MADISON – Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed legislation authored by Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R–Pleasant Prairie) to create a specific felony offense for grooming a child for sexual activity, closing a major gap in Wisconsin law and giving prosecutors the tools they need to hold predators accountable. The bill passed on a vote of 93-6.
“For far too long, Wisconsin law has failed to adequately protect victims by refusing to call grooming what it is—a deliberate, predatory act that is often the first step toward further sexual abuse,” Rep. Nedweski said. “This bill was inspired by real cases right here in Wisconsin, where adults abused positions of trust, manipulated children over months or years, and ultimately faced little more than misdemeanor charges. That is unacceptable.”
The legislation establishes a new crime of grooming of a child for sexual activity, defined as a course of conduct, pattern of behavior, or series of acts with the intention to condition, seduce, lure, or entice a child for the purpose of engaging in sexual intercourse or sexual contact. The bill creates a base Class G felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison, with escalating penalties if the offender was in a position of trust over the victim, if there are multiple victims, or if the victim has a disability. By clearly defining grooming in statute, the bill ensures prosecutors are no longer forced to rely on lesser charges that fail to reflect the severity of the conduct.
The bill was prompted in part by the Kenosha County case of former teacher Christian Enwright, who groomed a then-12-year-old student over two school years, exchanging thousands of messages with the child—many of which were sexualized in nature. Despite overwhelming evidence of sexually inappropriate conduct, Enwright could only be charged with 22 counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and will serve at most a year in jail because Wisconsin law lacked a specific grooming offense.
“AB 677 treats grooming as the serious crime that it is, closing the gap in state law and giving prosecutors greater ability to hold predators accountable and give families and victims the justice that they deserve,” Nedweski added. “This bill specifically targets the intentional, calculated, and manipulative behaviors that predators use to exploit our children’s innocence.”
The bill advanced with bipartisan support and backing from key stakeholders, including prosecutors, victim advocates, and the Department of Public Instruction.
“I am incredibly grateful to the district attorneys, law enforcement professionals, victim advocates, parents, and educators who helped shape this bill and stood with us throughout this process,” Nedweski said. “Their expertise and lived experience made this legislation stronger and ensured the focus is where it belongs—on protecting children.”
The legislation now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
Rep. Nedweski represents the 32nd Assembly District, which includes the Town and Village of Bloomfield, Village of Bristol, Town of Brighton, Village of Genoa City, portions of Kenosha, portions of Lake Geneva, Village of Paddock Lake, Town of Paris, Village of Pleasant Prairie, Town of Randall, Village of Salem Lakes, Village of Twin Lakes, and the Town of Wheatland.
