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AB912 • 2025

an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence

an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence

Children
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representatives Franklin, Behnke, Dittrich, Goeben, Knodl, Murphy, O'Connor, Rivera-Wagner, Spaude and Steffen, cosponsored by Senators Jacque and Wall
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
A - Tabled
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence

an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence Status: A - Tabled

What This Bill Does

  • an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence Status: A - Tabled

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-23 Asm.

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. 2026-02-26 Asm.

    Representative Subeck added as a coauthor

  3. 2026-02-19 Asm.

    Laid on the table

  4. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Representative Kitchens added as a coauthor

  5. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Senator Ratcliff added as a cosponsor

  6. 2026-02-18 Asm.

    Made a special order of business at 11:45 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14

  7. 2026-02-04 Asm.

    Executive action taken

  8. 2026-02-04 Asm.

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary , Ayes 8, Noes 0

  9. 2026-02-04 Asm.

    Referred to committee on Rules

  10. 2026-01-29 Asm.

    Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor

  11. 2026-01-29 Asm.

    Public hearing held

  12. 2026-01-26 Asm.

    Introduced by Representatives Franklin , Behnke , Dittrich , Goeben , Knodl , Murphy , O'Connor , Rivera-Wagner , Spaude and Steffen ; cosponsored by Senators Jacque and Wall

  13. 2026-01-26 Asm.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement admitted as evidence
Status: A - Tabled

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: AB912: Bill Text

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Proposal Text
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AB912: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5424/1
JK:klm
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 912
January 26, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives
Franklin
,
Behnke
,
Dittrich
,
Goeben
,
Knodl
,
Murphy
,
O'Connor
,
Rivera-Wagner
,
Spaude
and
Steffen
, cosponsored by Senators
Jacque
and
Wall
. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AB912,1,3
1
An Act

to amend
908.08 (3) (a) (intro.), 908.08 (3) (a) 2. and 908.08 (4) (intro.)
2
of the statutes;
relating to:
an audiovisual recording of a child’s statement
3
admitted as evidence.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, in any criminal trial or hearing, juvenile fact-finding hearing regarding a child alleged to be in need of protection or services, or a hearing regarding the revocation of probation or parole, a court or hearing examiner may admit into evidence the audiovisual recording of an oral statement of a child who is available to testify. Before admitting the recorded statement as evidence, the court or hearing examiner must conduct a hearing on the statement’s admissibility and rule on any objections to its admissibility.
Under current law, the court or hearing examiner must admit the recorded statement if the trial or hearing in which the statement is offered commences before the child’s 12th birthday or commences before the child’s 16th birthday and the interests of justice warrant its admission; the recording is accurate; the child’s statement was made upon oath or affirmation; the time, content, and circumstances of the statement provide an indication of its trustworthiness; and admission of the statement will not unfairly surprise any party or deprive any party of a fair opportunity to meet allegations made in the statement.
Finally, current law requires the court or hearing examiner to consider a number of factors to determine whether the interests of justice warrant the admission of an audiovisual recording of a statement of a child who is at least 12 years of age but younger than 16 years of age. The factors include the child’s chronological age and level of development, general physical and mental health, and capacity to comprehend the significance of the events being addressed by the court or hearing examiner.
Under this bill, the court or hearing examiner may admit into evidence the audiovisual recording of an oral statement of a child who is available to testify if the recording was made before the child’s 12th birthday or made before the child’s 18th birthday and the interests of justice warrant its admission. The draft also requires the court or hearing examiner to consider the factors under current law to determine whether the interests of justice warrant the admission of the recorded statement of a child who is at least 12 years of age but younger than 18 years of age.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB912,1
1
Section

1
.
908.08 (3) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB912,2,3
2
908.08
(3)
(a) (intro.) That the
trial or hearing in which the recording is
3
offered will commence

recording was made
:
AB912,2
4
Section

2
.
908.08 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB912,2,6
5
908.08
(3)
(a) 2. Before the child’s
16th

18th
birthday and the interests of
6
justice warrant its admission under sub. (4).
AB912,3
7
Section

3
.
908.08 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB912,2,11
8
908.08
(4)
(intro.) In determining whether the interests of justice warrant the
9
admission of an audiovisual recording of a statement of a child who is at least 12
10
years of age but younger than
16

18
years of age, among the factors which the court
11
or hearing examiner may consider are any of the following:
AB912,4
12
Section

4
. Initial applicability.
AB912,2,14
13
(
1
)

This act first applies to actions commenced on the effective date of this
14
subsection.
AB912,2,15
15
(end)

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