# Wisconsin AB961: An Act to create 20.455 (2) (gq), 100.77 and 814.75 (28) of the statutes; Relating to: warning labels for explicit content, creating an explicit content label warning surcharge, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)

Wisconsin AB961, An Act to create 20.455 (2) (gq), 100.77 and 814.75 (28) of the statutes; Relating to: warning labels for explicit content, creating an explicit content label warning surcharge, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE), is a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session) House bill sponsored by David Armstrong (Republican), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Jill Billings (Democratic) and 13 others; status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WI-AB961-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Wisconsin AB961
- State: Wisconsin
- Session: 2025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)
- Title: An Act to create 20.455 (2) (gq), 100.77 and 814.75 (28) of the statutes; Relating to: warning labels for explicit content, creating an explicit content label warning surcharge, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-29
- Last action: 2026-03-23, Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Sponsors: David Armstrong (Republican), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Jill Billings (Democratic), Lindee Brill (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Jodi Emerson (Democratic), Joan Fitzgerald (Democratic), Joy Goeben (Republican), Daniel Knodl (Republican), Rob Kreibich (Republican), David Murphy (Republican), Jerry O'Connor (Republican), Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), Christine Sinicki (Democratic), Shelia Stubbs (Democratic), Randy Udell (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Subjects: Court -- Fee, Justice, Department of, Newspaper and magazine, Obscenity, Trade practice
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (61 yes, 34 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: David Armstrong (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Elijah Behnke (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jill Billings (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Lindee Brill (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Barbara Dittrich (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jodi Emerson (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Joan Fitzgerald (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Joy Goeben (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Daniel Knodl (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rob Kreibich (Republican), House
- Sponsor: David Murphy (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jerry O'Connor (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Christine Sinicki (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Shelia Stubbs (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Randy Udell (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: André Jacque (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lori Palmeri (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jamie Wall (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-19 | House | Read a third time and passed, Ayes 61, Noes 34 | pass | 61 | 34 |   |

## Actions (30)

- 2026-03-23: Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Public hearing held (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Read first time and referred to committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Received from Assembly (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Ordered immediately messaged (House)
- 2026-02-19: Read a third time and passed, Ayes 61, Noes 34 (House)
- 2026-02-19: Rules suspended (House)
- 2026-02-19: Ordered to a third reading (House)
- 2026-02-19: Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 adopted (House)
- 2026-02-19: Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 offered by Representative Goeben (House)
- 2026-02-19: Read a second time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Representatives Billings, Emerson, Sinicki and Stubbs withdrawn as coauthors (House)
- 2026-02-18: Made a special order of business at 11:53 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14 (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 offered by Representative Goeben (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative Goeben (House)
- 2026-02-13: Fiscal estimate received (House)
- 2026-02-12: Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goeben (House)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-02-11: Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 7, Noes 2 (House)
- 2026-02-11: Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 9, Noes 0 (House)
- 2026-02-11: Executive action taken (House)
- 2026-02-11: Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Billings (House)
- 2026-02-10: Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Goeben (House)
- 2026-02-09: Representative Fitzgerald withdrawn as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-02-06: Representative Palmeri withdrawn as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-02-05: Public hearing held (House)
- 2026-02-05: Representative Udell withdrawn as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-02-02: Representative Palmeri added as a coauthor (House)
- 2026-01-29: Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families (House)
- 2026-01-29: Introduced by Representatives Goeben, Brill, Dittrich, Billings, Sinicki, O'Connor, Kreibich, Piwowarczyk, Behnke, Udell, Armstrong, Fitzgerald, Emerson, Murphy, Knodl and Stubbs; cosponsored by Senators Jacque and Wall (House)

## Bill text

- Assembly Substitute Amendment 3, 2026-02-19: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB961-ASA3), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB961-ASA3.pdf)
- Bill Text: [HTML](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB961), [PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB961.pdf)

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## Sources
- [Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB961-ASA3)
- [Assembly Substitute Amendment 3 (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/amends/2025/REG/AB961-ASA3.pdf)
- [Bill Text (HTML)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB961)
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB961.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-AB961-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).