Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 791

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: intentionally sending false text messages to 911 and providing a penalty.

Fraud Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on Telephone

Introduced, stopped here
Passes Assembly, not reached
Passes Senate, not reached
Governor signs, not reached
Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, any person who intentionally dials the telephone number “911” to report an emergency, knowing that the fact situation that the person reports does not exist, is subject to a fine of between $100 and $600 or imprisonment for up to 90 days or both for a first offense and is guilty of a Class H felony for a repeat offense committed within four years after an offense.

This bill adds intentionally sending a false text message to the telephone number “911” as an offense subject to the penalty.

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 · 3

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 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.

Full history