AB 265 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: human trafficking and trafficking of a child and providing a penalty.

AB 265 strengthens Wisconsin's penalties for human trafficking by requiring minimum prison terms: 15 years for child trafficking and 10 years for general human trafficking convictions. It creates new felony charges for individuals who profit from trafficking (Class D C felony) or receive compensation from commercial sex acts or debt bondage (Class F E felony). The bill directly affects convicted traffickers, their financial beneficiaries, and those who facilitate trafficking through recruitment or harboring of children for commercial sex. These sentencing changes apply to offenses committed after the bill's effective date.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
Nov 2025
Assembly Passage
Oct 2025
Senate Passage
Nov 2025
Signed into Law
Dec 2025
Introduced May 19, 2025 Signed Dec 10, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
36
Key actions
8
Committee
5
Amendments
4
Dec 10, 2025
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 12-9-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 56
lower
Nov 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in
upper
Nov 18, 2025
Introduced
Point of order that Senate Amendment 1 was not germane well taken
upper
Nov 18, 2025
Introduced
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators L. Johnson, Hesselbein, Smith, Spreitzer, Drake, Roys, Wirch, Carpenter, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Habush Sinykin, Keyeski, Dassler-Alfheim, Wall and Larson
upper
Nov 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Oct 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed
lower
Oct 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
Oct 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 by Committee on Rules
lower
Oct 8, 2025
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
Oct 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 0
lower
Oct 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 13, Noes 0
lower
Sep 10, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Wittke
lower
May 19, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Wittke, O'Connor, B. Jacobson, Snyder, VanderMeer, Steffen, Moses, Penterman, Dittrich, Murphy, Knodl, Behnke, Piwowarczyk, Mursau and Kreibich; cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard
lower
15 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors