Feb. 23, 2026 – Last week, the Assembly wrapped up their main body of work for the 2025-26 legislative session. The Senate expected to follow suit in a few weeks during the Mar. 17-19 floor session. Depending on action taken in the Senate, the Assembly may then return to finalize a few items or vote on a final tax and spending package that is being considered after new state budget estimates show a $2.5 billion surplus.

For advocates of a particular policy, it’s often disappointing when a topic that seems to have support ends up tabled at the end of session. However, tracking the evolution and outcome of an unsuccessful legislative attempt is helpful and can inform future advocacy.

Back in October, Senator Van Wanggaard (R - Racine) and Representative Jessie Rodriguez (R - Oak Creek) introduced Senate Bill 577 / Assembly Bill 583. The bill would increase the annual and lifetime caps for compensation for individuals wrongfully convicted of a crime to $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment with a $1 million cap. The bill was covered in more detail in the Nov. 10, 2025 Rotunda Report.

Upon introduction, SB 577/AB 583 enjoyed bipartisan support with 18 additional Assembly co-sponsors and 5 Senate co-sponsors. Since then, four additional legislators signed on to the bill, for a total of 29 sponsors/co-sponsors. The State Bar of Wisconsin, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Catholic Conference all registered and testified in favor of the bill, with no organizations registering in opposition. While such support can indicate that a bill is likely to pass, it is not guaranteed.

On Feb. 2, 2026, Rep. Jessie Rodriguez offered Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 to the bill. The amendment made several changes to the original bill, but it retained the increase in compensation limits and the establishment of a new procedure for reviewing compensation claims for exonerees involving the Division of Hearings and Appeals (DHA) instead of the claims board.

This Substitute Amendment was adopted by a 10-0 vote by the Assembly Committee on State Affairs on Feb. 3. Despite the unanimous support in committee, the bill failed to be scheduled for a floor vote in the Assembly.

The State Bar’s Board of Governors believes in appropriately compensating exonerees for the injustice they have suffered and the years of freedom they have lost. The State Bar Advocacy Team remains committed to educating lawmakers on the importance of this goal. As a member, you can help advocate for justice for the wrongly convicted by reaching out to your lawmakers and sharing your viewpoint on the issue, too.

What You Can Do: State Bar Advocacy Network

State Bar members are encouraged to send a message to their lawmakers expressing support on legislative topics which positively affect the legal system using the Advocacy Network. Select "Choose Your Own" to craft messages to any of your elected officials, from President of the United States down to your local municipal officials.

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