Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: consideration of a certain definition of antisemitism for purposes of laws, ordinances, policies, or criminal penalty enhancers concerning discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin.
Discrimination Municipality State agencies
- 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 provides that each state agency or other body in state government, each local governmental unit, and each employee or official of the state or a local governmental unit must consider the definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, including its examples, when evaluating evidence of discriminatory intent for any law, ordinance, or policy in Wisconsin that prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin or that provides for enhanced criminal penalties for criminal offenses when the defendant intentionally selects the victim or group of victims or selects the property that is damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, religion, color, or national origin. The bill specifies that nothing in the bill may be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution or to conflict with federal or state antidiscrimination laws.
Sponsors
Introduced by: Cabral-Guevara (R) , Hesselbein (D) , Hutton (R) , James (R) , Pfaff (D) , Testin (R) , Wall (D) , Wanggaard (R)
Registered lobbying interests · 12
Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record
- Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization (ASPRO)
- American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Inc
- Citizen Action of Wisconsin
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
- Milwaukee Jewish Federation
- National Association of Social Workers - Wisconsin Chapter
- PROFS
- Voces de la Frontera Action, Inc.
- Wisconsin Catholic Conference
- Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools
- Wisconsin Education Association Council
- Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance
Votes
Senate: Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
Passed 5–3 Feb 2, 2026 official source full pageNo individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Full history
- Sep 29, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Hutton, Cabral-Guevara, Hesselbein, James, Pfaff, Testin, Wall, Wanggaard and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Tusler, Dallman, Dittrich, Donovan, Emerson, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Sinicki, Subeck and Wichgers
- Sep 29, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Sep 29, 2025 · Senate
Representative Sinicki withdrawn as a cosponsor
- Nov 20, 2025 · Senate
Representative Goodwin added as a cosponsor
- Jan 28, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 5, Noes 3
- Feb 2, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 17, 2026 · Senate
LRB correction
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Hutton
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Senator Wirch withdrawn as a coauthor
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1