A new bill authored by State Rep. Chuck Wichgers in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to clarify state jurisdiction over juvenile matters on federally designated land, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “jurisdiction over juveniles on federal enclaves. (FE)”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes that Wisconsin will retain concurrent jurisdiction over juvenile matters on land ceded to the U.S. government for federal use. It stipulates that the governor of Wisconsin must accept an offer of retrocession of jurisdiction from appropriate federal authorities for juveniles aged 10 and older who are alleged to be delinquent or in need of protection or services. Retrocession documents will be filed with the secretary of state and recorded in the county register of deeds where the federal enclave is located. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify the state’s jurisdiction over such juvenile cases within federal enclaves in Wisconsin.
The bill was co-authored by Senator André Jacque (Republican-1st District).
Chuck Wichgers has co-authored or authored another 105 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Wichgers, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 84th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Bob Donovan.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB251 | 05/08/2025 | Jurisdiction over juveniles on federal enclaves. (FE) |
| AB136 | 03/13/2025 | Classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty |
| AB37 | 02/17/2025 | Personalized registration plate fees for gold star family special registration plates. (FE) |
| AB36 | 02/17/2025 | Law enforcement and firefighter annuitants in the Wisconsin Retirement System who are rehired by a participating employer. (FE) |
| AB33 | 02/17/2025 | Representations depicting nudity and providing a penalty |
