2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4053/1
CMH&MJW:ajk&klm
December 3, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Clancy, Hong, Phelps, Madison, Arney, Tenorio, Bare, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Stroud, Stubbs, Taylor and Udell, cosponsored by Senators Roys, L. Johnson and Larson. Referred to Committee on Corrections.
AB730,1,3
1An Act to create 302.094 of the statutes; relating to: in-person visiting
2periods for inmates of state correctional institutions and county jails or houses
3of correction. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill provides that any visitor to a state correctional institution or county jail or house of correction must be registered as a visitor of the inmate he or she is visiting and that an inmate may designate up to 25 individuals to be registered as his or her visitors. The bill outlines the process required to remove a visitor from an inmate’s registration list.
The bill requires the Department of Corrections to allow each inmate of a state correctional institution and sheriffs to allow each inmate of a county jail or house of correction at least two in-person visiting periods per week unless the inmate is subject to a lockdown or is in solitary confinement. If the inmate is subject to a lockdown or is in solitary confinement, DOC or the sheriff may deny visits for a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days.
The bill also requires the warden or superintendent of a state correctional institution or the sheriff for a county jail or house of correction to allow an inmate to physically embrace each visitor for at least 20 seconds at the beginning and end of each visiting period.
The bill additionally requires the warden or superintendent of a state correctional institution or the sheriff for a county jail or house of correction to provide each visitor with paper, a pen or pencil, and crayons or markers to use during a visit and requires that inmates be allowed to keep an original note, drawing, or other original work if it was created during a visit using the materials that were provided by the warden, superintendent, or sheriff.
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:
AB730,1
1Section 1. 302.094 of the statutes is created to read: AB730,2,42302.094 In-person visiting periods for inmates of state correctional 3institutions and county jails or houses of correction. (1) Definitions. In 4this section: AB730,2,65(a) “Visiting period” means an in-person visit between a visitor and an inmate 6of a state correctional institution or county jail or house of correction. AB730,2,97(b) “Visitor” means any person who is visiting an inmate of a state 8correctional institution or county jail or house of correction who is not one of the 9following: AB730,2,11101. An employee of or volunteer at the state correctional institution or county 11jail or house of correction where the inmate is being held. AB730,2,13122. An attorney or counselor whose purpose is to provide legal support to the 13inmate. AB730,2,15143. An elected official or government employee who is visiting the state 15correctional institution or county jail or house of correction in an official capacity. AB730,3,816(2) Registering visitors for visiting periods. Each visitor to a state 17correctional institution or county jail or house of correction shall be registered as a
1visitor of the inmate he or she is visiting. Each inmate of a state correctional 2institution or county jail or house of correction may designate 25 individuals to be 3registered as his or her visitors. An inmate or visitor may request that the visitor 4be removed from the registration list of that inmate at any time. The department, 5for a state correctional institution, or the sheriff, for a county jail or house of 6correction, may not remove a visitor from an inmate's registration list unless a 7reason is provided for the removal in writing, and the removal shall be appealable 8by the inmate or visitor through a formal complaint process. AB730,3,119(3) Visiting periods for inmates of state correctional institutions. (a) 101. Except as provided in subd. 2., the department shall ensure that each inmate of 11a state correctional institution is allowed at least 2 visiting periods per week. AB730,3,14122. If an inmate is subject to a partial or full prison lockdown or is being held in 13solitary confinement, the department may deny visiting periods under subd. 1. for 14a period not to exceed 10 consecutive days. AB730,3,1715(b) During a visiting period under par. (a) 1., the warden or superintendent 16shall allow the inmate to physically embrace each visitor for a minimum of 20 17seconds at the beginning and end of each visiting period. AB730,3,2018(c) 1. During a visiting period under par. (a) 1., the warden or superintendent 19shall, upon request, provide each visitor paper, a pen or pencil, and crayons or 20markers for use during the visiting period. AB730,3,23212. Whenever a visitor produces an original note, drawing, or other original 22work using materials provided under subd. 1., the inmate shall be permitted to 23retain that original note, drawing, or work. AB730,4,4
1(4) Visiting periods for inmates of county jails or houses of 2correction. (a) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., the sheriff shall ensure that 3each inmate of a county jail or house of correction is allowed at least 2 visiting 4periods per week. AB730,4,752. If an inmate is subject to a partial or full lockdown or is being held in 6solitary confinement, the sheriff may deny visiting periods under subd. 1. for a 7period not to exceed 10 consecutive days. AB730,4,108(b) During a visiting period under par. (a) 1., the sheriff shall allow the inmate 9to physically embrace each visitor for a minimum of 20 seconds at the beginning 10and end of each visiting period. AB730,4,1311(c) 1. During a visiting period under par. (a) 1., the sheriff shall, upon request, 12provide each visitor paper, a pen or pencil, and crayons or markers for use during 13the visiting period. AB730,4,16142. Whenever a visitor produces an original note, drawing, or other original 15work using materials provided under subd. 1., the inmate shall be permitted to 16retain that original note, drawing, or work.
