WisconsinWisconsin law applies felony penalties to certain health care threats
People who make covered threats over health care providers’ official actions can face felony charges even when those actions happen outside a health care facility.
What it does
Certain threats tied to a health care provider’s official work can carry a felony penalty, even when that work happens outside a health care facility.
The threat rules use definitions that cover certain health care workers, including emergency medical technicians, who may work outside a health care facility.
Argument forCovering providers’ work outside facilities could help deter threats against emergency medical technicians and other covered health care workers.
Argument againstPeople making covered threats over providers’ work outside a facility could face serious criminal charges because the felony rule reaches those actions.
More detail
The law applies a Class H felony penalty, a serious criminal charge, to covered threats responding to a health care provider’s official actions. Covered targets include current and former health care providers, current and former health care facility workers, and their family members. The person making the threat must know or should have known that the target is a covered worker, former worker, or family member. The threat must respond to the provider’s work in an official role.
The law uses the definitions of health care providers and facilities found in Wisconsin’s law against physically attacking health care workers. The definitions include certain workers, such as emergency medical technicians, who may work outside health care facilities. Coverage depends on the definitions in sections 940.51(12) and 940.51(13) of Wisconsin law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 3Published 4-4-2026Latest
- Apr 3Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-3-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 197Became Law
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 24Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2026Minor
- Mar 24LRB correction
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 17Senator Smith added as a cosponsor
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Vote recorded Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 16Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 3Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0Minor
- Mar 3Executive action taken
- Feb 27Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public SafetyMinor
- Feb 23Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 19Read a third time and passedPassed Assembly
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 19Made a special order of business at 9:33 PM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 15
- Feb 4Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 4Executive action taken
- Jan 30Representative Kaufert added as a coauthor
- Jan 29Public hearing held
- Jan 23Read first time and referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Jan 23Introduced by Representatives Kurtz, Novak, Behnke, Dittrich, Duchow, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Sinicki, Tucker and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Wanggaard, Cabral-Guevara, James and NassIntroduced
HealthcareCriminal Justice