Green Bay Reporter

A bill authored by State Rep. Shae A. Sortwell in the Wisconsin Assembly aims to protect consumer data by setting standards for data access, correction, deletion, and transparency for large data controllers, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "consumer data protection and providing a penalty. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes consumer data protection laws, requiring entities that control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers, or 25,000 consumers with over 50% revenue from data sale, to comply with specified obligations. These include allowing consumers rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain personal data, and to opt out of targeted advertising or data sale. The bill mandates transparency through clear privacy notices and prohibits discrimination against consumers who exercise these rights. Contracts regulating data processors must meet specific terms, and controllers must conduct assessments on data protection. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Department of Justice have exclusive enforcement authority, imposing penalties up to $10,000 per violation. A preemptive clause prevents local governments from enacting conflicting data ordinances. The bill is effective from July 1, 2027, with certain enforcement provisions evolving by July 1, 2031.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (Republican-25th District), Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Howard L. Marklein (Republican-17th District), Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), and Senator Kelda Roys (Democrat-26th District), along with 21 other co-sponsors.

Shae A. Sortwell has co-authored or authored another 32 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Sortwell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2006 with a BA.

Sortwell, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2019 to represent the state's 2nd Assembly district, replacing previous state representative André Jacque.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
AB172	04/09/2025	Consumer data protection and providing a penalty. (FE)
AB149	03/17/2025	The nomination of presidential electors
AB132	03/13/2025	Creating a board to organize, promote, and host a Wisconsin nuclear power summit. (FE)
AB127	03/11/2025	The duty of a pharmacist to dispense lawfully prescribed drugs and devices. (FE)
AB108	03/11/2025	A nuclear power siting study and time limits for taking final action on certain certificate of public convenience and necessity applications. (FE)
AB88	02/28/2025	Civil action for injury or damages resulting from riot or vandalism, participation in a riot, prohibiting certain limitations or restrictions on law enforcement responses to riot or vandalism activity, and providing a penalty
AB87	02/28/2025	Restitution orders following a conviction for human trafficking and restoration of the right to vote to a person barred from voting as a result of a felony conviction. (FE)
AB86	02/28/2025	Imposing the penalty of life imprisonment for the crime of child trafficking and providing a penalty. (FE)
AB42	02/17/2025	Local regulation of fowl
AB41	02/17/2025	Local regulation of vegetable gardens
AB26	02/17/2025	Battery or threat to jurors and providing a penalty
AB17	02/06/2025	Creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE)