MADISON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – Governor Tony Evers took action on a bill Friday that addresses the crime of grooming a child for sexual activity.
Evers signed Assembly Bill 677, now known as the 2025 Wisconsin Act 88, into law. The bill, introduced in November 2025, received bipartisan support.
The new law establishes the crime of grooming a child for sexual activity, with penalties increasing for offenders in positions of trust or authority. Examples of grooming include: sexual conversations, inappropriate physical contact and digital communications meant to seduce a child.
“Defining grooming is a critical step to give law enforcement and local school districts the tools they need to hold bad actors accountable for hurting our kids,” Evers said in a statement. “And I’m glad the Legislature took this seriously this session and passed bipartisan legislation to get this done.”
The legislation also extends the statute of limitations for these offenses until the victim is 45 years old. It also clarifies that the offense of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteers applies to any student in Wisconsin.
The act stipulates that consent cannot be used as a defense in cases of grooming.
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