2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-3132/1
KRP:cjs
May 30, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Kapenga and Bradley, cosponsored by Representatives Maxey, Kitchens, Allen, Armstrong, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Donovan, Gundrum, Gustafson, Kaufert, Knodl, Kreibich, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Neylon, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and Wichgers. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
SB295,1,5
1An Act to renumber 807.14; to renumber and amend 967.09; to create 2807.14 (2), 885.37 (6), 885.38 (9) and 967.09 (2) of the statutes; relating to:
3the use of artificial intelligence or other machine assisted translation in court
4proceedings and of telephone or live audiovisual interpretation in criminal
5trials. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, a court may allow the use of artificial intelligence or other machine assisted translation in civil or criminal proceedings, certain municipal proceedings, and administrative contested case proceedings.
Under current law, on request of any party, the court may permit an interpreter to act in any criminal proceeding, other than trial, by telephone or live audiovisual means. The bill allows an interpreter to act by telephone or live audiovisual means in a criminal trial in addition to other types of proceedings.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB295,1
1Section 1. 807.14 of the statutes is renumbered 807.14 (1). SB295,22Section 2. 807.14 (2) of the statutes is created to read: SB295,2,53807.14 (2) The court may allow the use of artificial intelligence or other 4machine assisted translation, in lieu of or in addition to an interpreter, in any civil 5proceeding. SB295,36Section 3. 885.37 (6) of the statutes is created to read: SB295,2,107885.37 (6) A municipal court or agency may allow the use of artificial 8intelligence or other machine assisted translation, in lieu of or in addition to an 9interpreter, under this section. Such use does not require a waiver under sub. (1) or 10(3) (b). SB295,411Section 4. 885.38 (9) of the statutes is created to read: SB295,2,1412885.38 (9) The court may allow the use of artificial intelligence or other 13machine assisted translation, in lieu of or in addition to a qualified interpreter, 14under this section. Such use does not require a waiver under sub. (4) (a). SB295,515Section 5. 967.09 of the statutes is renumbered 967.09 (1) and amended to 16read: SB295,2,1817967.09 (1) On request of any party, the court may permit an interpreter to act 18in any criminal proceeding, other than trial, by telephone or live audiovisual means. SB295,619Section 6. 967.09 (2) of the statutes is created to read: SB295,2,2220967.09 (2) The court may allow the use of artificial intelligence or other 21machine assisted translation, in lieu of or in addition to an interpreter, in any 22criminal proceeding.
