An Act to amend 48.685 (1) (c) 2., 48.686 (1) (c) 1., 51.20 (13) (ct) 1m. a., 51.20 (13) (ct) 1m. b., 115.31 (2g) (c) 1., 115.31 (2r) (c) 3., 301.45 (1p) (b), 901.08 (1) (b), 938.34 (15m) (am) 1., 938.34 (15m) (am) 2., 938.345 (3) (d), 940.03, 946.82 (4), 949.03 (2), 949.05 (intro.), 949.06 (1m) (b), 949.08 (2) (a), 968.26 (1b) (a) 2. a., 971.17 (1m) (b) 1m. a., 971.17 (1m) (b) 1m. b., 972.11 (2) (b) (intro.), 972.11 (2) (d) 1. (intro.), 973.048 (1m) (a), 973.048 (1m) (b) and 995.50 (2) (am) 4.; to create 62.50 (1e) (cm), 942.095 and 949.03 (1s) of the statutes; Relating to: extortion, sexual extortion, and providing a penalty.
Sponsored By: David Armstrong (Republican), Brent Jacobson (Republican), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Lindee Brill (Republican), Calvin Callahan (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Joy Goeben (Republican), Rick Gundrum (Republican), Alex Joers (Democratic), Dean Kaufert (Republican), Daniel Knodl (Republican), Rob Kreibich (Republican), Scott Krug (Republican), Dave Maxey (Republican), Maureen McCarville (Democratic), Vincent Miresse (Democratic), Clint Moses (Republican), Todd Novak (Republican), Jerry O'Connor (Republican), Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), Jessie Rodriguez (Republican), Christine Sinicki (Democratic), Patrick Snyder (Republican), John Spiros (Republican), David Steffen (Republican), Shelia Stubbs (Democratic), Lisa Subeck (Democratic), Chuck Wichgers (Republican)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
More compensation for victims and families
Victims injured or killed by sexual extortion or the listed extortion crimes can qualify for state crime-victim compensation. Suicide or attempted suicide is covered when the crime was a substantial cause of the injury or death. People living with the victim immediately before the crime, and family members of victims of listed crimes, can receive economic-loss awards. Covered losses can include those caused by a family member's reaction to the victim's death. Dependents can receive awards through both routes, subject to existing caps and limits. Some awards also carry limits tied to conduct that substantially contributed to the harm or made it reasonably foreseeable. The supplied text gives no award amounts.
Privacy protections cover sexual extortion victims
Wisconsin's existing privacy-law rule now covers sexual-extortion conduct. It applies even when no related criminal case is filed, and regardless of a criminal case's outcome. The supplied text does not set a damages amount.
Sexual extortion victims gain evidence protections
Courts must apply existing sexual-history evidence limits in sexual-extortion cases when they find the crime was sexually motivated. Evidence about the complaining witness's clothing must concern a disputed trial issue. Its value as evidence must substantially outweigh the concerns listed in the existing law. Sexual extortion also counts as sexual misconduct for legal rules that use that definition.
Stronger prosecution tools for extortion crimes
Causing a death while committing or attempting sexual extortion or the listed extortion crimes can bring additional prison time. The added term can reach 15 years beyond the maximum for the underlying crime or attempt. Sexual extortion, attempts, and conspiracies also count as racketeering activity. The law extends an existing investigation procedure to sexual extortion and adds it to a municipal police-chief offense list.
Extortion reporting duties and release options
Courts can order sex-offender reporting for sexually motivated sexual extortion, including solicitation, conspiracy, or attempts, when reporting serves the public interest. This authority reaches covered juvenile cases and cases ending in a finding of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Courts can also allow release after court-ordered requirements are completed or a commitment ends or expires. For offenders under 21 at the offense, courts can allow release after successful completion of sentence or probation. Success means no new conviction during the sentence or successful completion of probation requirements.
Sexual extortion brings new felony penalties
Wisconsin creates a sexual-extortion crime, protecting people from threats used to force sexual acts or intimate images. It covers threats to property or reputation, threats of violence, and threats to share intimate images. Threatening to share images also qualifies when used to demand money, property, services, or other actions or inaction. The baseline Class I felony carries up to a $10,000 fine, 3 years and 6 months in prison, or both. It becomes Class H if the threat causes sexual conduct, image production, payment, services, or great bodily harm. Class H also applies when the victim is under 18 and the offender is no more than 48 months older. Class G applies when the victim is under 18 and the offender is more than 48 months older. A prior sexually violent offense conviction or committing the crime during a child abduction also triggers Class G.
Schools and child care screen extortion
Sexual extortion now appears on offense lists used for child-care criminal-history checks and school-related rules. This strengthens screening protections but can limit access to covered child-care work or roles. One school-related rule applies when the person shown in the intimate image is a child. The changes do not establish one uniform employment consequence across all covered rules.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
David Armstrong
Republican • House
Brent Jacobson
Republican • House
Elijah Behnke
Republican • House
Lindee Brill
Republican • House
Calvin Callahan
Republican • House
Barbara Dittrich
Republican • House
Joy Goeben
Republican • House
Rick Gundrum
Republican • House
Alex Joers
Democratic • House
Dean Kaufert
Republican • House
Daniel Knodl
Republican • House
Rob Kreibich
Republican • House
Scott Krug
Republican • House
Dave Maxey
Republican • House
Maureen McCarville
Democratic • House
Vincent Miresse
Democratic • House
Clint Moses
Republican • House
Todd Novak
Republican • House
Jerry O'Connor
Republican • House
Jim Piwowarczyk
Republican • House
Jessie Rodriguez
Republican • House
Christine Sinicki
Democratic • House
Patrick Snyder
Republican • House
John Spiros
Republican • House
David Steffen
Republican • House
Shelia Stubbs
Democratic • House
Lisa Subeck
Democratic • House
Chuck Wichgers
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Clinton Anderson
Democratic • House
Rachael Cabral-Guevara
Republican • Senate
Tim Carpenter
Democratic • Senate
Steve Doyle
Democratic • House
Jodi Emerson
Democratic • House
Rob Hutton
Republican • Senate
Jenna Jacobson
Democratic • House
Jesse James
Republican • Senate
Jeffrey Mursau
Republican • House
Priscilla Prado
Democratic • House
Romaine Quinn
Republican • Senate
Melissa Ratcliff
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Smith
Democratic • Senate
Angela Stroud
Democratic • House
Cory Tomczyk
Republican • Senate
Randy Udell
Democratic • House
Van Wanggaard
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
Published 12-9-2025
12/8/2025HouseReport approved by the Governor on 12-8-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 48
12/8/2025HousePresented to the Governor on 12-4-2025
12/4/2025HouseRepresentative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
11/4/2025HouseReport correctly enrolled on 10-20-2025
10/20/2025HouseLRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)
10/20/2025HouseLRB correction
10/20/2025HouseReceived from Senate concurred in
10/14/2025HouseOrdered immediately messaged
10/14/2025SenateRead a third time and concurred in
10/14/2025SenateRules suspended to give bill its third reading
10/14/2025SenateOrdered to a third reading
10/14/2025SenateRead a second time
10/14/2025SenateSenator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
10/14/2025SenatePlaced on calendar 10-14-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
10/13/2025SenateAvailable for scheduling
9/4/2025SenateReport concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
9/4/2025SenateExecutive action taken
9/4/2025SenateSenator Hutton added as a cosponsor
9/3/2025SenatePublic hearing held
9/3/2025SenateSenator Wanggaard added as a cosponsor
9/2/2025SenateRead first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
6/19/2025SenateReceived from Assembly
6/18/2025SenateOrdered immediately messaged
6/18/2025HouseRepresentative Anderson added as a coauthor
6/18/2025House
Bill Text
Assembly Amendment 1
6/18/2025
Bill Text
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