Senate Bill 849
The civil causes of action for human trafficking and trafficking a child
Topics: Children, Court: Procedure, Crime and criminals, Crime victim
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, 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.
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Introduced, passed
Jan 15, 2026
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It sat with the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 861. That version died when the session ended.
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, a victim of human trafficking or child trafficking who incurs an injury or death as a result of the trafficking may bring a civil cause of action against the person who committed the violation. The victim must commence the civil action within three years of the injury.
Under current law, a person who is injured by an act that would constitute a violation of criminal laws relating to sexual assault of a child or incest with a child may bring a cause of action against the person who caused the injury regardless of whether that person was prosecuted or convicted for the criminal violation. The victim must commence the civil action before he or she reaches the age of 35.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill specifies that a victim of child trafficking may bring a civil action regardless of whether anyone was prosecuted or convicted for the child trafficking violation, and specifies that the victim may commence the civil action any time before he or she reaches the age of 35.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . 1 is a Democrat and 1 is a Republican.
18 more lawmakers .
See all 20 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Jodi Habush Sinykin · Democrat, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (18)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Sarah Keyeski · Democrat, Senate
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Sheehan · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Shelia Stubbs · Democrat, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Randy Udell · Democrat, Assembly
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 20, 2026 to Mar 19, 2026
2 more representatives signed on in support.
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Feb 10, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 4, 2026 to Feb 6, 2026
1 more representative and 1 senator signed on in support.
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Feb 4, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 15, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Jan 15, 2026
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Wanggaard and Habush Sinykin; cosponsored by Representatives Mursau, Steffen, Stubbs, Behnke, Dittrich, Gundrum, Kreibich, Murphy, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Sinicki and Udell
- Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Representative Knodl added as a cosponsor
- Feb 6, 2026 · Senate
Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Representative Sheehan added as a cosponsor
- Mar 19, 2026 · Senate
Representative Subeck added as a cosponsor
- 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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
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