Bill > SB169

This bill modifies privacy protections for judicial officers by establishing more specific guidelines for requesting the removal of personal information from public view. The bill requires that written requests for privacy protection must now be notarized and include a detailed description of the records believed to contain personal information. A judicial officer must send such a request directly to a designated officer of a government agency, which is defined as the highest-ranking employee or an officially designated representative. The bill clarifies that a home address is considered personal information only when directly associated with the judicial officer's name, and requires officers to update their requests within 90 days if their home address changes. The legislation also introduces liability protections for government agencies, stating they are not liable for privacy violations unless the actions are intentional or reckless. Additionally, the bill allows government agencies to share information with each other for legitimate governmental purposes and provides exceptions to privacy restrictions, such as when information disclosure is legally required. The bill amends previous privacy protection legislation (Act 235) to provide more precise and comprehensive guidelines for protecting judicial officers' personal information.

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https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb169