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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SJR 98

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration).

Constitutional amendments — First consideration Discrimination

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Adopted, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2025 legislature on first consideration, provides that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the state or by any political subdivision of the state on account of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic. The constitutional amendment requires the state and each political subdivision to protect and secure the equality of these rights and creates a private cause of action against the state or the appropriate political subdivision of the state for violations of the rights guaranteed under the amendment.

A constitutional amendment requires adoption by two successive legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Carpenter (D) , Dassler-Alfheim (D) , Drake (D) , Habush Sinykin (D) , L. Johnson (D) , Larson (D) , Ratcliff (D) , Roys (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Wall (D) , Wirch (D)

41 cosponsors

Anderson (D) , Andraca (D) , Arney (D) , Bare (D) , Brown (D) , Clancy (D) , Cruz (D) , DeSmidt (D) , Emerson (D) , Fitzgerald (D) , Hesselbein (D) , Hong (D) , Hysell (D) , J. Jacobson (D) , Joers (D) , Johnson (D) , Keyeski (D) , Kirsch (D) , Madison (D) , Mayadev (D) , McCarville (D) , McGuire (D) , Miresse (D) , Moore Omokunde (D) , Neubauer (D) , Palmeri (D) , Phelps (D) , Prado (D) , Rivera-Wagner (D) , Roe (D) , Sheehan (D) , Sinicki (D) , Snodgrass (D) , Spaude (D) , Stroud (D) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D) , Taylor (D) , Tenorio (D) , Udell (D) , Vining (D)

Registered lobbying interests · 2

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

Full history

  1. Oct 9, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators L. Johnson, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Larson, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Brown, McGuire, Palmeri, Snodgrass, Subeck, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Bare, Clancy, Cruz, DeSmidt, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Hysell, Hong, Joers, Johnson, Kirsch, Madison, Mayadev, McCarville, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Neubauer, Phelps, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Roe, Sheehan, Sinicki, Spaude, Stroud, Stubbs, Taylor, Tenorio, Udell and Vining

  2. Oct 9, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  3. Nov 12, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Hesselbein added as a coauthor

  4. Jan 20, 2026 · Senate

    Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor

  5. Feb 9, 2026 · Senate

    Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  6. Mar 23, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to adopt pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1