2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
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2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 227
April 23, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives SNODGRASS, RIVERA-WAGNER,
ANDERSON, ARNEY, BARE, BROWN, CLANCY, DESMIDT, EMERSON, HONG, J.
JACOBSON, JOERS, KIRSCH, MADISON, MAYADEV, MIRESSE, MOORE OMOKUNDE,
NEUBAUER, ORTIZ-VELEZ, PALMERI, PHELPS, ROE, SPAUDE, STROUD, UDELL
and VINING, cosponsored by Senators LARSON, SPREITZER, CARPENTER,
DASSLER-ALFHEIM, DRAKE, HESSELBEIN, KEYESKI and RATCLIFF. Referred to
Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
AN ACT to renumber and amend 12.11 (1); to amend 12.11 (2); to create
12.11 (1) (b) and 12.11 (1m) (a) 5. and 6. of the statutes; relating to:
inducements to sign or refrain from signing nomination papers, recall
petitions, and certain other petitions.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits certain kinds of election bribery, including offering,
giving, lending, or providing money or anything of value to an elector or other
person to induce the elector to vote or refrain from voting. Under current law,
Xanything of valueY includes an object having utility independent of a political
message it contains, the value of which exceeds $1. Election bribery is a Class I
felony, the penalty for which is a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to
exceed three years and six months, or both.
This bill prohibits as election bribery such inducement of an elector to sign or
refrain from signing a petition supporting or opposing a candidate, referendum, or
proposition about political or social issues, state law, or proposed or potential
legislation, if the petition is related to an election or referendum or is circulated
during an election period, as defined in the bill.
Additionally, the bill prohibits as election bribery such inducement of an
elector to sign or refrain from signing nomination papers or a recall petition.
Finally, the bill defines Xanything of valueY for purposes of a violation of the
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bill[s provisions to include an object having utility independent of a political
message it contains, if the object[s value exceeds $5, rather than 1$.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 12.11 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 12.11 (1) (intro.) and
amended to read:
12.11 (1) (intro.) In this section, Xanything:
(a) XAnything of valueY includes any amount of money, or any object which has
utility independent of any political message it contains and the value of which
exceeds $1, or $5 for purposes of sub. (1m) (a) 5. and 6. The prohibitions of this
section apply to the distribution of material printed at public expense and available
for free distribution if such materials are accompanied by a political message.
SECTION 2. 12.11 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
12.11 (1) (b) XElection periodY means any of the following:
1. The period beginning on December 1 and ending on the date of the spring
election.
2. The period beginning on April 15 and ending on the date of the general
election.
3. The period beginning on the first day for circulating nomination papers for
a special election and ending on the date of the special election.
4. The period beginning on the first day for circulating nomination papers for
a recall election and ending on the date of the recall election.
SECTION 3. 12.11 (1m) (a) 5. and 6. of the statutes are created to read:
12.11 (1m) (a) 5. Sign or refrain from signing a petition supporting or
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opposing a candidate, referendum, or proposition about political or social issues,
state law, or proposed or potential legislation, if the petition relates to an election or
referendum or is circulated during an election period.
6. Sign or refrain from signing nomination papers or a petition for the recall of
an elective official.
SECTION 4. 12.11 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
12.11 (2) This section applies to any convention or meeting held for the
purpose of nominating any candidate for any election, and to the signing of any
nomination paper.
(END)
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