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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 146

Prohibiting persons who have been convicted of a violent crime from changing their name and providing a penalty

Topics: Crime and criminals, Crime and criminals: Felony, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on, Vital statistics

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Mar 20, 2026. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Mar 21, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed May 15, 2025

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 54 to 45

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Mar 20, 2026.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 13, 2026: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 124. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law prohibits a person who is registered as a sex offender with the Department of Corrections from changing their name during the period they are required to register. With certain exceptions, a person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class H felony.

This bill prohibits a person who has been convicted of a violent crime, which is defined in the bill and includes homicide, battery, kidnapping, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault, from changing their name. A person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class H felony.

Read the full summary

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.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its ⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

13 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 17 names

Authors (4)

Signed on in support (13)

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 1 · May 8, 2025

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 3 · May 8, 2025

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 18 to 15 · May 15, 2025

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 54 to 45 · Jan 13, 2026

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (54)

No (45)

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 13, 2026

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Mar 20, 2026

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Mar 18, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Jan 13, 2026

    The Assembly passed it too, 54 to 45.

  5. May 27, 2025

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. May 20, 2025

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  7. May 15, 2025

    The Assembly received it.

  8. May 15, 2025

    The Senate passed it, 18 to 15.

  9. May 15, 2025

    The Senate adopted it.

  10. May 8, 2025

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 3.

  11. May 8, 2025

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 1” (the official wording)

  12. Apr 30, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Mar 21, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

  14. Mar 21, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Mar 21, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Wanggaard, Jacque, Feyen and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Goeben, B. Jacobson, Penterman, Kreibich, Dittrich, Allen, Knodl, Wichgers, Murphy, Brill, Mursau and Behnke

  2. Mar 21, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  3. Apr 30, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. May 2, 2025 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard

  5. May 8, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. May 8, 2025 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 1

  7. May 8, 2025 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3

  8. May 8, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. May 13, 2025 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 5-15-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  12. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  14. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 18, Noes 15

  15. May 15, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. May 15, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  17. May 20, 2025 · Assembly

    Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor

  18. May 27, 2025 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  19. Jan 8, 2026 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules

  20. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  21. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  22. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  24. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 54, Noes 45

  25. Jan 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. Jan 14, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  27. Jan 15, 2026 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  28. Mar 18, 2026 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-18-2026

  29. Mar 20, 2026 · Senate

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-20-2026

  30. May 12, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  31. May 13, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary