Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty.
Crime and criminals Fire department Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on Medical service — Occupations Police
- Introduced, completed
- Passes Assembly, completed
- Passes Senate, completed
- Governor signs, completed
- Law, completed
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person may not impersonate a peace officer, a fire fighter, an emergency services medical practitioner, or an emergency medical provider with the intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually an officer, a fire fighter, or emergency personnel. Current law classifies the crime as a Class A misdemeanor. This bill changes the classification to a Class I felony.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.
Sponsors
Registered lobbying interests · 4
Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record
Votes
Assembly: Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 7, Noes 0
Passed 7–0 Oct 8, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Senate: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
Passed 8–0 Nov 11, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Senate: Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
Passed 3–2 Nov 14, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Full history
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Wichgers, Behnke, Donovan, Gundrum, Kreibich, Maxey and Murphy; cosponsored by Senators James, Bradley and Nass
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Sep 25, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Sep 25, 2025 · Assembly
Senator Jacque added as a cosponsor
- Oct 1, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 7, Noes 0
- Oct 8, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Oct 9, 2025 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 by Committee on Rules
- Oct 9, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor
- Oct 13, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Spaude added as a coauthor
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 15, 2025 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Oct 15, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Oct 20, 2025 · Senate
Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
- Nov 11, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Nov 11, 2025 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Nov 11, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a second time
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 11-19-2025
- Dec 4, 2025 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 12-4-2025
- Dec 10, 2025 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 12-9-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 55
- Dec 10, 2025 · Assembly
Published 12-10-2025
- Jan 23, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Doyle added as a coauthor
- Mar 6, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Brown added as a coauthor
- Mar 10, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Billings added as a coauthor
- Mar 19, 2026 · Assembly
Representative Emerson added as a coauthor