Senate Bill 782
Intentionally sending false text messages to 911 and providing a penalty
Topics: Crime and criminals: Felony, Fines, Fraud, Legislature: Criminal Penalties, Joint Review Committee on, Sentences and penalties, Telephone
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 9, 2026. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Dec 12, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 21, 2026
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed 84 to 15
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 245
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 9, 2026: “Published 4-10-2026”
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 791. That version died when the session ended.
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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
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.
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 .
22 more lawmakers .
See all 23 names Hide the names
Author (1)
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (22)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Brienne Brown · Democrat, Assembly
- Kristin Dassler-Alfheim · Democrat, Senate
- Ben DeSmidt · Democrat, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Jodi Emerson · Democrat, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Russell Goodwin · Democrat, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Tony Kurtz · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Shae Sortwell · Republican, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · Jan 12, 2026
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 Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 84 to 15 · Feb 17, 2026
See how each of the 99 representatives voted Hide the names
D: Democrat, R: Republican
Yes (84)
- Adam Neylon (R, 15)
- Alex Dallman (R, 39)
- Alex Joers (D, 81)
- Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D, 90)
- Amanda Nedweski (R, 32)
- Andrew Hysell (D, 48)
- Barbara Dittrich (R, 99)
- Ben DeSmidt (D, 65)
- Ben Franklin (R, 88)
- Bob Donovan (R, 61)
- Bob Wittke (R, 63)
- Brent Jacobson (R, 87)
- Brienne Brown (D, 43)
- Calvin Callahan (R, 35)
- Chanz Green (R, 74)
- Christine Sinicki (D, 20)
- Chuck Wichgers (R, 84)
- Cindi Duchow (R, 97)
- Clint Anderson (D, 45)
- Clint Moses (R, 92)
- Dan Knodl (R, 24)
- Dave Armstrong (R, 67)
- Dave Maxey (R, 83)
- Dave Murphy (R, 56)
- David Steffen (R, 4)
- Dean Kaufert (R, 53)
- Deb Andraca (D, 23)
- Duke Tucker (R, 75)
- Elijah Behnke (R, 6)
- Greta Neubauer (D, 66)
- Gus Gustafson (R, 55)
- Jeff Mursau (R, 36)
- Jenna Jacobson (D, 50)
- Jerry O'Connor (R, 60)
- Jessie Rodriguez (R, 21)
- Jill Billings (D, 95)
- Jim Piwowarczyk (R, 98)
- Joan Fitzgerald (D, 46)
- Jodi Emerson (D, 91)
- Joel Kitchens (R, 1)
- John Spiros (R, 86)
- Joy Goeben (R, 5)
- Kalan Haywood (D, 16)
- Karen Hurd (R, 69)
- Karen Kirsch (D, 7)
- Kevin Petersen (R, 57)
- Lee Snodgrass (D, 52)
- Lindee Brill (R, 27)
- Lisa Subeck (D, 79)
- Lori Palmeri (D, 54)
- Mark Born (R, 37)
- Maureen McCarville (D, 42)
- Mike Bare (D, 80)
- Nancy VanderMeer (R, 70)
- Pat Snyder (R, 85)
- Paul Melotik (R, 22)
- Paul Tittl (R, 25)
- Priscilla Prado (D, 9)
- Randy Udell (D, 47)
- Renuka Mayadev (D, 77)
- Rick Gundrum (R, 58)
- Rob Brooks (R, 59)
- Rob Kreibich (R, 28)
- Rob Summerfield (R, 68)
- Rob Swearingen (R, 34)
- Robin Vos (R, 33)
- Robyn Vining (D, 13)
- Ron Tusler (R, 3)
- Russell Goodwin (D, 12)
- Scott Allen (R, 82)
- Scott Krug (R, 72)
- Shae Sortwell (R, 2)
- Shannon Zimmerman (R, 30)
- Shelia Stubbs (D, 78)
- Steve Doyle (D, 94)
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D, 8)
- Tara Johnson (D, 96)
- Tip McGuire (D, 64)
- Todd Novak (R, 51)
- Tony Kurtz (R, 41)
- Travis Tranel (R, 49)
- Treig Pronschinske (R, 29)
- Tyler August (R, 31)
- Will Penterman (R, 38)
No (15)
- Angela Stroud (D, 73)
- Angelina Cruz (D, 62)
- Angelito Tenorio (D, 14)
- Ann Roe (D, 44)
- Christian Phelps (D, 93)
- Darrin Madison (D, 10)
- Francesca Hong (D, 76)
- Joe Sheehan (D, 26)
- Karen DeSanto (D, 40)
- Margaret Arney (D, 18)
- Ryan Clancy (D, 19)
- Ryan Spaude (D, 89)
- Sequanna Taylor (D, 11)
- Supreme Moore Omokunde (D, 17)
- Vinnie Miresse (D, 71)
Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 9, 2026
The new law was published.
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Apr 9, 2026
The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 245.
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Apr 2, 2026
Sent to the governor.
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Mar 6, 2026 to Mar 19, 2026
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Feb 17, 2026
The Assembly passed it too, 84 to 15.
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Feb 13, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 22, 2026
The Assembly received it.
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Jan 21, 2026
The Senate passed it.
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Jan 21, 2026
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Jan 12, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Jan 7, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 22, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Dec 12, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Dec 12, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- 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
- Dec 12, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Dec 22, 2025 · Senate
Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor
- Jan 7, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Jan 12, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Jan 12, 2026 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Jan 12, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 16, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Senator Dassler-Alfheim added as a coauthor
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Jan 21, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 22, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 13, 2026 · Assembly
Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 84, Noes 15
- Feb 17, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 6, 2026 · Senate
Representative Brown added as a cosponsor
- Mar 19, 2026 · Senate
Representative Emerson added as a cosponsor
- Apr 2, 2026 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026
- Apr 9, 2026 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 4-9-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 245
- Apr 9, 2026 · Senate
Published 4-10-2026
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
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