Navigating Compliance - Wisconsin 2023 Act 235
The effective date (April 1, 2025) of 2023 WI Act 235 is coming up quickly. This new law requires shielding certain personal information (such as home addresses) from public view at the request of judicial officers and their families. According to Attolles Law/Wisconsin Counties Association, “After a government agency receives a written request from a judicial officer, the government agency must remove any such publicly available content including personal information of the judicial officer within 10 business days and may not make any such information publicly available in the future.” (see Legal Analysis and Summary reference below).
WLIA is actively seeking amendments to clarify the language in the law. However, we need to prepare for April 1st as the law is written today. The WLIA Technical Committee’s Judicial Privacy Task Force and PRIA Local are working with other groups on these efforts. Over the last several months, we have developed a framework to guide public agencies as they prepare to comply with the law. This document is NOT legal advice. It intends to help state and local agencies understand the common compliance considerations related to WI Act 235 and land records. Agencies should seek legal opinions from their legal counsel and risk management professionals. Click the image below to view the document.
Upcoming Events
February 27 - A panel discussion about Act 235 will take place at the WLIA Annual Conference.
February 19 and March 7 - Wisconsin Counties Association two-part webinar. Registration is required
First Webinar
The first webinar, scheduled for February 19, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 p.m., will provide an overview and focus on county implementation and concerns.
Second Webinar
The second webinar, scheduled for March 7, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 p.m., will continue the implementation discussion and focus on the role of cities, villages and towns under Act 235 and how counties and municipalities can work together to ensure compliance.
Please note you must register separately for Part 1 on February 19, 2025 and Part 2 on March 7, 2025. Both webinars will be recorded.
February 19, 2025: 12:00-1:00 p.m. Registration Link
March 7, 2025: 12:00-1:00 p.m. Registration Link
Please note you must pre-register for both of these webinars. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
For more information on the Judicial Privacy Act, please refer to the resources below.
2023 WI Act 235 - Date of Publication: March 28, 2024
How to Prepare for Wisconsin 2023 Act 235 - November 15, 2024 - WLIA
Legal Analysis and Summary - 2023 Wisconsin Act 235 - September 9, 2024 - Attolles Law/Wisconsin Counties Association
Preserving the Integrity of Statewide Parcel Data under the New Judicial Privacy Law (Part I) - December 12, 2024 - State Cartographer’s Office