Wisconsin currently stands without a comprehensive data privacy law, but significant legislative activity in 2025 signals potential changes ahead. Two companion bills, Senate Bill 166 and Assembly Bill 172, are progressing through committees and would establish substantial consumer privacy protections if enacted[1][2][3]. These proposed laws would grant Wisconsin residents rights to access, correct, delete, and control the use of their personal data while requiring businesses to implement transparent privacy practices and conduct risk assessments[4][5]. The legislation represents Wisconsin’s renewed effort to join other states in comprehensive data privacy regulation, following a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2022[6].

Privacy Law Status

Your Rights as a Wisconsin Resident

Under the proposed Wisconsin privacy legislation, residents would gain comprehensive rights over their personal data, similar to protections available in other states with comprehensive privacy laws.

• Right to know what data is collected: You would have the right to confirm whether a business is processing your personal data and access information about what data is being collected, how it’s used, and with whom it’s shared
• Right to delete personal information: You could require businesses to delete personal data they have collected about you, with certain exceptions for legal compliance and legitimate business purposes
• Right to opt out of data sales: You would have the right to opt out of the sale of your personal data and the processing of your data for targeted advertising purposes
• Right to correct inaccurate data: You could request that businesses correct any inaccuracies in your personal information they maintain
• Right to non-discrimination: Businesses would be prohibited from discriminating against you for exercising any of these privacy rights

The proposed legislation would also provide you with the right to data portability, allowing you to obtain copies of your personal data in a common file format, and establish appeal processes if a business refuses to honor your requests[4][5].

Business Requirements

The proposed Wisconsin privacy law would establish clear obligations for businesses that collect and process consumer personal data.

• Coverage thresholds: The law would apply to businesses that control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers annually, or those processing data of at least 25,000 consumers while deriving over 50 percent of revenue from personal data sales[6][5]
• Privacy notice requirements: Covered businesses must provide clear privacy notices disclosing what data they collect, how they use it, what categories of third parties receive the data, and how consumers can exercise their rights[4][5]
• Consumer request procedures: Companies must establish processes to respond to consumer requests for access, correction, deletion, and opt-outs, typically within specified timeframes and without charge for annual requests[5]
• Data protection assessments: Businesses must conduct formal risk assessments for certain high-risk activities including targeted advertising, data sales, profiling, and processing sensitive data[4][5]
• Security and breach obligations: Companies must implement reasonable security measures and may be subject to enforcement actions for violations, with penalties up to $10,000 per violation[4][5]

Practical Impact

• Enhanced daily privacy protection: If enacted, Wisconsin residents would gain meaningful control over how their personal information is collected and used by businesses, particularly in online advertising, retail, and technology services where data collection is extensive
• Violation reporting and enforcement: The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Department of Justice would have exclusive enforcement authority, allowing residents to file complaints through established consumer protection channels[4][5]
• Current limitations: Without enacted legislation, Wisconsin residents currently rely on federal laws like HIPAA for health data and sectoral protections, while lacking comprehensive state-level privacy rights that exist in states like California, Virginia, and others[6]
• Local preemption concerns: The proposed legislation would prohibit local municipalities from enacting their own data privacy regulations, centralizing authority at the state level but potentially limiting community-specific protections[1][4]

Comparison Context

• Catching up with privacy leaders: Wisconsin’s proposed law would align the state with comprehensive privacy legislation enacted in states like California, Virginia, Connecticut, and others, though implementation would come years after these pioneering states established their frameworks
• Similar rights structure: The proposed Wisconsin law mirrors key consumer rights found in other state privacy laws, including access, correction, deletion, and opt-out rights, while incorporating data protection assessments similar to Virginia’s approach[6][7]
• Business threshold differences: Wisconsin’s proposed 100,000 consumer threshold for coverage is similar to Virginia and other states, though some states like California cast a broader net with different criteria
• Enforcement approach: While Wisconsin’s proposed law would primarily rely on state agency enforcement (DATCP and DOJ), it would also provide consumers with the right to seek civil damages specifically for violations involving sensitive data, offering some individual recourse mechanisms.

Action Steps for Residents

• Monitor legislative progress: Stay informed about the status of SB 166 and AB 172 by checking the Wisconsin Legislature website or setting up alerts for these specific bills as they move through committees
• Contact your representatives: Reach out to your state senator and assembly representative to express your views on privacy legislation, whether supportive or concerned about specific provisions
• Current privacy protection: While awaiting potential state legislation, review privacy settings on social media platforms, opt out of data broker services where possible, and utilize existing federal protections for health and financial information
• Prepare for potential implementation: If legislation passes, familiarize yourself with your new rights and the processes for exercising them, including how to submit requests to businesses and file complaints with state agencies
• Engage in public comment: Watch for public hearings or comment periods related to these bills, as legislative committees often accept public input during the consideration process

Official Resources and Contact Information

Wisconsin State Legislature

To find your specific state senator and assembly representative, use the Wisconsin Legislature’s “Find My Legislators” tool or contact the Legislative Directory. Your representatives are key contacts for expressing views on privacy legislation.

Wisconsin Legislature Website: https://legis.wisconsin.gov

Legislative Hotline: Call (608) 266-9960 in Madison or toll-free at 1-800-362-9472 to find your legislators and get their contact information[8][9][10].

Email Format: Assembly representatives use Rep.LastName@legis.wisconsin.gov and senators use Sen.LastName@legis.wisconsin.gov[8].

Consumer Protection Agency

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection serves as the state’s primary consumer protection agency and would be the main enforcement agency for privacy legislation if enacted.

DATCP Consumer Protection: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/ConsumerProtection.aspx

Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 422-7128 or email DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov for general consumer protection issues and information[11][12][13].

File Consumer Complaints: https://datcp.wi.gov/pages/programs_services/fileconsumercomplaint.aspx

Wisconsin Department of Justice

The Department of Justice would share enforcement authority for privacy violations and handles broader consumer protection issues.

DOJ Consumer Protection: https://www.wisdoj.gov/Pages/PublicSafety/protecting-consumers.aspx

Legislative Bill Tracking

Monitor the specific privacy bills currently under consideration in the Wisconsin Legislature.

Senate Bill 166: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb166

Assembly Bill 172: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab172

For general information about legislative processes and bill histories, contact the Legislative Reference Bureau at (608) 504-5802[9].

Sources and Citations

Last Updated August 2025. Written with contributions from both human authors and Perplexity AI. If you find incorrect or outdated information let us know at support@optery.com.