Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: Department of Justice collection and reporting of certain criminal case data. (FE)
Court — Procedure Justice department of State courts director of
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Passes Assembly, 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
This bill requires the Department of Justice to collect from the director of state courts all of the following information for each criminal case: 1) the county in which the case was filed; 2) the name of the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case; 3) the name of the court official assigned to the case; 4) the criminal charge filed; 5) the charging recommendation from the referring law enforcement agency, if applicable; 6) for each case, whether the court released the defendant without bail, upon the execution of an unsecured appearance bond, upon the execution of an appearance bond with sufficient solvent sureties, or upon the deposit of cash in lieu of sureties, or denied release, and the name of the court official who made the decision; 7) for each case for which a court required the execution of an appearance bond with sufficient solvent sureties, the monetary amount of the bond and the name of the court official who made the decision; 8) for each case for which a court required the deposit of cash in lieu of sureties, the monetary amount of cash required and the name of the court official who made the decision; 9) any other conditions of release imposed on the defendant and the name of the court official who made the decision; 10) whether any plea bargain was offered in the case; 11) whether a deferred prosecution agreement was offered in the case; 12) whether any charge relating to the case was dismissed; and 13) whether the case resulted in a conviction.
Under the bill, DOJ must annually report the information collected to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees, and must maintain a database on its website that contains the information in a searchable format, for a period of 10 years after a criminal charge is filed. Under the bill, DOJ must ensure that the information provided in the database does not contain a criminal defendant’s personally identifying information.
What it would cost
Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs
Sponsors
Registered lobbying interests · 4
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
Senate: Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 1
Passed 7–1 May 8, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Senate: Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
Passed 5–3 May 8, 2025 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Full history
- Mar 7, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Hutton, Bradley, Nass, Tomczyk, James and Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Donovan, Knodl, Moses, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Wichgers, Rodriguez and Behnke
- Mar 7, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Mar 13, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 21, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 14, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Hutton
- Apr 17, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- May 5, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- May 8, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- May 8, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- May 8, 2025 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 1
- May 8, 2025 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1