Senate Bill 884
An audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence
Topics: Children, Data processing, Evidence, Youth
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 9, 2026. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Jan 23, 2026
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Feb 18, 2026
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 19, 2026
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 246
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 912. 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, in any criminal trial or hearing, juvenile fact-finding hearing regarding a child alleged to be in need of protection or services, or a hearing regarding the revocation of probation or parole, a court or hearing examiner may admit into evidence the audiovisual recording of an oral statement of a child who is available to testify. Before admitting the recorded statement as evidence, the court or hearing examiner must conduct a hearing on the statement’s admissibility and rule on any objections to its admissibility.
Under current law, the court or hearing examiner must admit the recorded statement if the trial or hearing in which the statement is offered commences before the child’s 12th birthday or commences before the child’s 16th birthday and the interests of justice warrant its admission; the recording is accurate; the child’s statement was made upon oath or affirmation; the time, content, and circumstances of the statement provide an indication of its trustworthiness; and admission of the statement will not unfairly surprise any party or deprive any party of a fair opportunity to meet allegations made in the statement.
Read the full summary Show less
Finally, current law requires the court or hearing examiner to consider a number of factors to determine whether the interests of justice warrant the admission of an audiovisual recording of a statement of a child who is at least 12 years of age but younger than 16 years of age. The factors include the child’s chronological age and level of development, general physical and mental health, and capacity to comprehend the significance of the events being addressed by the court or hearing examiner.
Under this bill, the court or hearing examiner may admit into evidence the audiovisual recording of an oral statement of a child who is available to testify if the recording was made before the child’s 12th birthday or made before the child’s 18th birthday and the interests of justice warrant its admission. The draft also requires the court or hearing examiner to consider the factors under current law to determine whether the interests of justice warrant the admission of the recorded statement of a child who is at least 12 years of age but younger than 18 years of age.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . 1 is a Democrat and 1 is a Republican.
15 more lawmakers .
See all 17 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Jamie Wall · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (15)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Ben Franklin · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Russell Goodwin · Democrat, Assembly
- Joel Kitchens · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Ratcliff and Smith
- Amaad Rivera-Wagner · Democrat, Assembly
- Ryan Spaude · Democrat, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · Feb 16, 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
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 246.
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Apr 2, 2026
Sent to the governor.
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Feb 26, 2026
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Feb 19, 2026
The Assembly passed it too.
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Feb 18, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Feb 18, 2026
The Assembly received it.
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Feb 18, 2026
The Senate passed it.
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Feb 18, 2026
1 more representative and 2 senators signed on in support.
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Feb 16, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Feb 10, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 4, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Jan 26, 2026 to Jan 30, 2026
3 more representatives signed on in support.
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Jan 23, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
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Jan 23, 2026
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Jan 23, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Jacque and Wall; cosponsored by Representatives Franklin, Behnke, Dittrich, Goeben, Knodl, Murphy, O'Connor, Rivera-Wagner and Spaude
- Jan 23, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
- Jan 26, 2026 · Senate
Representative Steffen added as a cosponsor
- Jan 29, 2026 · Senate
Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a cosponsor
- Jan 30, 2026 · Senate
Representative Goodwin added as a cosponsor
- Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- Feb 16, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Feb 17, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 2-18-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Representative Kitchens added as a cosponsor
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 11:45 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
- Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Representative Subeck 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 246
- 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