# Wisconsin AB491: An Act to amend 51.61 (1) (o); to create 48.672 of the statutes; Relating to: video monitoring or recording in residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities.

Wisconsin AB491, An Act to amend 51.61 (1) (o); to create 48.672 of the statutes; Relating to: video monitoring or recording in residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities., is a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session) House bill sponsored by Elijah Behnke (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Rick Gundrum (Republican) and 6 others; status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB491-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Wisconsin AB491
- State: Wisconsin
- Session: 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)
- Title: An Act to amend 51.61 (1) (o); to create 48.672 of the statutes; Relating to: video monitoring or recording in residential care centers for children and youth, group homes, and shelter care facilities.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-10-09
- Last action: 2026-03-23, Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Sponsors: Elijah Behnke (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Rick Gundrum (Republican), Paul Melotik (Republican), Jeffrey Mursau (Republican), William Penterman (Republican), Kevin Petersen (Republican), Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), Chuck Wichgers (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Children -- Protection and services, Children and Families, Department of, Data processing, Health Services, Department of -- Supportive living and treatment, Mental health -- Hospitals and institutes, Privacy, Youth
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elijah Behnke (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Barbara Dittrich (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rick Gundrum (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Paul Melotik (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jeffrey Mursau (Republican), House
- Sponsor: William Penterman (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Kevin Petersen (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Chuck Wichgers (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jesse James (Republican), Senate

## Actions (9)

- 2026-03-23: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (House)
- 2026-02-17: Laid on the table (House)
- 2026-02-13: Withdrawn from committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026 (House)
- 2026-01-15: Referred to committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-01-15: Report passage recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 6, Noes 3 (House)
- 2026-01-14: Executive action taken (House)
- 2025-11-05: Public hearing held (House)
- 2025-10-09: Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families (House)
- 2025-10-09: Introduced by Representatives Dittrich, Petersen, Behnke, Gundrum, Melotik, Mursau, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators James and Cabral-Guevara (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB491), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB491.pdf)

## Related bills

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- AB80: An Act to renumber 457.25 (1); to amend 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2), 49.45 (30j) (a) 1., 51.03 (6) (a), 55.043 (1m) (a) 4., 146.81 (1) (hg), 146.8… (signed)
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## Sources
- [Bill Text (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB491)
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB491.pdf)

## Related
- [AB913: An Act to create 71.05 (6) (b) 57. of the statutes; Relating to: subtraction fo…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB913-2025)
- [AB80: An Act to renumber 457.25 (1); to amend 46.90 (4) (ab) 4., 48.56 (2), 48.561 (2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB80-2025)
- [AB1027: An Act Relating to: requiring information relating to the food stamp program to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB1027-2025)
- [SB36: An Act to repeal 71.63 (6) (n) 1. and 71.63 (6) (n) 2.; to renumber and amend 7…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB36-2025)
- [AB674: An Act to create 157.06 (15m) of the statutes; Relating to: prohibiting knowing…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB674-2025)
- [SB176: An Act to create 71.05 (1) (j), 71.26 (1) (j), 71.34 (1k) (q) and 71.45 (1) (dp…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-SB176-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB491-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).