Date of enactment:
2023 Assembly Bill 978 Date of publication*:
2023 WISCONSIN ACT
AN ACT to repeal 15.257 (3), 59.54 (29), 66.0511 (4) and 165.29; to amend 66.0511 (title); and to create 15.257
(3), 59.54 (29), 66.0511 (4), 165.29 and 165.85 (3m) (d) of the statutes; relating to: creation of a Human Trafficking
Council.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 15.257 (3) of the statutes is created to
read:
15.257 (3) HUMAN TRAFFICKING COUNCIL. There is
created in the department of justice a human trafficking
council. The council shall consist of the following mem-
bers:
(a) The secretary of administration, or his or her
designee.
(b) The secretary of children and families, or his or
her designee.
(c) The secretary of health services, or his or her
designee.
(d) The state superintendent of public instruction, or
his or her designee.
(e) The secretary of safety and professional services,
or his or her designee.
(f) The secretary of transportation, or his or her desig-
nee.
(g) The secretary of workforce development, or his
or her designee.
(h) The state public defender, or his or her designee.
(i) Two senators and 2 representatives to the assem-
bly from the 2 major political parties, appointed as are
members of standing committees.
(j) To be appointed by the Wisconsin District Attor-
neys Association, one district attorney holding office in
this state.
(k) To be appointed by the Wisconsin Chiefs of
Police Association, one chief of police or chief of a com-
bined protective services department holding office in
this state.
(L) To be appointed by the Badger State Sheriffs’
Association, one sheriff holding office in this state.
(m) To be appointed by the Wisconsin Sheriffs and
Deputy Sheriffs Association, one sheriff holding office in
this state.
(n) To be appointed by the attorney general, 4 repre-
sentatives of organizations that provide human traffick-
ing victim support services. The representatives
appointed under this paragraph shall be from organiza-
tions that serve different geographic areas of the state,
including both urban and rural communities.
(o) To be appointed by the Great Lakes Inter−Tribal
Council, Inc., one Native American member.
(p) One representative of the office of crime victim
services.
(q) The director of the department of justice division
of criminal investigation human trafficking and Internet
crimes against children bureau, or his or her designee.
* 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 2023 Assembly Bill 978
SECTION 2. 15.257 (3) of the statutes, as created by
2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
SECTION 3. 59.54 (29) of the statutes is created to
read:
59.54 (29) SEX TRAFFICKING TASK FORCES. In any
county that has received a recommendation from the
human trafficking council under s. 165.29 (1) (d), the
board shall review the recommendation, and the board is
encouraged to establish a sex trafficking task force that
includes representatives from law enforcement agencies,
county departments, and local nonprofit groups to coor-
dinate efforts to combat sex trafficking in that county,
including identifying and investigating sex trafficking,
supporting victims, and raising community awareness.
SECTION 4. 59.54 (29) of the statutes, as created by
2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
SECTION 5. 66.0511 (title) of the statutes is amended
to read:
66.0511 (title) Law enforcement agency agencies;
certain policies on use of force and citizen complaint
procedures.
SECTION 6. 66.0511 (4) of the statutes is created to
read:
66.0511 (4) HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION AND
ENFORCEMENT. Each person in charge of a law enforce-
ment agency in a county that has received a recommenda-
tion from the human trafficking council under s. 165.29
(1) (d) is encouraged to designate a law enforcement offi-
cer of the law enforcement agency to coordinate the law
enforcement agency’s human trafficking prevention and
enforcement efforts.
SECTION 7. 66.0511 (4) of the statutes, as created by
2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
SECTION 8. 165.29 of the statutes is created to read:
165.29 Human trafficking council. (1) The human
trafficking council shall do all of the following:
(a) Compile and maintain an inventory of human
trafficking prevention programs and services in this state
and develop, maintain, and keep current an online data-
base to share information among counties, law enforce-
ment agencies, state agencies that have responsibilities
relating to sex trafficking, and organizations that provide
human trafficking prevention programs and services or
victim support programs and services. The database shall
include an online portal that is accessible by each such
entity.
(b) Beginning on July 1, 2028, and once every 3 years
thereafter, define, review, and assess the efficacy of the
expenditure of state funds allocated to human trafficking
prevention.
(c) Compile data on human trafficking offenses com-
mitted in this state using metrics the council determines
to be of use, including at a minimum the annual number
of arrests, prosecutions, and convictions for human traf-
ficking offenses under s. 940.302 or 948.051.
(d) Assess sex trafficking activities in each county,
establish criteria to be used as the basis for recommenda-
tions to counties, and make recommendations to counties
as to whether a human trafficking task force should be
established in that county or that a law enforcement
agency in that county designate a law enforcement offi-
cer to coordinate the law enforcement agency’s human
trafficking prevention and enforcement efforts.
(e) Assess the regulation and oversight of facilities
that provide residential care in a congregate living envi-
ronment, including community−based residential facili-
ties, as defined in s. 50.01 (1g), and group homes licensed
under s. 48.625, as it relates to victims of human traffick-
ing.
(f) Assess the frequency and extent to which social
media platforms are used to assist, facilitate, or support
human trafficking in this state; establish a process to
detect such use on a consistent basis; and develop recom-
mendations on how to stop, reduce, or prevent social
media platforms from being used for human trafficking
purposes.
(g) Develop a state strategic plan for preventing
human trafficking, providing resources for law enforce-
ment initiatives, providing resources to organizations
that provide human trafficking prevention programs and
services or human trafficking victim support services
programs and services, and creating or providing access
to relevant training programs for law enforcement or
such organizations.
(h) In consultation with the department of justice,
develop a model protocol for interviewing and interact-
ing with individuals who are victims of human traffick-
ing offenses under s. 940.302 or 948.051.
(i) Develop a model training program for counties
relating to reducing interest in solicitation by individuals
who solicit or facilitate commercial sex acts.
(j) 1. By July 1 of each year, submit to the chief clerk
of each house of the legislature for distribution to the leg-
islature under s. 13.172 (2) and post on the department of
administration’s and department of justice’s websites a
report that summarizes the data collected by the council
during the previous year, the activities of the council dur-
ing the previous year, and any obstacles that prevented
the council from successfully carrying out its duties dur-
ing the previous year.
2. In the 3rd report submitted under subd. 1., include
a recommendation as to whether the council should con-
tinue to operate after June 30, 2029, and recommenda-
tions relating to moving the council’s ongoing initiatives
to state agencies or counties or other local units of gov-
ernments.
(2) The human trafficking council may request from,
and the department of administration and department of
justice shall collaborate to provide, any data necessary to − 3 − 2023 Wisconsin Act 2023 Assembly Bill 978
carry out the human trafficking council’s duties under
sub. (1).
SECTION 9. 165.29 of the statutes, as created by 2023
Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
SECTION 10. 165.85 (3m) (d) of the statutes is created
to read:
165.85 (3m) (d) Develop a list of recommended
training courses for law enforcement officers relating to
preventing, recognizing, and investigating human traf-
ficking, apprehending and prosecuting human traffick-
ers, and coordinating human trafficking response efforts
with other law enforcement agencies and organizations.
SECTION 11.0Effective dates. This act takes effect on
the day after publication, except as follows:
(1) The creation of ss. 15.257 (3), 59.54 (29), 66.0511
(4), and 165.29 takes effect on July 1, 2025.
(2) The repeal of ss. 15.257 (3), 59.54 (29), 66.0511
(4), and 165.29 takes effect on June 30, 2029.