Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 61

Relating to: injuring or killing a police or fire animal and providing a penalty.

Animal Crime and criminals — Felony Fire department Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on 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, no person may do any of the following to any animal that is used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions or duties: frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass the animal; strike, shove, kick, or otherwise subject the animal to physical contact; or strike the animal by using a dangerous weapon. Under current law, any person who intentionally does any of those actions and causes injury to the animal is guilty of a Class I felony, and any person who intentionally does any of those actions and causes death of the animal is guilty of a Class H felony. Additionally, for such a violation, a sentencing court must require a criminal violator to pay restitution, including veterinary care expenses or the value of a replacement animal.

This bill increases the penalty for injuring such an animal to a Class H felony and the penalty for causing the death of such an animal to a Class G felony. A Class H felony is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to six years, or both, and a Class G felony is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both.

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.

Registered lobbying interests · 9

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 Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 15, Noes 0

Passed 15–0 Mar 11, 2025 official source full page

No 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 7, Noes 1

Passed 7–1 Jun 5, 2025 official source full page