The new bill authored by State Rep. Andrew Hysell in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to establish a civil cause of action for individuals whose constitutional rights have been violated by state actors, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “establishing a civil cause of action for civil rights violations”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill creates a civil cause of action for individuals whose civil rights have been violated. It allows a person who has been deprived of due process or equal protection rights, or other rights under the U.S. or state constitutions or laws, by someone acting under color of law, to sue for damages and seek injunctive or other appropriate relief. The bill includes provisions for suing against state entities and mandates that prevailing plaintiffs be awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs. This legal action must be initiated within six years of the alleged violation. The bill becomes applicable to causes of action arising from its effective date.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), and Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), along 22 other co-sponsors.
Andrew Hysell has co-authored or authored another 28 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Hysell graduated from Carroll University in 1993 with a BS and again in 2003 from Georgetown University Law Center with a JD.
Hysell, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 48th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Samba Baldeh.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AB331 | 07/08/2025 | Establishing a civil cause of action for civil rights violations |
