Date of enactment: March 27, 2024
2023 Assembly Bill 973 Date of publication*: March 28, 2024
2023 WISCONSIN ACT 237
AN ACT to renumber and amend 50.035 (1); and to create 50.035 (1) (c) and 103.155 of the statutes; relating to:
mandatory training regarding human trafficking for employees of community−based residential facilities and owners
of certain entities and certain other employees and granting rule−making authority.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 50.035 (1) of the statutes is renumbered
50.035 (1) (a) and amended to read:
50.035 (1) (a) Each employee of a community−based
residential facility shall, within 90 days after the begin-
ning date of employment, receive basic first aid training
and other safety training. The department shall indicate
acceptable sources from which facility employees may
receive this training. The department shall also develop
instructional materials for use by facilities concerning
acceptable methods of operation and procedures for pro-
tecting and serving the needs of facility residents. The
department may require that all facility employees com-
plete a program involving these materials and may sell
the materials to facilities at cost. In addition, each facility
employee
(b) Each employee of a community−based residen-
tial facility shall, within 90 days after the beginning date
of employment, receive training in fire prevention and
control and evacuation techniques. Each facility shall
coordinate its training in fire prevention and control and
evacuation techniques with the local fire department.
SECTION 2. 50.035 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to
read:
50.035 (1) (c) Each employee of a community−based
residential facility who has regular, direct contact with
facility residents who are on probation, extended super-
vision, or parole shall, within 60 days after the beginning
date of employment and at least every 2 years thereafter,
receive training on identifying and preventing human
trafficking crimes, as defined in s. 165.505 (1) (am). The
training required under this paragraph shall include at
least all of the following:
1. The definitions of human trafficking and the com-
mercial exploitation of children.
2. Guidance on how to identify individuals who are
most at risk for human trafficking.
3. The difference between labor trafficking and sex
trafficking.
SECTION 3. 103.155 of the statutes is created to read:
103.155 Mandatory training regarding human
trafficking. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section:
(a) “Campground” means a parcel or tract of land
owned by a person, the state, or a local government that
is designed, maintained, intended, or used for the purpose
of providing campsites, offered with or without charge,
for temporary overnight sleeping accommodations.
* Section 991.11, WISCONSIN STATUTES: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor’s
partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.” − 2 −2023 Wisconsin Act 237 2023 Assembly Bill 973
(b) “Entity principal” means the owner of a lodging
establishment or the main contact designated by the
owner or organization to represent the owner.
(c) “Human trafficking crimes” has the meaning
given in s. 165.505 (1) (am).
(d) “Lodging establishment” means any of the fol-
lowing:
1. A bed and breakfast establishment, as defined in
s. 97.01 (1g).
2. A hotel or motel. In this subdivision, “hotel” or
“motel” has the meaning given for “hotel” in s. 97.01 (7.)
3. A tourist rooming house, as defined in s. 97.01
(15k).
4. A short−term rental, as defined in s. 66.0615 (1)
(dk).
5. A campground.
(e) “Site principal” means the person designated by
an entity principal to oversee the day−to−day operations
of a lodging establishment.
(2) TRAINING. (a) Each employer shall provide train-
ing regarding identifying and preventing human traffick-
ing crimes to employees who are likely to interact with
the public and vulnerable individuals, as determined by
the department. At a minimum, employers shall provide
such training to all of their employees who are private
security officers, public transit managers, and adult
entertainment establishment managers. Owners of adult
entertainment establishments are required to undergo the
same training at the same intervals as managers
employed at those entities.
(b) Each entity principal shall provide training
regarding identifying and preventing human trafficking
crimes to employees who are likely to interact with the
public and vulnerable individuals, as determined by the
department. At a minimum, each entity principal shall
provide such training to the site principal. Entity princi-
pals are required to undergo the same training at the same
intervals as the site principal.
(c) The training required under this section shall
include at least all of the following:
1. The definitions of human trafficking and the com-
mercial exploitation of children.
2. Guidance on how to identify individuals who are
most at risk for human trafficking.
3. Guidance on how to identify the signs of human
trafficking and how to identify individuals potentially
engaged in the act of trafficking.
4. As relevant, the difference between labor traffick-
ing and sex trafficking specific to the hotel and motel sec-
tor.
5. As relevant, guidance on the role of hospitality
employees in reporting and responding to human traf-
ficking.
6. The contact information of appropriate agencies,
including the toll−free telephone number of the National
Human Trafficking Hotline or the telephone numbers of
the appropriate local law enforcement agencies.
(d) The training required under this section shall be
at least 20 minutes in length, in person or interactive, and
shall be undergone or provided within 60 days of an indi-
vidual becoming an entity principal, site principal, or
owner of an adult entertainment establishment, or an
employee being hired, and at least every 2 years there-
after.
(e) Except for individuals who are required by law to
report suspected human trafficking to law enforcement
agencies, the failure to report a human trafficking case by
an owner or employee who is trained as required under
this section does not, by itself, result in the civil liability
of any entity principal, site principal, owner, or employee
to the human trafficking victim in the case in question or
to any other party.
(3) RULES. The department shall promulgate rules to
implement this section.
(4) EDUCATIONAL VIDEO. The department shall pro-
duce a training video regarding the subjects in sub. (2) (c)
and make the video available to the public at no cost on
the department’s website.