AB44: Bill Text

LRB-0546/1

MLJ:wlj&emw

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 44

February 10, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Macco, Wittke, Armstrong, Callahan, Dittrich, Edming, Gundrum, Horlacher, Kerkman, Kuglitsch, Magnafici, Milroy, Petryk, Ramthun, Skowronski, Snyder, Steffen, Summerfield and Zimmerman, cosponsored by Senators Testin, Carpenter, Ballweg, Felzkowski, Feyen and L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

AB44,2,2 An Act to repeal 940.19 (6) (a); to renumber 813.125 (1) (am) 1. and 813.125 (1) (am) 2.; to consolidate, renumber and amend 940.19 (6) (intro.) and (b); to amend 48.57 (3p) (g) 2., 48.685 (1) (c) 2., 50.065 (1) (e) 1., 103.34 (1) (b) 2., 165.84 (7) (ab) 1., 301.048 (2) (bm) 1. a., 302.11 (1g) (a) 2., 303.07 (2), 813.123 (1) (eg), 813.125 (1) (am) (intro.), 895.45 (1) (a), 911.01 (4) (c), 938.208 (1) (a), 938.34 (4m) (b) 1., 938.355 (2d) (b) 3., 939.62 (2m) (a) 2m. b., 939.632 (1) (e) 1., 941.29 (1g) (a), 941.291 (1) (b), 949.03 (1) (b), 968.20 (title), 968.20 (1), 968.20 (1h), 968.26 (1b) (a) 2. a., 969.035 (1), 969.08 (10) (b), 973.01 (2) (c) 2. a., 973.0135 (1) (b) 2., 973.06 (1) (av) 2. a., 973.06 (1) (av) 2. b., 973.123 (1) and 980.01 (6) (b); and to create 343.12 (7) (c) 9j., 813.12 (1) (ar), 813.12 (5b), 813.123 (6g), 813.125 (1) (am) 3., 813.125 (1) (am) 4. (intro.), 813.125 (5b), 939.623, 940.198, 940.225 (1) (d) and 971.109 of the statutes; relating to: increased penalties for crimes against elder persons; restraining orders for elder persons; freezing assets of a defendant charged with financial exploitation of an elder person; sexual assault of an elder person; physical abuse of an elder person; and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Sexual assault of an elder person

Under this bill, any act of sexual misconduct that is currently a second degree sexual assault is a first degree sexual assault if the victim is 60 years of age or older. Under current law, if a person engages in any of the specified acts of sexual misconduct, he or she is guilty of a Class C felony. Under the bill, he or she is guilty of a Class B felony if the victim is 60 years of age or older, whether or not he or she knew the victim's age.

physical abuse of an elder person

This bill creates the crime of physical abuse of an elder person that is modeled after the current law prohibition of physical abuse of a child. Under the bill, an elder person is anyone who is 60 years of age or older, and a person may be prosecuted irrespective of whether he or she knew the age of the crime victim. Under the bill, the penalties range from a Class C felony for intentionally causing great bodily harm to a Class I felony for recklessly causing bodily harm.

freezing of assets

This bill creates a procedure for a court to freeze or seize assets from a defendant who has been charged with a financial exploitation crime when the victim is an elder person.

Under the bill, if a person is charged with a financial exploitation crime, the crime involves property valued at more than $2,500, and the crime victim is at least 60 years old, a prosecuting attorney may file a petition with the court to freeze the funds, assets, or property of the person in an amount up to 100 percent of the alleged value of property involved in the person's pending criminal proceeding for purposes of preserving the property for future payment of restitution to the crime victim.

increased penalties

This bill creates a scheme that allows a term of imprisonment that is imposed for a criminal conviction to be increased in length if the crime victim was an elder person. Under the bill, a maximum term of imprisonment of one year or less may be increased to not more than two years; a maximum term of imprisonment of more than one year but not more than ten years may be increased by not more than four years; and a maximum term of imprisonment of more than ten years may be increased by not more than six years. Under the bill, the term of imprisonment may be lengthened irrespective of whether the defendant knew the age of the crime victim.

restraining orders for an elder person

This bill allows an elder person who is seeking a domestic violence, individual-at-risk, or harassment restraining order to appear in a court hearing by telephone or live audiovisual means. Under the bill, an elder person is anyone who is 60 years old or older.

Under current law, a person seeking a domestic violence, individual-at-risk, or harassment restraining order must appear in person in the courtroom at a hearing to obtain a restraining order.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB44,1 Section 1 . 48.57 (3p) (g) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,3,6 48.57 (3p) (g) 2. The person has had imposed on him or her a penalty specified in s. 939.64, 1999 stats., or s. 939.641, 1999 stats., or s. 939.6195, 939.62, 939.621, 939.623, 939.63 or 939.645 or has been convicted of a violation of the law of any other state or federal law under circumstances under which the person would be subject to a penalty specified in any of those sections if convicted in this state.

AB44,2 Section 2. 48.685 (1) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,3,12 48.685 (1) (c) 2. A violation of s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.12, 940.19 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.198 (2), 940.22 (2) or (3), 940.225 (1), (2), or (3), 940.285 (2), 940.29, 940.295, 942.09 (2), 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2) or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.06, 948.07, 948.08, 948.081, 948.085, 948.11 (2) (a) or (am), 948.12, 948.13, 948.21, 948.215, 948.30, or 948.53.

AB44,3 Section 3 . 50.065 (1) (e) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,4,5 50.065 (1) (e) 1. “Serious crime" means a violation of s. 940.19 (3), 1999 stats., a violation of s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.12, 940.19 (2), (4), (5) or (6), 940.198 (2), 940.22 (2) or (3), 940.225 (1), (2) or (3), 940.285 (2), 940.29, 940.295, 948.02 (1), 948.025 or 948.03 (2) (a) or (5) (a) 1., 2., or 3., or a violation of the law of any other state or United States jurisdiction that would be a violation of s. 940.19 (3), 1999 stats., or a violation of s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.12, 940.19 (2), (4), (5) or (6), 940.198 (2), 940.22 (2) or (3), 940.225 (1), (2) or (3), 940.285 (2), 940.29, 940.295, 948.02 (1), 948.025 or 948.03 (2) (a) or (5) (a) 1., 2., or 3. if committed in this state.

AB44,4 Section 4 . 103.34 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,4,14 103.34 (1) (b) 2. A violation of s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.06, 940.07, 940.08, 940.09, 940.10, 940.19 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.198 (2), 940.21, 940.225 (1), (2), or (3), 940.23, 940.235, 940.24, 940.25, 940.30, 940.302, 940.305, 940.31, 943.02, 943.03, 943.04, 943.10, 943.30, 943.31, 943.32, 944.32, 944.34, 946.10, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2), (3), or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.04, 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.06, 948.07, 948.075, 948.08, 948.085, 948.11 (2) (a) or (am), 948.12, 948.13, 948.21 (2), 948.215, or 948.30 or of a substantially similar federal law or law of another state.

AB44,5 Section 5 . 165.84 (7) (ab) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,4,20 165.84 (7) (ab) 1. A felony violation of s. 940.01, 940.05, 940.198 (2), 940.21, 940.225 (1), (2), or (3), 940.235, 940.30, 940.302 (2), 940.305, 940.31, 940.32 (2), (2e), or (2m), 940.43, 940.45, 941.20, 941.21, 941.327, 943.02, 943.06, 943.10, 943.23 (1g) or (2), 943.32, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2) (a) or (c) or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.07, 948.08, 948.085, 948.095, or 948.30 (2).

AB44,6 Section 6 . 301.048 (2) (bm) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,5,5 301.048 (2) (bm) 1. a. A crime specified in s. 940.19 (3), 1999 stats., s. 940.195 (3), 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1m), 1999 stats., or s. 943.23 (1r), 1999 stats., or s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.06, 940.08, 940.09, 940.10, 940.19 (4) or (5), 940.195 (4) or (5), 940.198 (2), 940.20, 940.201, 940.203, 940.21, 940.225 (1) to (3), 940.23, 940.235, 940.285 (2) (a) 1. or 2., 940.29, 940.295 (3) (b) 1g., 1m., 1r., 2., or 3., 940.31, 940.43 (1) to (3), 940.45 (1) to (3), 941.20 (2) or (3), 941.26, 941.30, 941.327, 943.01 (2) (c), 943.011, 943.013, 943.02, 943.04, 943.06, 943.10 (2), 943.23 (1g), 943.30, 943.32, 946.43, 947.015, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03, 948.04, 948.05, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07, 948.08, 948.085, or 948.30.

AB44,7 Section 7 . 302.11 (1g) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,5,12 302.11 (1g) (a) 2. Any felony under s. 940.09 (1), 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1m), 1999 stats., s. 948.35 (1) (b) or (c), 1999 stats., or s. 948.36, 1999 stats., or s. 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.09 (1c), 940.19 (5), 940.195 (5), 940.198 (2), 940.21, 940.225 (1) or (2), 940.305 (2), 940.31 (1) or (2) (b), 943.02, 943.10 (2), 943.23 (1g), 943.32 (2), 946.43 (1m), 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03 (2) (a) or (c) or (5) (a) 1., 2., 3., or 4., 948.05, 948.06, 948.07, 948.08, or 948.30 (2).

AB44,8 Section 8 . 303.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,5,17 303.07 (2) When convicted persons are subject to commitment to the county jail, or to the Wisconsin state prisons under s. 939.62 (1) (a) or 939.623 (2) (a) for a term not exceeding 2 years, the court may instead commit them for equivalent terms to a reforestation camp authorized under sub. (1).

AB44,9 Section 9 . 343.12 (7) (c) 9j. of the statutes is created to read:

AB44,5,19 343.12 (7) (c) 9j. Physical abuse of an elder person under s. 940.198 (2).

AB44,10 Section 10 . 813.12 (1) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:

AB44,5,22 813.12 (1) (ar) “Elder person” means any individual who is 60 years of age or older.

AB44,11 Section 11 . 813.12 (5b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB44,6,3 813.12 (5b) Elder person petitioner. If the petitioner is an elder person, the court shall permit the petitioner to participate in hearings under this section by telephone or live audiovisual means.

AB44,12 Section 12 . 813.123 (1) (eg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,6,5 813.123 (1) (eg) “Harassment" has the meaning given in s. 813.125 (1) (am) 4.

AB44,13 Section 13 . 813.123 (6g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB44,6,9 813.123 (6g) Elder adult-at-risk petitioner. If the petitioner is an elder adult at risk, the court shall permit the petitioner to participate in hearings under this section by telephone or live audiovisual means.

AB44,14 Section 14 . 813.125 (1) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB44,6,12 813.125 (1) (am) (intro.) In this section, “ harassment" means any of the following: