William Penterman, Wisconsin State Representative for 37th District | Official website
William Penterman, Wisconsin State Representative for 37th District | Official website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "prostitution crime surcharge and making an appropriation. (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 a $5,000 surcharge on individuals convicted of crimes related to prostitution, including patronizing or soliciting prostitutes, pandering, maintaining a place of prostitution, and offenses involving children. The collected funds will be split equally, with half allocated to providing treatment and services for sex-trafficking victims and the other half directed towards criminal investigative operations and law enforcement activities focused on internet crimes against children. The collected surcharges will support these initiatives statewide, ensuring services and operations are accessible in both urban and rural areas. The provisions will apply to offenses committed from the bill's effective date.
The bill was co-authored by Senator André Jacque (Republican-1st District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Russell Goodwin (Democrat-12th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), along six other co-sponsors.
William Penterman has co-authored or authored another 21 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Penterman graduated from Ripon College in 2018 with a BA.
Penterman, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 38th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Barbara Dittrich.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB84 | 02/28/2025 | Prostitution crime surcharge and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| AB32 | 02/17/2025 | Access to public high schools for military recruiters |
| AB30 | 02/17/2025 | Prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state |
| AB29 | 02/17/2025 | Impoundment of vehicles used in certain traffic offenses |
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