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Using artificial intelligence to create and share nude images of real people would be a felony in Wisconsin under a bill passed by the Wisconsin Senate.

The legislation targeting what are known as “deepfake” images was one of a series of bills considered during a Thursday floor session.

It’s already a felony in Wisconsin to take or distribute nude photos of someone without their consent. But current law does not cover images of real people generated by artificial intelligence.

On the Senate floor, state Sen. Andre Jacque, R-New Franken, cited a study by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that found more than 90 percent of “deepfake” videos posted online are “nonconsensual pornography.”

“As the capabilities of AI become more and more advanced, bad actors are increasingly using artificially generated sexually explicit images to harass and intimidate innocent people online,” Jacque said.

The bill passed with a unanimous 33-0 vote and now heads to the state Assembly for consideration.

Senate moves legislation requiring nuclear power plant siting study

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Another bill requiring the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to conduct a nuclear power siting study within 18 months was approved by senators during the floor session.

If enacted, it would also require the PSC to make final decisions on nuclear power plant permit applications from utilities within 150 days. That’s shorter than the typical 180 days the commission has to decide on what are called certificates of public convenience and necessity.

Sen. Julian Bradley, R-New Berlin, referenced “exciting” news that the owner of the shuttered nuclear power plant in Kewaunee County was working with the state’s largest utility company to explore bringing new nuclear energy to the site.

“This is huge for our state,” Bradley said. “This is great for economic development. It is great for all of our ratepayers.”

While the bill has seen bipartisan support, Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, spoke out against it.

“I don’t think we should go down the path of nuclear energy,” Wirch said. “Chernobyl, Fukushima, two of the greatest disasters we’ve ever seen happen, because something went wrong with nuclear power.”

The bill passed with only five senators, including Wirch, opposed. It now heads to the Assembly.

Senate approves bipartisan expansion of veteran benefits to Hmong and Laotian residents who assisted US during Vietnam War

Senators also passed a bill that would expand the definition of the term “veteran” in Wisconsin law to include people who were naturalized under the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000. The act applies to Hmong veteran refugees living in the U.S. who assisted American forces in Laos during the Vietnam War.

By expanding the definition of veteran, the legislation would extend state veterans benefits other than admission to state veterans homes or burial sites subject to federal regulations.

Jacque, who co-authored the bill, described the Hmong and Laotian soldiers as America’s brothers in arms, who’ve faced persecution and have been “treated as footnotes” in our nation’s history. He said they came to Wisconsin “because they had no other choice.”

Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin, D-Whitefish Bay, who co-authored the legislation with Jacque, said she’s proud to see Wisconsin recognize the veterans’ service.

“It has taken too long for this bill to pass, but I am glad it is getting done now,” Habush Sinykin said.

The measure passed on a voice vote and moved to the Assembly.

Other legislation passed by the Senate included:

One of the perks of a small independent film like "Green and Gold" getting a nationwide release is that reviewers for the likes of The New York Times and Chicago Sun-Times take notice.

The movie about football, family and farming opens in theaters Friday. It stars Craig T. Nelson as a fourth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer who bets on the 1990s Green Bay Packers in hopes of saving his land from foreclosure. Directed by Anders Lindwall, it was filmed primarily in Door County in 2021 and is being released in partnership with Culver's and the Green Bay Packers.

Here's what the early reviews have to say, and not to worry, no spoilers included here.

Chicago Sun-Times: 'A stirring Wisconsin story even a Bears fan could love'

Maybe the only thing you need to know about Richard Roeper’s review for the Chicago Sun-Times is the headline: “‘Green and Gold’ tells a stirring Wisconsin story even a Bears fan could love.” High praise for a film with a Packers storyline.

“Directed with grace and grounded style and a keen eye for outdoor visuals by Anders Lindwall, and filmed in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin, this is a warm and authentic slice of farm life, with magnificent work by the 80-year-old Craig T. Nelson, who looks every inch the world-weary Wisconsin farmer,” Roeper writes.

He also had high praise for newcomer Madison Lawlor’s “starmaking turn” as Buck’s granddaughter in “a lovely story well told.”

He gives it three-and-a-half stars out of four. “Even those of us who bleed Navy blue and burnt orange can embrace the messaging and the spirit of ‘Green and Gold.’”

The New York Times: Follows the familiar path of a Hallmark movie

In a four-paragraph review, Glenn Kenny of The New York Times seems to write it off as “something of a shaggy dog story ... that aims to pull at your heartstrings.”

He writes: “The story follows the trajectory familiar to aficionados of Hallmark movies; about 45 minutes in, things start looking up for the characters. Which means that (and you can almost set your watch by it) within an hour and 15 minutes, everything goes to manure, so to speak.”

Milwaukee Record: 'This movie surpassed all expectations'

Tyler Maas of the Milwaukee Record praises it for its “legitimately emotional plot,” the “oodles of local references,” the performances of Nelson, Lawlor and M. Emmet Walsh (in his final film appearance) and the light it shines on Door County and Green Bay, where it was filmed, and Wisconsin as a whole.

“You know those movies that are set somewhere in the Midwest, but the location isn’t specified so that it can pass as almost any rural place in flyover country?” Maas writes. “Well, ‘Green and Gold' isn’t one of those movies. Northeast Wisconsin is mentioned, celebrated, and elevated throughout the film.”

Plus, bonus points for not saddling the characters with corny Midwest accents.

Calling it a “Wisconsin love letter,” he writes that it “legitimately brought ‘a couple two-tree’ tears to our eyes at film’s end.”

The final verdict? “Like the Packers season it chronicles, this movie surpassed all expectations. Altogether, it’s an enjoyable journey — especially for people in Wisconsin. Support local farmers. Eat Culver’s. Go Pack.”

Josh at the Movies: 'Bogged down by predictability'

Miranda Zampogna, an intern for the Josh at the Movies website, gives it two stars out of five.

“Quaint visuals, folk music, and explorations of environmentalism, generational conflict, and community appeal to a rustic charm," she writes. "Yet, despite this, ‘Green and Gold’ ultimately falters, bogged down by predictability and a reliance on heavy-handed platitudes."

She writes favorably of the acting, the cinematography that captures the “beauty of the rural landscape,” “a moving acoustic score” and “a pleasant cozy ambiance” created by Lindwall, but concludes it falls short of its potential.