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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 782

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: intentionally sending false text messages to 911 and providing a penalty.

Crime and criminals — Felony Fines Fraud Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on Sentences and penalties Septic tank Telephone

  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Senate, completed
  3. Passes Assembly, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, any person who intentionally dials the telephone number “911” to report an emergency, knowing that the fact situation that the person reports does not exist, is subject to a fine of between $100 and $600 or imprisonment for up to 90 days or both for a first offense and is guilty of a Class H felony for a repeat offense committed within four years after an offense.

This bill adds intentionally sending a false text message to the telephone number “911” as an offense subject to the penalty.

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.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Wanggaard (R)

22 cosponsors

Behnke (R) , Brown (D) , Dassler-Alfheim (D) , DeSmidt (D) , Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Emerson (D) , Goeben (R) , Goodwin (D) , Gundrum (R) , Kaufert (R) , Knodl (R) , Kurtz (R) , Maxey (R) , Murphy (R) , O'Connor (R) , Penterman (R) , Piwowarczyk (R) , Sinicki (D) , Sortwell (R) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D)

Registered lobbying interests · 3

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Votes

Senate: Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

Passed 8–0 Jan 12, 2026 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Assembly: CONCURRENCE

Passed 84–15 Feb 17, 2026 official source full page

Aye · 84

Full history

  1. Dec 12, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senator Wanggaard; cosponsored by Representatives Donovan, Goodwin, Sortwell, Sinicki, Behnke, DeSmidt, Dittrich, Goeben, Gundrum, Kaufert, Kurtz, Maxey, Murphy, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Stubbs and Subeck

  2. Dec 12, 2025 · Senate

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

  3. Dec 22, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor

  4. Jan 7, 2026 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 12, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Jan 12, 2026 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0

  7. Jan 12, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Jan 16, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  9. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  10. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  11. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  12. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  13. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Dassler-Alfheim added as a coauthor

  14. Jan 21, 2026 · Senate

    Read a second time

  15. Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  16. Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  17. Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly

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

  18. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  19. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  20. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 84, Noes 15

  23. Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Feb 18, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  25. Feb 27, 2026 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  26. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Brown added as a cosponsor

  27. Mar 19, 2026 · Senate

    Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor

  28. Apr 2, 2026 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  29. Apr 9, 2026 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-9-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 245

  30. Apr 9, 2026 · Senate

    Published 4-10-2026