Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB192

Introduced

4/14/25

Refer

4/14/25

Caption

Fatality review teams and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

Impact

The bill mandates that the Department of Health Services (DHS) establish a program for local fatality review teams, thereby introducing a systematized approach to death investigations that previously relied on voluntary efforts. The DHS will also have the authority to create state fatality review teams if necessary. This transition aims to foster enhanced data collection efforts and improve public health responses to prevent future deaths, creating a more coordinated and informed approach to dealing with critical health and safety issues in the community.

Summary

Senate Bill 192 establishes formal fatality review teams in Wisconsin aimed at investigating various types of reviewable deaths, including suicides, homicides, overdose deaths, and maternal deaths. Currently, such teams are organized on a voluntary basis, but the bill seeks to codify their existence and provide a structured framework for their operation. The bill outlines the objectives of these teams, which include gathering information to identify risk factors, developing recommendations to prevent similar fatalities, and facilitating collaboration among relevant state and local agencies.

Contention

One of the notable aspects of SB192 is the emphasis on confidentiality and the limitations it imposes on how information gathered by the teams can be utilized. Team members and participants are granted immunity from civil or criminal liability for information shared during meetings, which is expected to encourage full disclosure but may raise concerns about accountability in cases of negligence. The bill also exempts meetings from public access laws, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of sensitive topics while recognizing the need for confidentiality in discussions surrounding private matters related to fatality cases.