Assembly Bill 849
Defining “direct result” for purposes of the affirmative defense for victims of human trafficking
Topics: Court: Procedure, Crime victim
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, 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
Jan 16, 2026
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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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 sat with the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 830. 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.
Under current law, a victim of human trafficking or child sex trafficking has an affirmative defense for an offense committed as a direct result of the trafficking violation. In State v. Kizer , 2022 WI 58, the court held that an offense is “committed as a direct result” of the trafficking violation if there is a logical, causal connection between the offense and the trafficking such that the offense is not the result, in significant part, of other events, circumstances, or considerations apart from the trafficking violation. This bill codifies the holding and adds further conditions. Under the bill, for the affirmative defense to apply to an offense, there must be a logical, causal connection between the offense and the trafficking violation such that the offense is not the result, in significant part, of other events, circumstances, or considerations apart from the violation; the offense must occur in immediate proximity to the violation; and the offense must be necessary to escape from or prevent the violation.
Who's behind it
4 representatives are its . All 4 are Republicans.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 5 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Eric Wimberger · Republican, Senate
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jan 21, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 16, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
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Jan 16, 2026
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Tusler, Behnke, Dittrich and Kreibich; cosponsored by Senator Wimberger
- Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Jan 21, 2026 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- 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