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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 485

Video monitoring or recording in residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities

Topics: Children and Families, Department of, Children: Protection and services, Data processing, Health Services, Department of: Supportive living and treatment, Mental health: Hospitals and institutes, Privacy, Youth

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 6, 2026. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Oct 2, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Nov 18, 2025

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 17, 2026

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2025 Wisconsin Act 184

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 6, 2026: “Published 4-4-2026”

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 491. That version died when the session ended.

What it does

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

This bill authorizes group homes, shelter care facilities, and child welfare agencies that operate a residential care center for children and youth to use video surveillance and recordings in common areas, entrances, and exits without the consent of the child being surveilled or recorded, but must inform the child and the child's parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian about the video surveillance and recording. The bill requires all child welfare agencies that operate a residential care center for children and youth, all group homes, and all shelter care facilities to adopt a policy for monitoring safety, which may include the use of video surveillance and recording in common areas, entrances, and exits. The bill provides that the video surveillance and recording authorized under the bill may not be used as a substitute for one-on-one monitoring of a child who is at high risk for self-harm.

The bill provides that, generally, such video data is confidential and not open to public inspection. However, the bill provides that all exceptions to confidentiality that apply under current law with respect to records and information kept by DCF, county departments of human or social services, licensed child welfare agencies, and licensed child care centers about individuals in their care or legal custody also apply to this video data. Under the bill, DCF may review any authorized video recording.

Read the full summary

Under current law, generally, an individual who is receiving services for mental illness, developmental disability, alcoholism, or drug dependency (patient) has a right not to be filmed or taped unless the patient signs an informed and voluntary consent. This includes an individual who is admitted to a treatment facility or detained, committed, or placed under the Children’s Code. Under the bill, a patient placed in a residential care center for children and youth, group home, or shelter care facility, may be subject to video surveillance or recording in common areas, entrances, and exits without the patient’s consent as authorized under the bill.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its ⁠. All 2 are Republicans.

10 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 12 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (10)

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 Mental Health vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Nov 12, 2025

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

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 79 to 20 · Feb 17, 2026

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (79)

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

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 32 to 1 · Mar 17, 2026

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

Official motion: “Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 18 to 15 · Mar 17, 2026

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 6, 2026

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 6, 2026

    The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 184.

  3. Apr 2, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 17, 2026

    “Action ordered immediately messaged” (the official wording)

  5. Mar 17, 2026

    “Point of order that Senate Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 was not germane well taken” (the official wording)

  6. Feb 18, 2026

    The Senate adopted it.

  7. Feb 17, 2026

    The Assembly passed it too, 79 to 20.

  8. Feb 17, 2026

    The Assembly adopted it.

  9. Jan 16, 2026

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  10. Nov 19, 2025

    The Assembly received it.

  11. Nov 18, 2025

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  12. Nov 18, 2025

    The Senate passed it.

  13. Nov 12, 2025

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  14. Oct 8, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Oct 2, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.

  16. Oct 2, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Oct 2, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators James and Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representatives Dittrich, Petersen, Behnke, Gundrum, Melotik, Mursau, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and Wichgers

  2. Oct 2, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families

  3. Oct 8, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Nov 12, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  5. Nov 12, 2025 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  6. Nov 12, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  7. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  8. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  9. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  10. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  11. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  12. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  13. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Smith added as a coauthor

  14. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  15. Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  16. Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026

  17. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Haywood

  18. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Haywood

  19. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  20. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  21. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Dittrich

  22. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  23. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  25. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 79, Noes 20

  26. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. Feb 18, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly amended and concurred in as amended, Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  28. Mar 16, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  29. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Smith, Habush Sinykin, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch

  30. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Point of order that Senate Amendment 1 to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 was not germane well taken

  31. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Decision of the Chair stands as the judgment of the Senate, Ayes 18, Noes 15

  32. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1

  33. Mar 17, 2026 · Senate

    Action ordered immediately messaged

  34. Mar 20, 2026 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  35. Apr 2, 2026 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  36. Apr 6, 2026 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-3-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 184

  37. Apr 6, 2026 · Senate

    Published 4-4-2026

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. 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

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

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