Rob Hutton, Wisconsin State Senator for 5th District | Facebook
Rob Hutton, Wisconsin State Senator for 5th District | Facebook
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill addresses the procedure for issuing criminal complaints in cases of officer-involved deaths. Under current law, a district attorney has the discretion to issue a criminal complaint against a person, and if they refuse, a judge can hold a hearing to determine probable cause and potentially issue a complaint. The bill stipulates that when it comes to officer-involved deaths, defined as deaths resulting directly from an officer's actions or omissions, a court cannot issue a complaint against the officer unless new or unused evidence is presented, provided the district attorney has ruled out a basis for prosecution. This regulation applies to determinations made by district attorneys starting on the bill's effective date.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Clint P. Moses (Republican-92nd District), Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), Senator Patrick Testin (Republican-24th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Robert Brooks (Republican-59th District), along 13 other co-sponsors.
Rob Hutton has co-authored another two bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Hutton graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1990 with a BA.
Hutton, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 5th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Dale Kooyenga.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB25 | 02/05/2025 | Court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths |
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