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Northwoods Reporter

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Rep. Jacobson authors Wisconsin Assembly bill to criminalize sextortion

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Brent Jacobson, Wisconsin State Representative for 87th District | https://www.facebook.com

Brent Jacobson, Wisconsin State Representative for 87th District | https://www.facebook.com

A new bill authored by State Rep. Brent Jacobson in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to criminalize sextortion and enhance protections for victims, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "extortion, sexual extortion, 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, this bill introduces legislation to address "sextortion," making it a Class I felony to threaten harm to someone's reputation, property, or safety to coerce them into sexual acts or to produce intimate images. The bill upgrades this to a Class H felony if the victim is coerced into compliance, is a minor with an offender close in age, or suffers significant harm. It becomes a Class G felony if the crime is associated with previous sexual offenses, is part of a child abduction, or involves a significant age gap between a minor victim and the offender. The bill also extends victims' compensation to include cases of suicide linked to these crimes and requires the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties to assess the new law's impact. The effective date is not specified within the bill.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District), Representative Calvin T. Callahan (Republican-35th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (Republican-25th District), and Senator Cory Tomczyk (Republican-29th District), along 30 other co-sponsors.

Brent Jacobson has co-authored or authored another 56 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Jacobson graduated from Saint Cloud State University in 2006 with a BS and again in 2009 from West Virginia University College of Law with a JD.

Jacobson, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 87th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative James Edming.

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.

Bills Introduced by Brent Jacobson in Wisconsin Assembly During 2025 Regular Session

Bill NumberDate IntroducedShort Description
AB20104/16/2025Extortion, sexual extortion, and providing a penalty
AB17904/15/2025Requirements for lighting on police vehicles
AB16904/08/2025Various changes to the unemployment insurance law. (FE)
AB16404/08/2025Various changes to the unemployment insurance law and federal Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment grants. (FE)
AB10503/10/2025The distribution of certain material on the Internet
AB8502/28/2025Recommendation to revoke extended supervision, parole, or probation if a person is charged with a crime. (FE)
AB7302/24/2025Statutory recognition of specialized treatment court and commercial court dockets
AB6602/24/2025Dismissing or amending certain criminal charges and deferred prosecution agreements for certain crimes
AB6502/24/2025Entering certain places with intent to commit battery and providing a penalty
AB3302/17/2025Representations depicting nudity and providing a penalty
AB2902/17/2025Impoundment of vehicles used in certain traffic offenses

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