SB 1014 expands Wisconsin's existing deflection initiative by providing grants to current participating sites during 2025-27. The bill allows grants for hiring staff, contracting vendors for evaluations, or acquiring care coordination technology that meets legal privacy standards. It increases annual funding by $400,000 for two years and adds $107,100 to support an additional staff position for the Department of Justice. This directly affects current deflection initiative sites, the Department of Justice, and qualified technology vendors.
AB 1073 amends Wisconsin statute 948.09 to address sexual contact or intercourse with a child aged 16 or older who is not the defendant’s spouse. It classifies such acts as a Class A misdemeanor if the defendant is under 19 at the time of the offense, or a felony if the defendant is 19 or older. The bill directly affects individuals aged 19+ who engage in sexual activity with 16- or 17-year-olds who are not their spouses. The legislation modifies existing penalties without changing the age of consent for married couples or the legal definition of "child" under the statute. The bill was introduced on February 26, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
AB 1075 changes the age threshold for juvenile court jurisdiction by reclassifying 17-year-olds as adults for criminal prosecution purposes. It amends definitions to define "adult" as 17 years or older (instead of 18) for investigating and prosecuting criminal violations, while keeping 17-year-olds under juvenile court jurisdiction for specific cases. The bill also creates a new funding mechanism to reimburse counties for costs related to 17-year-olds accused of crimes starting in 2026. This directly affects 17-year-olds facing criminal charges and county juvenile justice systems managing their cases.
SB 1018 creates a mandatory one-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of a felony committed with the intent to terrorize, intimidate, or coerce two or more people inside a church. It prohibits probation for these offenses and requires courts to obtain a special verdict confirming the intent to terrorize church occupants. Prosecutors cannot dismiss or amend related charges without court approval, and deferred prosecution programs are banned for such cases. This law directly affects defendants charged with church-targeted violent crimes, prosecutors handling these cases, and courts overseeing sentencing.
AB 1035 expands Wisconsin's deflection initiative by providing $400,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to existing participating sites. It allows these sites to use grants for hiring staff, contracting vendors for program evaluations, or purchasing technology that meets privacy standards like HIPAA. Vendors must have at least five years of experience with similar programs and comply with legal requirements. The bill also adds $107,100 for one additional full-time position to support this expansion.
SB 948 requires anyone living in a household with a person banned from owning firearms (due to certain criminal convictions) to store all firearms securely - either in a locked container or with a trigger lock engaged. This applies to all firearms owned by household members who are not prohibited from possessing them. Violating this rule is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class I felony for subsequent violations. The bill directly affects households where one resident is legally barred from firearm possession due to specific felony convictions.
AB 1061 legalizes recreational cannabis possession and establishes a regulatory framework for cannabis production, sales, and medical use in Wisconsin. It directly affects individuals with past marijuana-related convictions (by creating a review unit to expunge these records), cannabis businesses (through new licensing and regulations), and state agencies (by creating a Division of Cannabis Regulation under the Department of Agriculture). Key provisions include allocating $30 million annually for regulatory operations, establishing medical cannabis registry fees, creating a $5 million fund for conviction reviews, and repealing outdated marijuana criminal penalties. The bill also introduces new taxes on cannabis sales to fund these programs and public health research.
SB 956 authorizes three new staff positions within the Department of Justice to strengthen Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) enforcement. It adds 2.0 full-time criminal analyst positions, 1.0 outreach specialist position, and 1.0 digital evidence examiner position. These roles will be funded using existing appropriations designated under section 20.455(2)(a). The bill directly affects the Department of Justice's staffing capacity for ICAC investigations and victim support.
This bill increases penalties for individuals convicted of felony crimes targeting church occupants with intent to terrorize or intimidate them. It mandates a minimum one-year prison sentence (with no probation allowed) for such offenses and requires prosecutors to seek court approval before dismissing or amending charges. Additionally, it prohibits deferred prosecution programs for these cases and directs courts to verify the specific intent element during trials. The law applies to any felony where the defendant intended to terrorize two or more people inside a church.
SB 1045 legalizes recreational cannabis possession for adults, establishes a new Division of Cannabis Regulation within the Department of Agriculture, and creates a Cannabis Conviction Review Unit to expunge or adjust past marijuana-related convictions. It allocates $30 million annually for cannabis regulation operations, funds a medical cannabis registry program with $5 million per year, and creates new tax revenue streams for enforcement and research. The bill repeals outdated marijuana laws, regulates cannabis production and sales through licensing, and sets up a system for individuals to seek conviction expungement. These changes directly affect all Wisconsin residents, particularly those with prior cannabis convictions, and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the state's cannabis industry.
