Senate Bill 725 aims to enhance the in-person visiting experience for inmates in state correctional institutions and county jails or houses of correction in Wisconsin. The bill mandates that each inmate can designate up to 25 individuals as registered visitors, and outlines a formal process for removing visitors from this list. It requires the Department of Corrections and sheriffs to provide at least two in-person visiting periods per week for inmates, unless they are in lockdown or solitary confinement, in which case visits can be denied for up to 10 consecutive days.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that during visiting periods, inmates must be allowed to physically embrace their visitors for at least 20 seconds at both the beginning and end of the visit. It also requires that visitors be provided with paper, writing instruments, and art supplies, allowing inmates to keep any original works created during the visit. This legislation seeks to improve the emotional connection between inmates and their visitors while ensuring a structured and respectful visiting process.