Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 446

Relating to: consideration of a certain definition of antisemitism for purposes of laws, ordinances, policies, or criminal penalty enhancers concerning discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin.

Discrimination Freedom of speech and press Municipality State agencies

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

This bill provides that each state agency or other body in state government, each local governmental unit, and each employee or official of the state or a local governmental unit must consider the definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, including its examples, when evaluating evidence of discriminatory intent for any law, ordinance, or policy in Wisconsin that prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin or that provides for enhanced criminal penalties for criminal offenses when the defendant intentionally selects the victim or group of victims or selects the property that is damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, religion, color, or national origin. The bill specifies that nothing in the bill may be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution or to conflict with federal or state antidiscrimination laws.

Registered lobbying interests · 12

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 State Affairs, Ayes 8, Noes 2

Passed 8–2 Feb 12, 2026 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Assembly: PASSAGE

Passed 66–33 Feb 17, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 66

Nay · 33

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

Passed 3–2 Mar 16, 2026 official source full page