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AB 902

Relating to: prohibiting the quarantine of certain animals based on exposure to chronic wasting disease.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Elijah Behnke and 4 co-sponsors

AB 902 would bar quarantines of animals merely for exposure to chronic wasting disease, limiting state authority to quarantine wildlife or cervids.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 902

Bill Summary — AB 902 (Wisconsin, 2025 Session)

Overview

  • Title: Relating to: prohibiting the quarantine of certain animals based on exposure to chronic wasting disease
  • Session/Jurisdiction: Wisconsin 2025
  • Status: Introduced and referred to committee; later action indicates it failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 on 2026-03-23
  • Sponsor push: Reps. Mursau, Tittl, Behnke, Green, O’Connor; co-sponsored by Sen. Tomczyk
  • Co-sponsors: Chanz Green, Paul Tittl, Jerry O’Connor, Jeff Mursau, Elijah Behnke
  • Committee: Read first time and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage (01/23/2026)

Note: The bill’s action history shows it did not advance to enactment, with a failure to pass noted on a later date.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill proposes to prohibit quarantining certain animals based on exposure to chronic wasting disease (CWD).
  • Implicit aim: prevent or restrict nonessential quarantines of animals merely due to exposure to CWD, shifting or limiting regulatory authority related to disease exposure in wildlife or domestic animals.

Key Provisions (as implied by the title and scope)

While the full text is not provided here, the title indicates the core change:
- Prohibition on quarantine measures: The bill would ban or restrict quarantine requirements for animals that have been exposed to CWD.
- The provision likely targets administrative rules or orders that authorize quarantine of wildlife or possibly captive cervids (deer, elk, moose, etc.) when exposure to CWD is suspected or confirmed.
- The bill may define:
- Which animals are affected (e.g., wildlife, captive wildlife, farmed deer/elk).
- What constitutes “exposure” to CWD.
- The exceptions or conditions under which quarantine could still be required (if any).

Affected Parties and Impacts

  • Animals and owners/operators: Wildlife agencies, game farms, zoos, or private operators who manage cervids or other exposed animals.
  • Regulatory agencies: State departments responsible for wildlife health and disease control; would be constrained in enacting quarantines based solely on exposure to CWD.
  • Hunting and wildlife management interests: Policy changes could affect disease management practices and the regulatory burden on entities dealing with potential CWD exposure.
  • Public health and wildlife health stakeholders: The bill would influence how CWD exposure is managed from a quarantine perspective, potentially affecting surveillance and outbreak containment measures.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • Introduction and Referral:
    • Introduced 01/23/2026; referred to the Committee on Sporting Heritage.
  • Action History:
    • 01/23/2026: Read first time and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage.
    • 03/23/2026: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1), indicating a failed passage outcome and inability to advance to enactment during that legislative cycle.
  • Next steps (if any): Depending on legislative strategy, sponsors could reintroduce similar language in a future session, seek amendments, or pursue different vehicles to address quarantines related to CWD.

Plain-Language Takeaway

AB 902 seeks to limit or bar the state from imposing quarantines on animals simply because they have been exposed to chronic wasting disease. While it would restrict quarantine authority, the exact scope, exemptions, and enforcement mechanisms would depend on the bill’s full text and any amendments. As of the latest action, the bill did not advance to enactment in the 2025-2026 cycle.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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