Prison products; sale
Wis. Stat. § 303.06
in effect(1) Except as authorized in this section, no goods, except farm machinery, farm implements and tools, cordage rope and ply goods, manufactured wholly or partly by inmates in any state, city or county penal institution may be offered for sale in the open market.
(2) The department may enter into or renew a contract with a manufacturer or distributor to have prison industries provide products, components or services if at the time that the contract is originally entered into the products, components or services have been supplied to the manufacturer or distributor for the previous 12 months by a facility outside the United States. The department shall collect not less than 5 percent nor more than 20 percent of the gross wages of inmates or residents earned under such a contract to be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.455 (5) (i).
(3) A private business may sell products, components or services under s. 303.01 (2) (em) in the open market. Similar products, components or services from a prison industry program from another state may be sold in the open market. The department shall collect not less than 5 percent nor more than 20 percent of the gross wages of inmates or residents earned pursuant to a contract under s. 303.01 (2) (em) to be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.455 (5) (i).
(4)
(a) The department may sell, in the open market, by-products of mattresses or by-products of paint from prison industries recycling operations. By-products of mattresses and by-products of paint from recycling operations of prisons in another state may be sold in the open market.
(b) The department may enter into or renew a contract with a manufacturer or distributor to have prison industries provide by-products of mattresses or by-products of paint from prison industries recycling operations.
(c) Prior to the establishment of a prison industry under s. 303.01 (1) (b) relating to providing by-products of mattresses or by-products of paint from prison industries recycling operations, providing related notice under s. 303.01 (1) and receiving related approval under s. 303.015 (1) (b) and prior to entering into a contract under par. (b), the department shall provide written notification of the intent to provide those by-products or to enter into a contract to provide those by-products. The department shall provide the notification to those trade organizations and labor unions that the department determines would be interested in receiving the information. The notification shall include specific information on the proposal, the proposal’s impact on private business, industry and labor and, if applicable, the method for the trade organization or labor union to communicate with the joint committee on finance before its hearing under s. 303.01 (1) (c) and with the board before it acts under s. 303.015 (1) (b).
(5) A tax-supported institution or a nonprofit agency may offer for sale in the open market products manufactured in whole or in part by inmates in a state penal institution as part of a hobby-craft program or vocational training if the purpose of the sale is to support the institution’s or agency’s mission or is for some other charitable purpose and if the sale of that product or type of product has been approved by the prison industries board under s. 303.015 (1) (e).
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/303.06Fetched: 10/7/2026