Kenosha Reporter

The new bill authored by State Rep. Bob G. Donovan seeks to improve transparency and accountability in the justice system through systematic data collection, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "Department of Justice collection and reporting of certain criminal case data. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the Wisconsin Department of Justice to gather specific criminal case data from the director of state courts for each case filed in circuit court. The information to be collected includes details such as the county of the case, prosecuting attorney, court official, criminal charges, bail conditions, plea bargains, deferred prosecution agreements, dismissals, and convictions. This data will be compiled annually, reported to legislative clerks, and maintained in a DOJ database accessible online for 10 years without including personal identifiers. This bill aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the justice system. The act becomes effective on the first day of the seventh month after its publication.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Rob Hutton (Republican-5th District), Representative Dave Maxey (Republican-83rd District), Representative Clint P. Moses (Republican-92nd District), Representative Jeffrey Mursau (Republican-36th District), Representative Jerry L. O'Connor (Republican-60th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Julian Bradley (Republican-28th District), Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), and Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), along three other co-sponsors.

Bob G. Donovan has co-authored or authored another 17 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Donovan graduated from St. Francis De Sales Seminary and again from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee.

Donovan, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 61st Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Amanda Nedweski.

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
AB75	02/28/2025	Department of Justice collection and reporting of certain criminal case data. (FE)