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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Assembly Bill 629

Police authority to disable drones threatening public safety and providing a penalty

Topics: Aviation, Crime and criminals: Felony, Damage (to property), Police, Public safety

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Apr 3, 2026. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Nov 7, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 17, 2026

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 17, 2026

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Apr 3, 2026.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 13, 2026: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 626. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill provides that a law enforcement officer may do any of the following to mitigate the threat posed by a drone that the officer reasonably suspects poses an imminent threat to public safety: 1) detect, track, and identify the drone; and 2) intercept, disable, or destroy the drone through any lawful method, including jamming, hacking, or physically capturing the drone. The bill provides that neither the law enforcement officer nor the agency that employs them is financially liable for damage to or loss of a drone that is intercepted, disabled, or destroyed.

Under current law, no person may operate a drone over a correctional institution without the express permission of the secretary of corrections. A person who violates this prohibition is subject to a forfeiture of $5,000. This bill provides that a person who violates this prohibition by use of a weaponized drone, the use of which poses a threat to public safety, is guilty of a Class H felony. “Weaponized drone” is defined to mean a drone equipped with a taser, firearm, flamethrower, chemical, or explosive device.

Who's behind it

9 representatives are its ⁠. All 9 are Republicans.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 14 names

Authors (9)

Signed on in support (5)

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 5 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 11 to 4 · Jan 22, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 11 to 4 · Jan 22, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 57 to 42 · Feb 17, 2026

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (57)

No (42)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 3 · Mar 4, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 16, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 13, 2026

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Apr 3, 2026

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Apr 2, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 17, 2026

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Mar 16, 2026

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  6. Mar 4, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 3.

  7. Feb 20, 2026

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  8. Feb 18, 2026

    The Senate received it.

  9. Feb 17, 2026

    The Assembly passed it, 57 to 42.

  10. Feb 17, 2026

    The Assembly adopted it.

  11. Jan 22, 2026

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Jan 22, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 11 to 4.

  13. Jan 9, 2026

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  14. Dec 3, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Nov 7, 2025

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

  16. Nov 7, 2025

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Wichgers, Behnke, Dittrich, Goeben, Knodl, Kurtz, Melotik, Murphy and Mursau; cosponsored by Senators Bradley, Jacque, Marklein and Nass

  2. Nov 7, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

  3. Dec 3, 2025 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Jan 9, 2026 · Assembly

    Senator James added as a cosponsor

  5. Jan 20, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wichgers

  6. Jan 21, 2026 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 4

  8. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 11, Noes 4

  9. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  10. Feb 11, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wichgers

  11. Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Withdrawn from committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026

  12. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  13. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  14. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wichgers

  15. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  17. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  18. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  19. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 57, Noes 42

  20. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  21. Feb 18, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  22. Feb 20, 2026 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  23. Mar 4, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  24. Mar 4, 2026 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3

  25. Mar 4, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  26. Mar 16, 2026 · Senate

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

  27. Mar 16, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  28. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Read a second time

  29. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  30. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  31. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  32. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  33. Mar 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  34. Mar 25, 2026 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1)

  35. Mar 25, 2026 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Amendment 1)

  36. Mar 25, 2026 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-25-2026

  37. Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  38. Apr 3, 2026 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-3-2026

  39. May 12, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  40. May 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary