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Bill > AB731

WI AB731

WI AB731
Telecommunications service access by inmates and juveniles and making an appropriation. (FE)

summary

Introduced
12/03/2025
In Committee
12/03/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires the Department of Corrections and counties to provide certain minimum free telecommunications service access to inmates of state prisons and county jails or houses of correction and juveniles being held in a juvenile correctional facility or detention facility. The bill also provides that telecommunications services may not be used to replace in-person visitation and provides that DOC and counties may not charge inmates or juveniles for access to telecommunications services beyond the required minimums per week and may not charge any other person for the telecommunications services accessed by the inmate or juvenile. Under the bill, DOC and counties are required to minimize costs for telecommunications services by consolidating contracts for such services. The bill provides that DOC must contract for telecommunications services and must allow counties to join the contract at no cost to the county or, if a county does not join the contract, the county must request, and DOC must provide, reimbursement for the cost to provide telecommunications services to inmates up to the amount those services would have cost under DOC’s contract. Under the bill, if a county does not join DOC’s contract, it must submit a report to the legislature describing why it has not joined the contract. The bill also provides that DOC and any county that does not join DOC’s contract must annually submit a report to the legislature that contains a copy of all contracts for telecommunications services, along with a summary of the rates and fees being paid for inmate telecommunications services and data on inmate and juvenile use of telecommunications services, including monthly call and message volume. The bill phases in the minimum telecommunications service access requirements over 18 months and provides to DOC $4,980,500 in the 2025-26 fiscal year and $14,374,600 in the 2026-27 fiscal year to pay for inmate and juvenile telecommunications services and to reimburse counties for inmate telecommunications services. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

This bill requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) and county jails to provide free telecommunications services to inmates and juveniles in correctional and detention facilities, specifically mandating at least 180 minutes of phone calls, 60 minutes of video calls, and 100 text messages per week at no cost to the sender or receiver. The bill prevents these communication services from replacing in-person visitation and prohibits charging inmates or juveniles for additional services beyond the minimum requirements. DOC must contract with a telecommunications provider and allow counties to join this contract at no additional cost, with counties that opt out required to submit detailed reports explaining their decision and requesting reimbursement. Both DOC and counties must minimize telecommunications service costs through consolidated contracts and provide annual reports to the legislature detailing service contracts, rates, fees, and usage data. The bill includes a phased 18-month implementation plan, gradually increasing communication access from current levels to the full weekly minimums, and provides appropriations of $4,980,500 in fiscal year 2025-26 and $14,374,600 in fiscal year 2026-27 to support these telecommunications services and county reimbursements.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (22)

Last Action

Fiscal estimate received (on 02/16/2026)
(1 Companion Bills)

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