Type: Legislatively-referred amendment
Status: Died in Committee (as of 3/12)

In November 2011, Wisconsin legislators filed Joint Resolution 77 to introduce a prospective personhood amendment to the WI Constitution. The proposed amendment declares that “As applied to the right to life, the terms “people” and “person” shall apply to every human being at any stage of development.”

Under Wisconsin law, any constitutional amendment must be approved by a majority in both houses of the legislature, in two separate legislative sessions, before being placed on the statewide ballot for voter approval. Therefore, the proposed personhood amendment would not appear on the ballot until 2013 at the earliest.

AJR 77 was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and State Affairs for consideration. It failed to progress by the March 15 deadline for passage, and died at the end of the session. It did not appear on the 2012 ballot.

The Wisconsin personhood amendment is opposed by Wisconsin Right to Life.