An Act Relating to: Internet crimes against children law enforcement and making an appropriation. (FE)
Summary
SB955 would increase the state appropriation to the Wisconsin Department of Justice by $400,000 in each year of the 2025-27 biennium for Internet crimes against children law enforcement. The bill is a straightforward funding measure rather than a regulatory overhaul: it directs additional money to the existing DOJ appropriation under s. 20.455 (2) (a) for use in investigating and enforcing laws related to online child exploitation and related offenses.
In practical terms, the bill would raise state spending for specialized law enforcement work focused on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting internet-based crimes against children. Because the bill is limited to an appropriation change, it does not create new criminal offenses or alter substantive child-protection statutes; instead, it changes the fiscal schedule governing DOJ funding for this program during the biennium.
Impact
SB955 amends the state’s appropriations schedule by increasing the Department of Justice funding line for Internet crimes against children law enforcement by $400,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 and another $400,000 in fiscal year 2026-27. Its legal effect is limited to state budget law and the DOJ appropriation statute referenced in s. 20.455 (2) (a), with no direct changes to criminal code provisions or local government duties. The primary affected party is the Department of Justice, which would receive additional resources for cybercrime and child-exploitation enforcement efforts.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly favorable in concept, as reflected by its bipartisan list of introducers and cosponsors, including members from both parties. The subject matter—protecting children from online exploitation—typically draws strong support, and the bill’s narrow focus on law-enforcement funding suggests a practical, noncontroversial approach. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating that despite likely policy support, it did not advance through the legislative process.
Contention
No committee transcript or recorded vote details are available, so specific objections are not documented in the provided materials. The main point of possible contention would likely have been fiscal: whether to allocate an additional $800,000 over the biennium to this DOJ program versus other budget priorities. Any disagreement would have centered on spending levels and appropriations process rather than the underlying goal of combating internet crimes against children.