Five Wisconsin Republican lawmakers this week unveiled a six-bill package to curb foreign adversary influence in state government and higher education, with a focus on China. The measures would restrict university partnerships and state contracts, tighten rules on telecom gear, protect genetic data, limit coverage for transplants tied to forced organ harvesting, and strengthen penalties for transnational repression.
Wisconsin Senate Republicans introduced the “Safeguard Wisconsin” package on Oct. 28, saying the state should reduce exposure to countries such as China and Russia. Local outlets report the package includes six bills, among them proposals to restrict University of Wisconsin (UW) research ties and to bar state contracts with Chinese government‑owned entities. “The cost of acting now is far less than the cost of rebuilding after an attack,” Rep. Dan Knodl (R‑Germantown) said. Similar efforts stalled last session. (wmtv15news.com)
According to the Daily Wire, the sponsors include Sens. Patrick Testin and Cory Tomczyk and Reps. Knodl, Clint Moses, and Alex Dallman. Testin told the outlet, “We should not be supporting organizations, such as the Chinese Communist Party, that seek to undermine” U.S. institutions, adding that the CCP seeks to “embed themselves in every element and sector.” Those quotes and the full sponsor list were reported by the Daily Wire. (dailywire.com)
Higher education: A draft bill shared with the Daily Wire would prohibit the UW System from entering collaboration, academic, or research partnerships with institutions based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Qatar, unless a federal agency conducts a national security assessment. The Daily Wire further links the proposal’s rationale to a recent House GOP report on Pentagon‑funded research that involved Chinese partners; publicly released summaries of that report show committee investigators identified 1,400 papers funded by about 700 Defense Department grants totaling more than $2.5 billion over two years, but do not break out school‑by‑school totals. UW‑Madison lists a long‑standing relationship with Nanjing University, and Southeast University in Nanjing identifies UW‑Madison as a global partner. (dailywire.com)
State contracts and telecom: Another bill would prohibit Wisconsin agencies from contracting with organizations headquartered in certain countries or controlled by adversary governments, mirroring a 2024–25 proposal that targeted state‑run firms from China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela. A separate draft would bar telecommunications providers from obtaining or maintaining critical infrastructure that includes equipment made by entities tied to foreign adversaries. The contracting concept echoes earlier Wisconsin proposals reported by Wisconsin Public Radio; the telecom restriction was described in the Daily Wire report. (wpr.org)
Genetic data security: One measure aims to prevent use of software from foreign adversaries in medical and research settings and to bar storing human genome sequencing data in those countries. While details of the Wisconsin bill are not yet published, federal lawmakers advanced similar bipartisan proposals in 2024 to block adversary‑controlled biotech firms from accessing Americans’ genetic data, providing context for the state effort. (dailywire.com)
Organ transplant coverage and forced organ harvesting: The package would prohibit health insurance and the state’s Medical Assistance program from covering organ transplants and related care if the organ originates in or is transplanted in a country implicated in forced organ harvesting, the Daily Wire reported. Estimates of the scope of forced organ harvesting in China vary widely; some researchers, including Ethan Gutmann in recent testimony summarized by the McCain Institute, have estimated 25,000 to 50,000 victims annually, a figure disputed by Chinese authorities. Separately, the U.S. House passed the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act in May 2025, reflecting growing federal attention to the issue. (dailywire.com)
Transnational repression: Another bill would enhance penalties and enforcement tools for transnational repression carried out on Wisconsin soil. That proposal, as described by the Daily Wire, parallels federal debates over how to deter harassment, surveillance, and coercion of diaspora communities by foreign security services. (dailywire.com)
Related measures moving separately: GOP lawmakers are also advancing bills to restrict land purchases by entities linked to federally designated “foreign adversaries,” as well as measures to limit the use of adversary‑linked software on state and local government devices. This year’s land‑ownership restrictions are tracked as SB 7/AB 30, while device‑restriction bills have been introduced as SB 400/AB 415. The state already bans TikTok on most executive‑branch devices under a 2023 order by Gov. Tony Evers. (legiscan.com)
Reaction: Michael Lucci, founder of the national‑security nonprofit State Armor, praised the effort and said Wisconsin could become a Midwest model if the full agenda passes. “Over time, the breadth and scale of the threat has become more apparent … the American response … needs to expand and become more forceful,” he told the Daily Wire. (dailywire.com)
