Senate Bill 266
Human trafficking and trafficking of a child and providing a penalty
Topics: Children, Crime and criminals, Crime and criminals: Felony, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on
Stopped before the full Senate voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Senate never voted on it. 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
May 20, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.
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Assembly 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 ”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 265. That version became law.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill increases the penalty for human trafficking from a Class D felony to a Class C felony, increases the penalty for trafficking a child from a Class C felony to a Class B felony, and creates a mandatory minimum term of confinement in prison of 10 years for human trafficking and 15 years for trafficking a child.
Under current law, a Class D felony is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and a term of imprisonment not to exceed 25 years, which, under a bifurcated sentence, is a maximum term of confinement in prison of 15 years followed by a maximum term of extended supervision of 10 years; a Class C felony is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and a term of imprisonment not to exceed 40 years, which, under a bifurcated sentence, is a maximum term of confinement in prison of 25 years followed by a maximum term of extended supervision of 15 years; and a Class B felony is punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 60 years, which, under a bifurcated sentence, is a maximum term of confinement in prison of 40 years followed by a maximum term of extended supervision of 20 years. Under current law, there is no mandatory minimum term of confinement for human trafficking or trafficking of a child.
Read the full summary Show less
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
Van Wanggaard, a Republican, is its .
17 more lawmakers .
See all 18 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (17)
- Brent Jacobson · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Pat Snyder · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Nancy VanderMeer · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Wittke · Republican, Assembly
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 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote on an amendment
Passed, 5 to 3 · Oct 22, 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 5, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 3 · Oct 22, 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
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Oct 22, 2025
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 3.
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Oct 22, 2025
“Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3” (the official wording)
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Oct 15, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Sep 17, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Sep 10, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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May 20, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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May 20, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- May 20, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senator Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Wittke, O'Connor, B. Jacobson, Snyder, VanderMeer, Steffen, Moses, Penterman, Dittrich, Murphy, Knodl, Behnke, Piwowarczyk, Mursau and Kreibich
- May 20, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Sep 10, 2025 · Senate
Representative Duchow added as a cosponsor
- Sep 15, 2025 · Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
- Sep 17, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 13, 2025 · Senate
LRB correction
- Oct 15, 2025 · Senate
Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor
- Oct 22, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 22, 2025 · Senate
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Oct 22, 2025 · Senate
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Oct 22, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
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.
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
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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote