Relating to: creating a crime of grooming a child for sexual activity and providing a penalty.
AB 677 creates a new criminal offense for "grooming a child for sexual activity," defined as manipulating a child to facilitate sexual abuse. This law directly affects individuals convicted of such grooming behavior, adding it as a punishable offense under Wisconsin statutes like 948.02 (sexual exploitation of a child) and 948.072 (grooming). Key provisions amend multiple laws to include grooming as a disqualifying factor for home placements, licensing for childcare, and reporting requirements, while defining it as a "serious crime" for entities serving minors. The bill does not change existing penalties for actual sexual abuse but establishes grooming itself as a distinct criminal violation with specific legal consequences.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Nov 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Assembly Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Mar 2026
Introduced Nov 19, 2025
Signed Mar 6, 2026
Floor votes · Assembly Jan 13, 2026
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
35
Key actions
8
Committee
5
Amendments
3
Mar 6, 2026
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 3-6-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 88
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Introduced
LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 5, Noes 0
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 93, Noes 6
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Committee
Referred to committee on Rules
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 14, Noes 0
lower
Jan 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 14, Noes 0
lower
Jan 7, 2026
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Nedweski
lower
Nov 19, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Representatives Nedweski, Brill, Dittrich, Behnke, Callahan, DeSmidt, Donovan, Duchow, Franklin, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Hurd, B. Jacobson, Kaufert, Kitchens, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Snyder, Steffen, Tusler and Wichgers;
cosponsored by Senators James, Wanggaard, Hutton, Nass and Quinn
lower
30 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Amanda Nedweski
RRepublican
P
Barbara Dittrich
RRepublican
P
Ben DeSmidt
DDemocratic
P
Ben Franklin
RRepublican
P
Bob Donovan
RRepublican
P
Brent Jacobson
RRepublican
P
Calvin Callahan
RRepublican
P
Chanz Green
RRepublican
P
Chuck Wichgers
RRepublican
P
Cindi Duchow
RRepublican
P
Clint Moses
RRepublican
P
Dan Knodl
RRepublican
P
Dave Maxey
RRepublican
P
Dave Murphy
RRepublican
P
David Steffen
RRepublican
P
Dean Kaufert
RRepublican
P
Elijah Behnke
RRepublican
P
Gus Gustafson
RRepublican
P
Jeff Mursau
RRepublican
P
Jerry O'Connor
RRepublican
P
Jim Piwowarczyk
RRepublican
P
Joel Kitchens
RRepublican
P
Karen Hurd
RRepublican
P
Lindee Brill
RRepublican
P
Pat Snyder
RRepublican
P
Rick Gundrum
RRepublican
P
Rob Kreibich
RRepublican
P
Ron Tusler
RRepublican
P
Todd Novak
RRepublican
P
Will Penterman
RRepublican
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