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: "dismissing or amending certain criminal charges and deferred prosecution agreements for certain crimes".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates court approval before a prosecutor can dismiss or amend charges for specific crimes, including domestic abuse, auto theft, and various violent crimes, aiming to align actions with public interest and legislative intent. It includes crimes such as first, second, or third-degree sexual assault, offenses against children, illegal firearm possession by individuals with violent felony backgrounds, and reckless driving causing significant harm. Furthermore, the bill prohibits deferred prosecution agreements for these named crimes. It requires the court to report any dismissals or amendments to the legislature and seeks to ensure that legal actions against offenders of these serious crimes are rigorously pursued. The bill becomes applicable to complaints, charges, or information filed from its effective date onwards.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Brent Jacobson (Republican-87th District) Senator Cory Tomczyk (Republican-29th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District), and Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), along eight other co-sponsors.
Rob Hutton has authored or co-authored another nine 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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB76 | 02/26/2025 | Dismissing or amending certain criminal charges and deferred prosecution agreements for certain crimes |
| SB38 | 02/12/2025 | Personalized registration plate fees for gold star family special registration plates. (FE) |
| SB25 | 02/05/2025 | Court-issued criminal complaints in officer-involved deaths |
Alerts Sign-up