Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: February 22, 2024 Contact: Tom Koss, Staff Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 978
Assembly Substitute
Amendment 2
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 978
Very generally, 2023 Assembly Bill 978 creates a statewide human trafficking council, requires counties
with an above-average level of sex trafficking activity to establish a county task force to combat sex
trafficking in that county, and requires certain law enforcement officers to undergo training related to
human trafficking.
The bill attaches the council to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and specifies 14 appointees that
comprise the council’s membership, including certain cabinet secretaries and law enforcement
representatives. The council must submit a report to the Legislature each year that summarizes the data
collected by and activities of the council during the previous year.
The bill assigns the council several duties. As relevant to Assembly Substitute Amendment 2, those
duties include: (1) annually reviewing and assessing the efficacy of state expenditures related to human
trafficking; (2) compiling data on human trafficking offenses in Wisconsin; and (3) using that data to
assess sex trafficking activities in each county; and (4) determining whether a county is experiencing
above-average sex trafficking activities.
The bill requires counties experiencing above-average sex trafficking activities to establish a sex
trafficking task force that is directed to combat sex trafficking, including identifying and investigating
sex trafficking, supporting victims, and raising community awareness. Each county task force must
include representatives from law enforcement agencies, county departments, and local nonprofit
groups.
The bill also requires each political subdivision with a population of 10,000 or more to designate a lead
human trafficking officer. That officer must annually complete a human trafficking training course
developed by the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB), in consultation with the council.
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 2
Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 generally modifies the council’s duties and membership, removes
the requirements related to law enforcement officers and county sex trafficking task forces, and delays
the bill’s effective date.
The amendment removes the requirements that counties experiencing above-average sex trafficking
activities establish a sex trafficking task force and that each person in charge of the law enforcement
agency for any political subdivision with a population of 10,000 or more designate a lead human
trafficking officer. Instead, the council is required to make recommendations regarding whether a
county should establish a sex trafficking task force and whether a law enforcement agency in that
county should designate a law enforcement officer to coordinate human trafficking efforts, and counties - 2 -
and law enforcement agencies that receive those recommendations are encouraged to follow the
recommendations.
The amendment modifies the requirement that the council annually review and assess the efficacy of
state spending related to human trafficking. Rather than do so annually, the council must do so once
every three years, beginning on July 1, 2028. The amendment also requires the council’s report to the
Legislature to include information on any obstacles that prevented the council from successfully
carrying out its duties during the previous year.
Under the amendment, the council may request from, and DOJ and the Department of Administration
(DOA) must collaborate to provide, any data necessary to carry out the council’s duties.
The amendment adds the following to the council’s membership:
The secretary of DOA, or his or her designee.
The secretary of the Department of Health Services, or his or her designee.
The secretary of the Department of Safety and Professional Services, or his or her designee.
The secretary of the Department of Workforce Development, or his or her designee.
Two senators and two representatives to the Assembly from the two major political parties,
appointed as are members of standing committees.
One Native American member, appointed by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.
The director of DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation human trafficking and Internet crimes
against children bureau, or his or her designee, rather than one representative of the Internet
Crimes Against Children task forces.
The amendment also requires LESB to develop a list of recommending training courses related to
human trafficking for law enforcement officers, rather than establish such a course.
Finally, the amendment includes a delayed effective date, so that the provisions other than the
requirement that LESB develop a list of training courses take effect on of July 1, 2025.
BILL HISTORY
Representative O’Connor offered Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 on February 20, 2024. On
February 21, 2024, the Assembly adopted the amendment and passed the bill, as amended, on voice
votes.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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