AB-726: Minimum Wage for Incarcerated People

Wisconsin’s Constitution–like the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution–permits slavery and involuntary servitude for those convicted of a crime.

For individuals incarcerated in DOC institutions, their families often go into debt to help cover the cost of phone calls and electronic messages with loved ones and assist with the cost of basic needs items in commissary outside of the tiny bar of soap, tiny tube of toothpaste, and single stamped envelope received every two weeks. Notably, depending on job classification, those incarcerated in DOC institutions earn between $0.05 per hour to $0.12 per hour; and for a small proportion with extra security clearance, $0.42 per hour.

This bill provides that any person incarcerated in a DOC facility, county jail, house of correction, or huber facility must be paid a wage that is not less
than the rate for tipped workers, which is currently $2.33 per hour.