AB 677 closes a dangerous gap in WI law
Madison – State Representative Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego) voted Tuesday to criminalize the act of grooming a child for sexual activity.
Wisconsinites recently discovered over 200 cases of sexual misconduct or grooming were investigated by the Department of Public Instruction from 2018 to 2023. These cases involved teachers and substitute teachers as well as aides and administrators. Many cases were not disclosed to parents or the public and in some cases, named offenders were allowed to resign, or transfer school districts.
The bill creates the crime of grooming and makes it illegal for anyone, in any context, to intentionally use verbal or written comments–either electronic or digital, suggestions, conversations, or to use inappropriate or sexualized physical contact to “seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child” into sexual conduct.
Wichgers, a co-author of Assembly Bill (AB) 677, issued the following statement:
“It is one of the greatest human violations there is – for an adult to abuse the trust, innocence, and naivete of a child or teen for sexual gratification. The State of Wisconsin is moving to clearly make sexual grooming of a child a felony crime, and today I voted in favor of this urgent and important legislation.”
