Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 4 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB 119 — Relating to: public records identifying confidential law enforcement informants.

Last action — Published 3-28-2024

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 08, 2023. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Tony Evers (Democratic) on March 28, 2024.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 7 sponsors

    7 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 R · 2 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

61 added · 11 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Senate Bill 119 broadens the protection of confidential law enforcement informants by extending nondisclosure rules to any official or body covered by public records law, not just law enforcement agencies. Previously, only law enforcement agencies had to keep informants' identities private, but now this requirement applies more broadly. This change is important because it enhances the protection of confidential sources across various governmental bodies, potentially encouraging more individuals to provide information without fear of exposure.

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- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRBa0396/1 MPG:amn SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 119 September 26, 2023 - Offered by SenatoANGGAARD.
- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRB-1463/1 MPG:skw SENATE BILL 119 March 8, 2023 - Introduced by SenatorsANGGAARD , WIRCH, COWLES, ELZKOWSKI , JAMES, MARKLEIN and SPREITZER, cosponsored by RepresentativesEDWESKI , M CGUIRE, O HNSTAD, C .
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
ANDERSON , J.
1.
A NDERSON, C ONSIDINE, DITTRICH, D ONOVAN, EDMING , EMERSON , JOERS, K ITCHENS, M URPHY , M URSAU , O RTIZVELEZ, R ETTINGER, SINICK, SPIROS, STUBBS, S UBECK and T USLER.
Page 2, line 21:
Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
delete lines 21 and 22 and substitute “as authorized in par.
A N A CT to amend 19.36 (8) (b) and 59.20 (3) (a) of the statutes;
relating to:
public records identifying confidential law enforcement informants.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Current law prohibits a law enforcement agency from disclosing records or parts of records in response to a public records request that, if disclosed, would identify a confidential informant of a law enforcement agency.
Current law provides an exception to that nondisclosure requirement if the records custodian determines that the public interest in disclosing the record outweighs the harm done to the public interest by providing access to the record.
This bill extends that nondisclosure requirement concerning the personally identifiable information of confidential law enforcement informants to records or parts of records maintained by any official or body subject to the public records law, not just law enforcement agencies.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
S ECTION 1.
19.36 (8) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
19.36(8) (b) If an authority that is a law enforcement agency receives a request to inspect or copy a record or portion of a record under s.
19.35 (1) (a) that contains - 2024 Legislature - 2 - LRB-1463/1 MPG:skw SENATE BILL 119 SECTION 1 specific information including but not limited to a name, address, telephone number, voice recording, handwriting sample which that, if disclosed, would identify an informant, the authority shall delete the portion of the record in which the information is contained or, if no portion of the record can be inspected or copied without identifying the informant, shall withhold the record unless the legal custodian of the record, designated under s.
19.33, makes a determination, at the time that the request is made, that the public interest in allowing a person to inspect, copy or receive a copy of such identifying information outweighs the harm done to the public interest by providing such access.
SECTION 2.
59.20 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
59.20(3) (a) Every sheriff, clerk of the circuit court, register of deeds, treasurer, comptroller, register of probate, clerk, and county surveyor shall keep his or her office at the county seat in the offices provided by the county or by special provision of law;
or if there is none, then at such place as the board directs.
The board may also require any elective or appointive county official to keep his or her office at the county seat in an office to be provided by the county.
All such officers shall keep their offices open during the usual business hours of any day except Sunday, as the board directs.
With proper care, the officers shall open to the examination of any person all books and papers required to be kept in his or her office and permit any person so examining to take notes and copies of such books, records, papers, or minutes therefrom except as authorized in par.
19.36 (10) and (11) and 19.59 (3) (d) or under ch.
19(10), and (11) and 19.59 (3) (d) or under ch.
69 and except as authorized in s.
69.
19.36 (8) to the extent the books, records, papers, or minutes contain information that would identify an informant as such.”.
SECTION 3.0Initial applicability.
LRB-1463/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - MPG:skw SECTION 3 SENATE BILL 119 (1) This act first applies to a public records request pending with an authority on the effective date of this subsection.
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Action History

  1. Published 3-28-2024

  2. Report approved by the Governor on 3-27-2024. 2023 Wisconsin Act 223

  3. Presented to the Governor on 3-21-2024

  4. Report correctly enrolled

  5. Received from Assembly concurred in

  6. Ordered immediately messaged

  7. Read a third time and concurred in

  8. Rules suspended

  9. Ordered to a third reading

  10. Read a second time

  11. Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  12. Representative O'Connor added as a cosponsor

  13. Placed on calendar 2-15-2024 by Committee on Rules

  14. Representative Gustafson added as a cosponsor

  15. Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  16. Received from Senate

  17. Ordered immediately messaged

  18. Read a third time and passed

  19. Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  20. Ordered to a third reading

  21. Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  22. Read a second time

  23. Placed on calendar 10-17-2023 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  24. Available for scheduling

  25. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  26. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  27. Executive action taken

  28. Public hearing held

  29. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard

  30. Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  31. Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  32. Introduced by Senators Wanggaard, Wirch, Cowles, Felzkowski, James, Marklein and Spreitzer; cosponsored by Representatives Nedweski, McGuire, Ohnstad, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Considine, Dittrich, Donovan, Edming, Emerson, Joers, Kitchens, Murphy, Mursau, Ortiz-Velez, Rettinger, Sinicki, Spiros, Stubbs, Subeck and Tusler

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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7 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 125 not signed on

Sponsors (7)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (125)

125 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 125 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

public-safety
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 119?
SB 119 is sponsored by Wanggaard, Van (Republican), Wirch, Robert (Democrat), Cowles, Felzkowski, Mary (Republican), James, Jesse (Republican), Marklein, Howard (Republican), and Spreitzer, Mark (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 119?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 08, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 119?
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