Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: imposing the penalty of life imprisonment for the crime of child trafficking and providing a penalty. (FE)
Crime and criminals Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on Sentences and penalties
- Introduced, completed
- Passes Assembly, completed
- Passes Senate, completed
- Governor signs, completed
- Law, completed
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person who is convicted of the crime of trafficking a child, or who knowingly benefits from the crime of trafficking a child, is guilty of a Class C felony. This bill increases the penalty to a Class A felony if the crime involved at least three victims who were children at the time the crime was committed. A Class A felony carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
Under current law, the court must impose a bifurcated sentence on a person who is being sentenced for a felony that was committed on or after December 31, 1999. A bifurcated sentence is a sentence that comprises a term of confinement in prison followed by a term of extended supervision in the community. Under current law, a court that sentences a person who has been convicted of a Class A felony committed on or after December 31, 1999, must determine one of the following: 1) the person is eligible for release to extended supervision after serving a 20-year term of confinement in prison; 2) the person is eligible for release to extended supervision on a certain date that is after the person serves a 20-year term of confinement in prison; or 3) the person is not eligible for release to extended supervision. Under this bill, a person is not eligible for release to extended supervision if the person is convicted of a Class A felony violation of trafficking a child.
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.
What it would cost
Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs
Sponsors
Registered lobbying interests · 5
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 Judiciary, Ayes 4, Noes 0
Passed 4–0 Mar 11, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Senate: Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 6, Noes 1
Passed 6–1 Apr 15, 2025 official source full pageNo 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 pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Full history
- Feb 28, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Sortwell, Allen, Behnke, Goeben, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Mursau and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senator Jacque
- Feb 28, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary
- Mar 4, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Mar 10, 2025 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Mar 11, 2025 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 4, Noes 0
- Mar 11, 2025 · Assembly
Referred to calendar of 3-13-2025 pursuant to Assembly Rule 45 (1)
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 13, 2025 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Anderson added as a coauthor
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 13, 2025 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Mar 14, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Apr 9, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 15, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Apr 15, 2025 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 6, Noes 1
- Apr 15, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Apr 15, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 16, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 16, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Senator Smith added as a cosponsor
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 18, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Mar 25, 2026 · Assembly
LRB correction
- Mar 25, 2026 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 3-25-2026
- Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026
- Apr 3, 2026 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-3-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 187
- Apr 3, 2026 · Assembly
Published 4-4-2026