2015-16 Legislative Session
Please click on Bill and Act numbers for additional information on the legislation. For more information, please contact Legislative Liaison Adam Plotkin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 608-264-8572.
Senate Bill |
Assembly Bill |
Act |
Description |
Date Added |
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Election of Chief Justice (second consideration of constitutional amendment) |
1/7/15 |
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Changes s. 940.44(2), intimidation of a witness, to conform with State of Wisconsin v. Freer, 2010 WI App 9 |
1/7/15 |
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Changes s. 939.66(2), lesser included homicide crimes, to conform with State of Wisconsin v. Patterson, 2010 WI 130 |
1/7/15 |
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"Upskirting" - Creates an additional element and Class I felony penalty for invading an individual's privacy by viewing under or through clothing |
1/7/15 |
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Personal jurisdiction for domestic and child abuse and harassment injunctions and restraining orders |
1/23/15 |
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Process to allow the return of a seized firearm to its owner |
1/28/15 |
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Creates a new crime for using a GPS device to track a person without their knowledge |
1/29/15 |
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2015-2017 Biennial Budget |
2/3/15 |
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Limits the authority of a law enforcement officer to arrest someone for sleeping or camping in a county park |
2/10/15 |
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Obtaining a search warrant for certain civil violations (Post-McNeely blood draw) |
2/11/15 |
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Allows DOC to approve international travel for a person on community supervision |
2/13/15 |
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Allows court access to ignition interlock device reports and to waive the waiting period to obtain an occupational license for a person participating in a treatment court (Legislative Council bill) |
2/17/15 |
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Creating a family treatment court and grant appropriation in DCF (Legislative Council bill) |
2/17/15 |
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Codifying the state Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and various changes to the treatment alternatives and diversions grant funding program (Legislative Council bill) |
2/17/15 |
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Expands current definition of "threatening to communicate derogatory information" to include the transmission of electronic media |
2/17/15 |
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Changes to John Doe proceedings |
2/19/15 |
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Criminal Procedure Code re-write (Judicial Council bill) |
3/12/15 |
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Creates crimes and felony penalties for intoxicated co-sleeping with an infant |
3/12/15 |
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Prohibiting a felon from owning a vicious dog |
3/13/15 |
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Creates a new crime and Class A misdemeanor penalty for falsely claiming military service or honors |
3/26/15 |
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Reclassifies, repeals, or modifies obsolete misdemeanor crimes (Legislative Council bill) |
3/27/15 |
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Changes to the definition of assisted opening knife (switchblade) |
3/27/15 |
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Creates a Class H felony penalty for intentionally causing or threatening bodily harm to a judge, a prosecutor, law enforcement or their families |
4/1/15 |
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Allows post-traumatic stress disorder to be consider as a mitigating factor during the sentencing of a military veteran |
4/22/15 |
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Creates new statute to say that a prosecutor does not need to allege or prove that a motorist who fails to investigate a collision knew they collided with a person or vehicle |
5/5/15 |
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Reclassifies the penalty for hiding or burying a corpse from a Class G to a Class F felony |
5/5/15 |
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Creates a misdemeanor penalty for selling a firearm without using a federally licensed firearms dealer. Contains some exceptions for personal transfer |
5/14/15 |
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Creates mandatory minimum penalties for being a felon in possession of a firearm or using a firearm while committing one of a newly defined list of "violent crimes" |
5/18/15 |
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Legalizes marijuana possession and provides regulation for growing marijuana growing and sales |
5/19/15 |
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Legalizes possession and manufacture of up to 25 grams of marijuana |
5/27/15 |
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Increases the statute of limitations for 2nd and 3rd degree sexual assault from 6 years to 10 years |
6/4/15 |
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Requires the removal of certain criminal record information to be removed from private internet sites without a fee |
6/5/15 |
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Extends the period of detention for competency determinations to the minimum term of incarceration for serious felony and sexual assault offenses |
6/5/15 |
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Requires racial impact statements for bills that create new crimes or criminal penalties |
6/5/15 |
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SB 222 |
Creates an Ignition Interlock Restricted License and makes changes to driving restrictions with an ignition interlock device |
6/18/15 |
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Prohibits the prosecution of someone under 18 for prostitution |
6/18/15 |
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Creates a crime and Class I felony penalty for making a false threat to injure or kill another person in a school zone |
6/24/15 |
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Limits possession of a firearm for 10 years if either the person has been convicted of 3 or more misdemeanors within 5 years or the person was convicted of a violent misdemeanor |
6/29/15 |
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Increases the rate of compensation for private bar appointments from the SPD to $85 per hour |
6/29/15 |
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Extends the definition of "special circumstances battery" to include a court employee, county health or social services worker, a tribal child welfare agent, a Dept. of Children & Families employee, or someone providing child welfare or juvenile justice worker |
6/26/15 |
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Allows direct appeal to DCF of a denial of kinship care based on arrest or conviction record |
6/26/15 |
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Adds child welfare workers and juvenile justice workers to the definition of special circumstances battery |
7/8/15 |
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Sets statewide residency requirements for certain classes of sex offenders and preempts municipal restrictions |
7/29/15 |
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SB 221 |
Clarifies the definition of tetrahydrocannabinols as relates to cannabidiol |
7/31/15 |
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Penalty enhancer for committing certain crimes at a gas station while armed |
8/6/15 |
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Limits the total number of annual non-criminal revocations of extended supervisions and parole to 3000 per year |
8/12/15 |
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Removes the 12 hour waiting period before a strip search can be conducted (see 2013 Wisconsin Act 317) |
9/14/15 |
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Creates a felony penalty for making a terrorist threat |
9/14/15 |
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Creates a special circumstances battery category for current and former judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers as well as current public defenders (including private bar appointments) |
9/24/15 |
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Mandatory minimum penalties for various OWI offenses involving causing bodily harm |
9/25/15 |
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Expands existing felony crime of expelling a bodily substance so that it would apply to a prosecutor |
9/25/15 |
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Creates a Class C misdemeanor penalty for first offense OWI and removes the 10 year look back for second offense OWI |
9/25/15 |
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Guarantees the right to a trial by jury for a juvenile recommended for placement in the Serious Juvenile Offender Program |
10/8/15 |
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Raises the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 18 for first-time, nonviolent offenders |
10/8/15 |
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Requires written policies and reporting on law enforcement's use of no-knock search warrants |
10/8/15 |
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Allows for a lethal violence temporary restraining order to remove the firearms from a person found substantially likely to injure themselves. Creates a felony penalty for not surrendering the firearm |
10/13/15 |
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Creates a penalty enhancer for crimes related to gang activity |
10/13/15 |
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Part of the "Justice for Children" package - Allows charging of a felony penalty for at least three violations of physical abuse of a child |
10/21/15 |
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Part of the "Justice for Children" package - Requires referral of cases of suspected child abuse to law enforcement agencies |
10/21/15 |
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Part of the "Justice for Children" package - Expands the location/events at which a victim may be accompanied by an advocate |
10/21/15 |
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Part of the "Justice for Children" package - Expands the definition and penalty structure for the crime of child neglect |
10/21/15 |
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Requires DOT to permanently revoke for at least 10 years the operating privileges of someone with 5 or more OWI convictions |
10/21/15 |
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Regarding child support withholding orders but includes a provisions allowing the domestic violence and GPS surcharge to be added to a deferred prosecution agreement in domestic violence cases |
10/22/15 |
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Eliminates the look back on OWI 2nd & 4th |
10/22/15 |
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Mandatory minimum period of 18 months incarceration for OWI 5th & 6th |
10/22/15 |
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Mandatory minimum period of 7 years incarceration for homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle |
10/22/15 |
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Increases the penalties for OWI 3rd-9th and removes the look back on OWI 4th |
10/22/15 |
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Increases the benefits available for a wrongful conviction. Authorizes SPD to provide representation before the Claims Board |
10/29/15 |
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Creates a Class I felony penalty for carrying a dangerous weapon at a college or university |
10/29/15 |
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SB 473 |
Creates a Class B misdemeanor for electronic bullying |
11/10/15 |
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SB 409 |
Restricts placement of Ch. 980 supervised release individuals to not within 1500 feet of certain locations |
11/10/15 |
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Provides victim of a crime notification when an offender's extended supervision or parole is revoked |
11/12/15 |
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Adds circuit court branches in Calumet, Wood, Marathon, Dunn, Polk, Jackson, and Vilas counties |
11/13/15 |
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SB 410 |
Expands the definition and application of felony penalties for recording nude and partially nude people |
11/13/15 |
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Imposes additional $3 per month supervision fee |
11/13/15 |
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Creates a voluntary TPR by affidavit process |
11/18/15 |
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Increases the penalties based on value of unemployment benefits obtained fraudulently |
11/18/15 |
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Removes the look back on OWI 4th and increases the penalties for OWI 5th and above |
11/24/15 |
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Changes civil asset forfeiture so that property can only be seized upon conviction |
11/24/15 |
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Creates a felony penalty for damaging property owned by an energy provider with intent to disrupt service |
11/24/15 |
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Adds a heroin metabolite to the definition of a restricted controlled substance |
12/1/15 |
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Creates a Class I felony penalty for carrying a weapon on a bus |
12/3/15 |
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Expands the definition of the locker room nude images crime to create felony penalties when the victim is under 18 |
12/4/15 |
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Creates objective standards for the disqualification of a judge or justice |
12/10/15 |
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Allows for the disqualification of a judge or justice |
12/10/15 |
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Reduces the amount of time a license can be suspended for failure to pay from two years to one |
12/22/15 |
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Creates a process to apply for a certificate lifting some collateral consequences of conviction |
12/23/15 |
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Requires the automatic expungement of DNA if a person is not adjudicated guilty |
12/29/15 |
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Requires installation of an ignition interlock device upon conviction for any drunken driving offense |
12/29/15 |
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Narrows the parental exception for capturing and distributing a representation of a nude child |
1/5/16 |
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Provides an additional $2 million in Treatment Alternatives and Diversions funding |
1/7/16 |
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Creates a misdemeanor penalty for using, possessing, manufacturing, or distributing a drug masking agent |
1/7/16 |
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Creates a new surcharge and grants administrative subpoena power to DOJ to investigate internet crimes against children |
1/11/16 |
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Creates a penalty enhancer for use of a drone to commit a crime |
1/11/16 |
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Expands the definition of the crime of human trafficking and adds child sex trafficking to the definition of abuse for CHIPS |
1/15/16 |
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Creates a legislative committee with oversight of law enforcement and subpoena powers |
1/22/16 |
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Creates continuing legal education requirements for attorneys dealing with elder law-related issues |
1/22/16 |
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Restricts ability to substitute a judge in a criminal matter by requiring a reason for the requested substitution |
1/25/16 |