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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 768

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: operation of drones over certain utility facilities and providing a penalty.

Aviation Electric utility Petroleum Police Public utility Telecommunications Waterworks

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Assembly, completed
  3. Passes Senate, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law prohibits the unauthorized, noncommercial operation of a drone over a correctional institution. Any person who violates this prohibition may be required to forfeit not more than $5,000. This bill prohibits the unauthorized operation of a drone at an altitude of less than 300 feet over or within 500 feet of a parcel on which certain water reclamation, power, telecommunications, and water system facilities are located. The penalty for a violation of this prohibition is the same as for unauthorized operation of a drone over a correctional institution.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Goodwin (D) , Knodl (R) , Maxey (R) , Melotik (R) , Murphy (R) , Novak (R) , O'Connor (R) , Penterman (R) , Sinicki (D) , Tittl (R) , Wichgers (R)

5 cosponsors

James (R) , McCarville (D) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Smith (D) , Tomczyk (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 6

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 Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 15, Noes 0

Passed 15–0 Jan 22, 2026 official source full page

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

Assembly: Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 2

Passed 13–2 Jan 22, 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 85–14 Feb 17, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 85

Senate: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

Passed 8–0 Mar 3, 2026 official source full page

No 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 Mar 16, 2026 official source full page

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

Full history

  1. Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Donovan, Dittrich, Goodwin, Knodl, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, Novak, O'Connor, Penterman, Sinicki, Tittl and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk and James

  2. Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly

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

  3. Jan 6, 2026 · Assembly

    LRB correction

  4. Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Donovan

  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 15, Noes 0

  8. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 2

  9. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  10. Jan 30, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Donovan

  11. Feb 11, 2026 · Assembly

    Representative McCarville added as a coauthor

  12. Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly

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

  13. Feb 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor

  14. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  15. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  16. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 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 85, Noes 14

  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 3, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  24. Mar 3, 2026 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

  25. Mar 3, 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

    Senator Smith added as a cosponsor

  33. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  34. Mar 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  35. Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-23-2026

  36. Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  37. Apr 3, 2026 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-3-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 194

  38. Apr 3, 2026 · Assembly

    Published 4-4-2026