Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 11 R · 4 D cosponsors

AB 973 — Relating to: mandatory training regarding human trafficking for employees of community-based residential facilities and owners of certain entities and certain other employees and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

Last action — Published 3-28-2024

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 18, 2024. 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.

  • 21 sponsors

    21 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (11 R · 4 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 4 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

107 added · 59 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Assembly Bill 973 adds a requirement for employees of community-based residential facilities to receive training on identifying and preventing human trafficking specifically if they work with residents on probation, extended supervision, or parole. It also clarifies definitions related to lodging establishments, such as hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. These updates are significant because they ensure that individuals who may be particularly vulnerable to trafficking receive targeted protections, while also standardizing the definitions used in the bill to better support enforcement and compliance.

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- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRBa1099/1 MIM & MJW:klm ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 973 February 5, 2024 - Offered by RepresentativeUNDRUM .
- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRB-5359/1 MJW&MIM:cjs/wlj/skw ASSEMBLY BILL 973 January 18, 2024 - Introduced by RepresentatiUNDRUM , TUBBS, .ANDERSON , B ALDEH, B EHNKE, BRANDTJEN , CALLAHAN, C ONLEY, CONSIDINE, EDMING , E MERSON, H URD, KITCHENS, KRUG, M AXEY, MURPHY, M URSAU, O'CONNOR , S CHRAA, UBECK and W ICHGERS, cosponsored by SenatorsNODL , ALLWEG , T AYLOR, ESTINandW IRCH.
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
Referred to Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities.
A N A CT to renumber and amend 50.035 (1);
and to create 50.035 (1) (c) and 103.155 of the statutes;
relating to:
mandatory training regarding human trafficking for employees of community-based residential facilities and owners of certain entities and certain other employees and granting rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill requires any employee of a community-based residential facility who has regular, direct contact with facility residents to receive training on identifying and preventing human trafficking crimes within 60 days after starting employment and at least every two years thereafter.
The bill also requires employers to provide, within 60 days of an employee's hire and at least every two years thereafter, training on identifying and preventing human trafficking crimes to employees who are likely to interact with the public and vulnerable individuals.
Under the bill, the training must be provided, at a minimum, to private security officers, hotel and motel owners and managers, public transit managers, and adult entertainment establishment owners and managers.
Also under the bill, except with respect to individuals who are required by law to report suspected human trafficking, a failure to report a case of human trafficking does not automatically subject an owner or employee to liability to the human trafficking victim or to any other party.
- 2024 Legislature - 2 - LRB-5359/1 MJW&MIM:cjs/wlj/skw ASSEMBLY BILL 973 For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
50.035 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 50.035 (1) (a) and amended to read:
50.035 (1) (a) Each employee of a community-based residential facility shall, within 90 days after the beginning date of employment, receive basic first aid training and other safety training.
The department shall indicate acceptable sources from which facility employees may receive this training.
The department shall also develop instructional materials for use by facilities concerning acceptable methods of operation and procedures for protecting and serving the needs of facility residents.
The department may require that all facility employees complete a program involving these materials and may sell the materials to facilities at cost.
In addition, each facility employee (b) Each employee of a community-based residential facility shall, within 90 days after the beginning date of employment, receive training in fire prevention and control and evacuation techniques.
Each facility shall coordinate its training in fire prevention and control and evacuation techniques with the local fire department.
SECTION 2.
50.035 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
50.035(1) (c) Each employee of a community-based residential facility who has regular, direct contact with facility residents shall, within 60 days after the beginning date of employment and at least every 2 years thereafter, receive training on identifying and preventing human trafficking crimes, as defined in s.
165.505 (1) LRB-5359/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - MJW&MIM:cjs/wlj/skw S ECTION 2 ASSEMBLY BILL 973 (am).
The training required under this paragraph shall include at least all of the following:
Page 2, line 18:
The definitions of human trafficking and the commercial exploitation of children.
after “residents" insert “who are on probation, extended supervision, or parole".
Page 3, line 10:
Guidance on how to identify individuals who are most at risk for human trafficking.
deletEFINITION.In this section “human" and substitute “DEFINITIONS.In this section:
(a) “Campground" means a parcel or tract of land owned by a person, the state, or a local government that is designed, maintained, intended, or used for the purpose of providing campsites, offered with or without charge, for temporary overnight sleeping accommodations.
(b) “Entity principal” means the owner of a lodging establishment or the main contact designated by the owner or organization to represent the owner.
(c) “Human".
Page 3, line 11:
The difference between labor trafficking and sex trafficking.
after that line insert:
S ECTION 3.
LRBa1099/1 - 2024 Legislature - 2 - MIM & MJW:klm “(d) “Lodging establishment” means any of the following:
103.155 of the statutes is created to read:
103.155 Mandatory training regarding human trafficking.
(1) DEFINITION.In this section “human trafficking crimes” has the meaning given in s.
165.505 (1) (am).
(2) TRAINING.
(a) Each employer shall provide training regarding identifying and preventing human trafficking crimes to employees who are likely to interact with the public and vulnerable individuals, as determined by the department.
Show all 107 changed rows (67 more)
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At a minimum, employers shall provide such training to all of their employees who are private security officers, hotel and motel managers, public transit managers, and adult entertainment establishment managers.
Owners of hotels, motels, and adult entertainment establishments are required to undergo the same training at the same intervals as managers employed at those entities.
(b) The training required under this section shall include at least all of the following:
A bed and breakfast establishment, as defined in s.
The definitions of human trafficking and the commercial exploitation of children.
97.01 (1g).
A hotel or motel.
Guidance on how to identify individuals who are most at risk for human trafficking.
In this subdivision, “hotel" or “motel" has the meaning given for “hotel" in s.
- 2024 Legislature - 4 - LRB-5359/1 MJW&MIM:cjs/wlj/skw ASSEMBLY BILL 973 SECTION 3 3.
97.01 (7.) 3.
As relevant, the difference between labor trafficking and sex trafficking specific to the hotel and motel sector.
A tourist rooming house, as defined in s.
97.01 (15k).
A short-term rental, as defined in s.
As relevant, guidance on the role of hospitality employees in reporting and responding to human trafficking.
66.0615 (1) (dk).
A campground.
The contact information of appropriate agencies, including the toll-free telephone number of the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the telephone numbers of the appropriate local law enforcement agencies.
(e) “Site principal” means the person designated by an entity principal to oversee the day-to-day operations of a lodging establishment.”.
(c) The training required under this section shall be at least 20 minutes in length, in person or interactive, and shall be undergone or provided within 60 days of an individual becoming an owner of a hotel, motel, or adult entertainment establishment, or an employee being hired, and at least every 2 years thereafter.
4.
(d) Except for individuals who are required by law to report suspected human trafficking to law enforcement agencies, the failure to report a human trafficking case by an owner or employee who is trained as required under this section does not, by itself, result in the civil liability of any owner or employee to the human trafficking victim in the case in question or to any other party.
Page 3, line 16:
(3) RULES.
delete “hotel and motel managers,".
The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section.
5.
Page 3, line 17:
delete “hotels, motels, and".
6.
Page 3, line 19:
after that line insert:
“(b) Each entity principal shall provide training regarding identifying and preventing human trafficking crimes to employees who are likely to interact with the public and vulnerable individuals, as determined by the department.
At a minimum, each entity principal shall provide such training to the site principal.
Entity principals are required to undergo the same training at the same intervals as the site principal.”.
7.
Page 3, line 20:
delete “(b)" and substitute “(c)".
8.
Page 3, line 25:
after that line insert:
“3.
Guidance on how to identify the signs of human trafficking and how to identify individuals potentially engaged in the act of trafficking.”.
9.
Page 4, line 1:
delete “3" and substitute “4".
10.
Page 4, line 3:
delete “4" and substitute “5".
LRBa1099/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - MIM & MJW:klm 11.
Page 4, line 5:
delete “5" and substitute “6".
12.
Page 4, line 6:
delete “and" and substitute “or".
13.
Page 4, line 8:
delete “(c)" and substitute “(d)".
14.
Page 4, line 10:
delete “owner of a hotel, motel, or" and substitute “entity principal, site principal, or owner of an".
15.
Page 4, line 12:
delete “(d)" and substitute “(e)".
16.
Page 4, line 15:
after “any" insert “entity principal, site principal,".
17.
Page 4, line 15:
delete “owner” and substitute “owner,”.
18.
Page 4, line 17:
after that line insert:
“(4) EDUCATIONAL VIDEO.
The department shall produce a training video regarding the subjects in sub.
(2) (c) and make the video available to the public at no cost on the department's website.”.
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Action History

  1. Published 3-28-2024

  2. Report approved by the Governor on 3-27-2024. 2023 Wisconsin Act 237

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

  4. Report correctly enrolled on 3-15-2024

  5. Received from Senate concurred in

  6. Ordered immediately messaged

  7. Read a third time and concurred in

  8. Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  9. Ordered to a third reading

  10. Read a second time

  11. Placed on calendar 3-12-2024 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  12. Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  13. Available for scheduling

  14. Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 7, Noes 0

  15. Executive action taken

  16. Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  17. Received from Assembly

  18. Ordered immediately messaged

  19. Read a third time and passed

  20. Rules suspended

  21. Ordered to a third reading

  22. Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  23. Read a second time

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

  25. Referred to committee on Rules

  26. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  27. Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities, Ayes 14, Noes 0

  28. Executive action taken

  29. Fiscal estimate received

  30. Fiscal estimate received

  31. Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Gundrum

  32. Fiscal estimate received

  33. Representative Jacobson added as a coauthor

  34. Public hearing held

  35. Read first time and referred to Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities

  36. Introduced by Representatives Gundrum, Stubbs, C. Anderson, Baldeh, Behnke, Brandtjen, Callahan, Conley, Considine, Edming, Emerson, Hurd, Kitchens, Krug, Maxey, Murphy, Mursau, O'Connor, Schraa, Subeck and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Knodl, Ballweg, Taylor, Testin and Wirch

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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21 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 111 not signed on

Sponsors (21)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (111)

111 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 111 →

"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.

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Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors AB 973?
AB 973 is sponsored by Gundrum, Rick (Republican), Stubbs, Shelia (Democrat), Anderson, Clinton (Democrat), Baldeh, Behnke, Elijah (Republican), Brandtjen, Callahan, Calvin (Republican), Conley, Considine, Edming, Emerson, Jodi (Democrat), Hurd, Karen (Republican), Kitchens, Joel (Republican), Krug, Scott (Republican), Maxey, Dave (Republican), Murphy, David (Republican), Mursau, Jeffrey (Republican), O'Connor, Jerry (Republican), Schraa, Subeck, Lisa (Democrat), and Wichgers, Chuck (Republican).
What is the current status of AB 973?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 18, 2024. Enacted.
Where can I track AB 973?
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