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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 355

Establishing a civil cause of action for civil rights violations

Topics: Civil right, Court: Procedure

Stopped in committee

It never got a ⁠, 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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jun 27, 2025

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs. The committee's chair at the time was Chris Kapenga. Chairs decide which bills get a hearing. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 331. 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.

This bill establishes a civil cause of action for civil rights violations. Under the bill, any person who has been deprived of any due process or equal protection rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the constitution or laws of the United States, or any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the constitution or laws of this state, by a person acting under color of law, or whose exercise or enjoyment of those rights, privileges, or immunities has been interfered with or attempted to be interfered with, by threats, intimidation, or coercion by a person acting under color of law, has a cause of action and may bring suit against another person, including the state or any political subdivision, department, agency, or instrumentality of the state, for damages and for injunctive or other appropriate relief. The bill provides that the court must also award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a plaintiff that prevails in an action under the bill. Under the bill, a plaintiff must bring an action for a violation of the provisions in the bill within six years after the alleged violation occurs.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its ⁠. All 5 are Democrats.

32 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 37 names

Authors (5)

Signed on in support (32)

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2026

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Jul 10, 2025 to Mar 19, 2026

    1 more representative and 3 senators signed on in support.

  3. Jun 27, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.

  4. Jun 27, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jun 27, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Larson, Carpenter, Keyeski, Ratcliff and Habush Sinykin; cosponsored by Representatives Hysell, Mayadev, Bare, Arney, Clancy, DeSanto, DeSmidt, Emerson, Haywood, Hong, Joers, McCarville, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Neubauer, Ortiz-Velez, Phelps, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Roe, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Stroud, Stubbs, Subeck, Udell, Andraca and Madison

  2. Jun 27, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  3. Jul 10, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Drake added as a coauthor

  4. Jan 26, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Roys added as a coauthor

  5. Jan 28, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Brown added as a cosponsor

  6. Mar 19, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Spreitzer added as a coauthor

  7. 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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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