly affects all inmates in state prisons and county jails, as well as correctional staff (state department or sheriff’s office) responsible for implementing these visiting rules. The law also establishes a formal process for inmates or visitors to appeal unauthorized removal from a visitor registry.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 691: Relating to: the issuance of an alcohol beverage retail license for premises where certain art-related business is conducted.

SB 691 clarifies that "painting art studios" (establishments primarily offering painting instruction with food/beverage service) qualify for standard alcohol retail licenses. The bill amends statutes to explicitly include these studios in definitions and licensing categories alongside businesses like restaurants, movie theaters, and bowling centers. This change directly affects art studio owners seeking to serve alcohol during instructional sessions, aligning them with existing license eligibility rules. It does not create new licensing requirements but removes ambiguity about their status under current law. The bill also defines "candlemaking" as an art form but focuses primarily on enabling alcohol service in painting studios.

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 716: Relating to: considering post-traumatic stress disorder as a mitigating factor in sentencing certain criminal offenders. (FE)

SB 716 adds a new provision (973.017(8m)) to sentencing guidelines, allowing courts to consider post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed from military service as a mitigating factor during sentencing for veterans. It specifically applies to individuals who served in the U.S. armed forces and have a documented PTSD diagnosis linked to their military service. The bill does not change sentencing ranges but gives judges discretion to weigh this factor when determining penalties for eligible veterans convicted of crimes. This affects veterans with service-connected PTSD who are facing sentencing in criminal cases. The bill takes effect for offenses committed on its effective date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Veterans

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AJR 120: Relating to: celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service and opposing any effort to dismantle, privatize, or weaken this vital institution.

AJR 120 is a resolution celebrating the U.S. Postal Service's 250th anniversary and opposing efforts to privatize, dismantle, or weaken it. It highlights the Postal Service's role in delivering essential services - such as prescriptions, ballots, and mail - to all communities, including rural, remote, and Indigenous areas that private companies often bypass. The resolution urges continued public funding and protection of the Postal Service as a vital national institution that serves all Americans regardless of geography or income. (This is a procedural resolution, not a law, so it does not create new policies or directly affect specific groups.)

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 739: Relating to: prohibitions concerning state or local government assistance with federal immigration enforcement.

AB 739 prohibits state and local government agencies, including law enforcement, from detaining individuals solely based on their immigration status. It specifically bans officials from aiding federal immigration enforcement efforts that target people for being undocumented, while allowing access to facilities under valid judicial warrants. The bill also prohibits state or local governments from entering into or continuing agreements with the federal government that enable local police to enforce federal immigration law (such as 8 USC 1357(g) agreements). This directly affects all state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement entities in the state by restricting their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The law creates new restrictions on state and local actions, not on federal policies.

Topics ✓ Immigration

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 705: Relating to: nonrecourse civil litigation advances, prohibiting certain foreign persons from financing civil litigation, and providing a penalty.

SB 705 regulates "nonrecourse civil litigation advances," which are cash payments made to individuals (consumers) involved in legal disputes (like lawsuits or settlements) in exchange for a share of future proceeds, without requiring repayment if the case is lost. The bill requires written contracts with specific disclosures (including APR, prepayment rights, and cancellation options), caps finance charges at the weekly prime rate plus 10%, and limits advances to $100,000 per consumer. It prohibits companies from paying referral fees to attorneys or health care providers and ensures consumers can prepay advances with proportional finance charge reductions. Violations incur fines of $25-$5,000 per violation, and willful violations prevent companies from recovering advances or finance charges.

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 744: Relating to: free state park admission for veterans and gold star families. (FE)

AB 744 would provide free vehicle access to Wisconsin state parks for veterans and gold star families. The bill creates a new statute allowing any vehicle (excluding motor buses) occupied by a veteran - verified using the federal definition in 38 USC 101 - or a family member meeting gold star lapel button criteria (per 10 USC 1126) to enter parks without paying admission fees. It directly affects eligible veterans and surviving family members of service members who died in combat. The policy change removes a fee requirement for these groups when entering parks by private vehicle, with proof of eligibility required at the park entrance. The bill is currently in committee review after its December 2025 introduction.

Topics ✓ Veterans

failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 728: Relating to: access to prisons and jails for oversight purposes. (FE)

AB 728 creates a new statute (302.47) requiring immediate access (less than 24 hours' notice) for specific oversight personnel to visit correctional facilities. It directly affects state legislators on relevant committees and county employees overseeing jail operations, granting them access to residential areas, cells, dining areas, and prisoner discussions. Facilities may deny immediate access only between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. (with daytime access within 72 hours) or if the requester has exceeded 12 annual visits. The bill aims to enhance transparency by enabling regular oversight visits without unnecessary delays.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 712: Relating to: inmate access to the outdoors. (FE)

SB 712 requires state correctional institutions and county jails to provide inmates with 3 hours of outdoor access per week, beginning after a 30-day (county) or 91-day (state) period of incarceration. It applies to all inmates except those in lockdown, solitary confinement, or subject to specific state facility restrictions under Section 302.01(1)(i) during their first 90 days. The bill mandates this access for facilities like Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility starting January 1, 2028, with exceptions for safety-related restrictions. This policy directly affects incarcerated individuals in Wisconsin's state prisons and county detention centers.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 708: Relating to: telecommunications service access by inmates and juveniles and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 708 requires state prisons, juvenile correctional facilities, and county jails to provide inmates and juveniles with free telecommunications access, including at least 180 minutes of weekly phone calls, 60 minutes of video calls, and 100 text messages. It creates new funding lines ($4.46 million for adult facilities, $517,500 for juvenile facilities in 2025-26) to cover these services and mandates centralized contracting to reduce costs. Counties must either join the state’s contracted telecom provider or submit detailed reports and cost data to the legislature. The bill prohibits charging inmates for basic service access and ensures facilities maintain existing service levels while allowing additional access if possible.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 715: Relating to: climate control in state correctional institutions and county jails and houses of correction and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 715 requires state correctional institutions and county jails to maintain indoor temperatures between 68°F and 76°F year-round in all housing units. It mandates detailed temperature logging during extreme weather (below 10°F or above 90°F) and annual reporting of temperature data to the legislature. The bill appropriates $65 million for installing and operating HVAC systems, with phased implementation across state facilities by 2029, 2031, and 2035. It directly affects all state prisons and county correctional facilities by establishing enforceable climate control standards and funding their compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results