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SJR98 • 2025

equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration)

equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration)

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Senators L. Johnson, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Larson, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch, cosponsored by Representatives Brown, McGuire, Palmeri, Snodgrass, Subeck, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Bare, Clancy, Cruz, DeSmidt, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Hysell, Hong, Joers, Johnson, Kirsch, Madison, Mayadev, McCarville, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Neubauer, Phelps, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Roe, Sheehan, Sinicki, Spaude, Stroud, Stubbs, Taylor, Tenorio, Udell and Vining
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
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.

equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration)

equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration) Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

What This Bill Does

  • equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration) Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

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 Sen.

    Failed to adopt pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. 2026-02-09 Sen.

    Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  3. 2026-01-20 Sen.

    Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor

  4. 2025-11-12 Sen.

    Senator Hesselbein added as a coauthor

  5. 2025-10-09 Sen.

    Introduced by Senators L. Johnson , Carpenter , Dassler-Alfheim , Drake , Habush Sinykin , Larson , Ratcliff , Roys , Spreitzer , Wall and Wirch ; cosponsored by Representatives Brown , McGuire , Palmeri , Snodgrass , Subeck , Anderson , Andraca , Arney , Bare , Clancy , Cruz , DeSmidt , Emerson , Fitzgerald , Hysell , Hong , Joers , Johnson , Kirsch , Madison , Mayadev , McCarville , Miresse , Moore Omokunde , Neubauer , Phelps , Prado , Rivera-Wagner , Roe , Sheehan , Sinicki , Spaude , Stroud , Stubbs , Taylor , Tenorio , Udell and Vining

  6. 2025-10-09 Sen.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

Official Summary Text

equality of rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration)
Status: S - Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: SJR98: Joint Resolution Text

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Proposal Text
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SJR98: Joint Resolution Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4845/1
JK:ajk
2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 98
October 9, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
L. Johnson
,
Carpenter
,
Dassler-Alfheim
,
Drake
,
Habush Sinykin
,
Larson
,
Ratcliff
,
Roys
,
Spreitzer
,
Wall
and
Wirch
, cosponsored by Representatives
Brown
,
McGuire
,
Palmeri
,
Snodgrass
,
Subeck
,
Anderson
,
Andraca
,
Arney
,
Bare
,
Clancy
,
Cruz
,
DeSmidt
,
Emerson
,
Fitzgerald
,
Hysell
,
Hong
,
Joers
,
Johnson
,
Kirsch
,
Madison
,
Mayadev
,
McCarville
,
Miresse
,
Moore Omokunde
,
Neubauer
,
Phelps
,
Prado
,
Rivera-Wagner
,
Roe
,
Sheehan
,
Sinicki
,
Spaude
,
Stroud
,
Stubbs
,
Taylor
,
Tenorio
,
Udell
and
Vining
. Referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
SJR98,1,5
1
To create
section 27 of article I of the constitution;
relating to:
equality of rights
2
on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability,
3
religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any
4
other immutable characteristic and creating a private cause of action for
5
violations of those rights by state actors (first consideration).
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2025 legislature on first consideration, provides that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the state or by any political subdivision of the state on account of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic. The constitutional amendment requires the state and each political subdivision to protect and secure the equality of these rights and creates a private cause of action against the state or the appropriate political subdivision of the state for violations of the rights guaranteed under the amendment.
A constitutional amendment requires adoption by two successive legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.
SJR98,1,6
6
Resolved by the
senate
, the
assembly
concurring, That:
SJR98,1
1
Section
1
.
Section 27 of article I of the constitution is created to read:
SJR98,2,5
2
[Article I] Section 27 (1) Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied
3
or abridged by the state or by any political subdivision of the state on account of sex,
4
gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin,
5
marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic.
SJR98,2,8
6
(2) Any person aggrieved by a violation of sub. (1) shall have a private cause of
7
action in any court of competent jurisdiction against the state or the appropriate
8
political subdivision of the state.
SJR98,2,10
9
(3) The state and each political subdivision of the state shall protect and
10
secure the equality of rights guaranteed by this section.
SJR98,2
11
Section
2
. Numbering of new provisions.
If another constitutional
12
amendment ratified by the people creates the number of any provision created in
13
this joint resolution, the chief of the legislative reference bureau shall determine
14
the sequencing and the numbering of the provisions whose numbers conflict.
SJR98,2,17
15
Be it further resolved, That
this proposed amendment be referred to the
16
legislature to be chosen at the next general election and that it be published for
17
three months previous to the time of holding such election.
SJR98,2,18
18
(end)

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