March 13, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Gundrum, Knodl, Brill, Mursau, O'Connor, Steffen and Subeck, cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk, Marklein and Nass. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
2023 Wisconsin Act 126 included all of the following provisions relating to campaigns and elections: 1. Prohibits public access to records that contain the personally identifiable information of election officials or election registration officials other than the official’s name and city and state of residence.
2. Makes it a Class I felony to intentionally cause bodily harm to an election official, election registration official, county clerk, or municipal clerk who is acting in his or her official capacity.
3. Provides whistleblower protection for municipal clerks, county clerks, and election officials who witness and report election fraud or irregularities.
4. Prohibits employment discrimination against a municipal clerk, county clerk, or election official because the clerk or election official lawfully reported, or is believed to have reported, witnessing what the clerk or election official reasonably believed to be election fraud or irregularities.
5. Requires all committees, political parties, and conduits to register with, and submit campaign finance reports to, the Ethics Commission through the commission’s campaign finance information system (CFIS).
Act 126 is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025. This bill changes the effective date to December 1, 2027, with respect filings with the Ethics Commission through CFIS. All other provisions contained in Act 126 remain effective July 1, 2025.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB134,2,43[2023 Wisconsin Act 126] Section 35 This act takes effect on July 1, 2025., 4except as follows: AB134,2,116[2023 Wisconsin Act 126] Section 35 (1m) The treatment of ss. 5.02 (4v), 711.0101 (1) (a) 1. and 2., (14), and (34), 11.0102 (title), (1), (2) (a) and (b), and (3), 811.0103 (1) (b) and (3) (b), 11.0104 (1) (a) and (d) and (2), 11.0105 (1) (a), 11.0202 (1) 9(a), 11.0203 (1) (c), 11.0204 (7), 11.0304 (7), 11.0404 (4), 11.1101 (1) (h) 2., (2) (h) 2., 10(3) (k) 2., and (4) (k) 2., 11.1106 (3), 11.1201, 11.1304 (1), (5), and (6) (a), 202.12 (5) 11(a) 2., 755.01 (2) and (4), and 940.20 (4m) takes effect on December 1, 2027.
