Assembly Bill 738
Decertification of law enforcement, jail, or juvenile detention officers and tactical emergency medical services professionals and the use of force by law enforcement officers. (FE)
Topics: Indians and tribal issues, Jail, Juvenile detention facility, Law Enforcement Standards Board, Medical service: Occupations, Police
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Dec 3, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. The committee's chair at the time was John Spiros. Chairs decide which bills get a hearing. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 730. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Current law provides the circumstances under which a law enforcement officer may use force. Under current law, a law enforcement officer must make every effort to preserve and protect human life and the safety of all persons. Law enforcement officers may use force that is objectively reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the crime, if the suspect poses an imminent threat, or if the suspect is actively resisting or evading arrest by flight. This bill adds that a law enforcement officer must use skills and tactics, including de-escalation tactics, that minimize the likelihood that force will become necessary and that a law enforcement officer who is authorized to use force must use the least amount of force necessary to address the threat.
Current law allows the Law Enforcement Standards Board to decertify law enforcement officers, tribal law enforcement officers, tactical emergency medical services professionals, jail officers, or juvenile detention officers for a variety of reasons such as if the person violates a rule or policy of LESB, falsifies information for certification, or is convicted of certain crimes. This bill requires LESB to decertify the persons for the current law reasons and adds the following to the list of reasons for decertification: 1) violating or not complying with the law governing the use of force and 2) terminating employment while under investigation for committing an act of official misconduct. Under the bill, a person who is decertified while under investigation for committing an act of official misconduct may not be recertified unless the person receives a waiver from the police commission or police and fire commission, if applicable, or the governing body, of the jurisdiction in which he or she seeks employment and corresponding recertification. The bill also requires that LESB decertify persons within 30 days after the relevant event that is the cause for decertification.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill requires LESB to develop a model use of force policy for law enforcement agencies to use in addition to complying with the law governing the use of force. The model policy must address interactions with individuals with mental disorders, alcohol or drug problems, dementia disorders, and developmental disabilities; limit the use of force against vulnerable populations; and include other best practices that LESB identifies.
Who's behind it
9 representatives are its . All 9 are Democrats.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (9)
- Margaret Arney · Democrat, Assembly
- Ryan Clancy · Democrat, Assembly
- Angelina Cruz · Democrat, Assembly
- Francesca Hong · Democrat, Assembly
- Darrin Madison · Democrat, Assembly
- Supreme Moore Omokunde · Democrat, Assembly
- Christian Phelps · Democrat, Assembly
- Angela Stroud · Democrat, Assembly
- Angelito Tenorio · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (2)
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Dec 3, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
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Dec 3, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 3, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Hong, Madison, Moore Omokunde, Clancy, Cruz, Phelps, Tenorio, Stroud and Arney; cosponsored by Senators L. Johnson and Larson
- Dec 3, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor