Deborah Andraca, Wisconsin State Representative of 23rd District | Official Website
Deborah Andraca, Wisconsin State Representative of 23rd District | Official Website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "harassment of search and rescue dogs and providing a penalty".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill amends existing laws to include search and rescue dogs under the protections previously offered only to animals used by law enforcement agencies and fire departments. It makes it illegal to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or physically harm these animals. Violations result in a Class B forfeiture, escalate to a Class A misdemeanor if the offender is aware the animal is a police, fire, or search and rescue dog, and further escalates to Class I or H felonies if the actions cause injury or death, respectively. The bill also mandates restitution for criminal violators, including costs for veterinary care and replacement animals. The definition of a search and rescue dog is clarified as one trained by a recognized agency to locate missing individuals or disaster victims.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Rick Gundrum (Republican-58th District), Representative Jeffrey Mursau (Republican-36th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), along five other co-sponsors.
Deb Andraca has co-authored or authored another 24 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Andraca graduated from Syracuse University in 1992 with a BA.
Andraca, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2021 to represent the state's 23rd Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Jim Ott.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB239 | 05/02/2025 | Harassment of search and rescue dogs and providing a penalty |
| AB238 | 05/02/2025 | Prohibiting hotels, inns, and motels from discriminating against dog handlers who are accompanied by search and rescue dogs |
| AB224 | 04/23/2025 | The form of referendum questions |
| AB72 | 02/24/2025 | Ratification of the Driver License Compact. (FE) |
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