2021 Wisconsin Act 76

968.20 (title) Return of property frozen or seized.

76,36 Section 36. 968.20 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

968.20 (1) Any person claiming the right to possession of property frozen or seized under s. 971.109 or seized pursuant to a search warrant or seized without a search warrant, except for an animal taken into custody under s. 173.13 (1) or withheld from its owner under s. 173.21 (1) (a), may apply for its return to the circuit court for the county in which the property was seized or where the search warrant was returned, except that a court may commence a hearing, on its own initiative, to return property seized under s. 968.26. If an initial appearance under s. 970.01 is scheduled, the application for the return of the property shall be filed within 120 days of the initial appearance.

76,37 Section 37. 968.20 (1h) of the statutes is amended to read:

968.20 (1h) If a court orders property returned under sub. (1g), the court shall order the person not to sell, transfer, assign, or otherwise encumber the property until the court orders the property either returned under s. 961.55 (3) or 973.075 (5) or, forfeited under s. 961.555 or 973.076, or subject to restitution under s. 973.20. If the person is subsequently convicted of or found to have committed the offense, the court shall order the person to surrender the returned property for proceedings under s. 961.555 or 973.076, whichever is appropriate, or for restitution under s. 973.20.

76,38 Section 38 . 968.26 (1b) (a) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

968.26 (1b) (a) 2. a. Section 940.04, 940.11, 940.19 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.195 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.198 (2) (b) or (c) or (3), 940.20, 940.201, 940.203, 940.205, 940.207, 940.208, 940.22 (2), 940.225 (3), 940.29, 940.302 (2) (c), 940.32, 941.32, 941.38 (2), 942.09 (2), 943.10, 943.205, 943.32 (1), 946.43, 946.44, 946.47, 946.48, 948.02 (3), 948.03 (2) (b) or (c), (3), or (4), 948.04, 948.055, 948.095, 948.10 (1) (a), 948.11, 948.13 (2) (a), 948.14, 948.20, 948.23 (1), (2), or (3) (c) 2. or 3., or 948.30 (1).

76,39 Section 39 . 969.035 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

969.035 (1) In this section, “violent crime" means any crime specified in s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.06, 940.07, 940.08, 940.10, 940.19 (5), 940.195 (5), 940.198 (2) (a) or (c), 940.21, 940.225 (1), 940.23, 941.327, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03, or 948.085.

76,40 Section 40 . 969.08 (10) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

969.08 (10) (b) “Serious crime" means any crime specified in s. 943.23 (1m), 1999 stats., or s. 943.23 (1r), 1999 stats., or s. 346.62 (4), 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.06, 940.08, 940.09, 940.10, 940.19 (5), 940.195 (5), 940.198 (2) (a) or (c), 940.20, 940.201, 940.203, 940.21, 940.225 (1) to (3), 940.23, 940.24, 940.25, 940.29, 940.295 (3) (b) 1g., 1m., 1r., 2. or 3., 940.302 (2), 940.31, 941.20 (2) or (3), 941.26, 941.30, 941.327, 943.01 (2) (c), 943.011, 943.013, 943.02, 943.03, 943.04, 943.06, 943.10, 943.23 (1g), 943.30, 943.32, 943.81, 943.82, 943.83, 943.85, 943.86, 943.87, 943.88, 943.89, 943.90, 946.01, 946.02, 946.43, 947.015, 948.02 (1) or (2), 948.025, 948.03, 948.04, 948.05, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07, 948.085, or 948.30 or, if the victim is a financial institution, as defined in s. 943.80 (2), a crime under s. 943.84 (1) or (2).

76,41 Section 41 . 971.109 of the statutes is created to read:

971.109 Freezing assets of a person charged with financial exploitation of an elder person. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Elder person” means any individual who is 60 years of age or older.

(b) “Financial exploitation” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (ed).

(2) Seizure of assets. (a) If a defendant is charged with a crime that is financial exploitation, the crime involves the taking or loss of property valued at more than $2,500, and the crime victim is an elder person, a prosecuting attorney may file a petition with the court in which the defendant has been charged to freeze the funds, assets, or property of the defendant in an amount up to 100 percent of the alleged value of funds, assets, or property in the defendant's pending criminal proceeding for purposes of restitution to the crime victim. The hearing on the petition may be held ex parte. The rules of evidence do not apply in a hearing under this paragraph.

(b) In the hearing under par. (a), if there is a showing of probable cause that the defendant used, was using, is about to use, or is intending to use any funds, assets, or property in a way that constitutes or would constitute financial exploitation, the court shall issue an order to freeze or seize the funds, assets, or property of the defendant in the amount calculated under par. (a). A copy of the order shall be served upon the defendant whose funds, assets, or property has been frozen or seized.

(c) The court's order shall prohibit the sale, gifting, transfer, or wasting of the funds, assets, or real or personal property of the elder person that are owned by or vested in the defendant without the express permission of the court. The court's order shall be binding upon a financial institution, as defined in s. 943.80 (2), and any 3rd party that is in possession of the funds, assets, or property.

(3) Release of funds. At any time within 30 days after service of the order under sub. (2) (b), the defendant or any person claiming an interest in the funds, assets, or property may file a petition to release the funds, assets, or property. The court shall hold a hearing on the motion within 10 days from the date the motion is filed. The procedure under s. 968.20 applies to a petition under this subsection.

(4) Dismissal or acquittal. If the prosecution of a charge of financial exploitation is dismissed or if a judgment of acquittal is entered, the court shall vacate the order issued under sub. (2) (b).

(5) Conviction. If the prosecution of a charge of financial exploitation results in a conviction, the court may order that the funds, assets, or property that were frozen or seized under sub. (2) (b) be released only for the purpose of paying restitution ordered under s. 973.20 (2).

76,42 Section 42 . 973.01 (2) (c) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

973.01 (2) (c) 2. a. Sections 939.621, 939.623, 939.632, 939.635, 939.645, 946.42 (4), 961.442, 961.46, and 961.49.

76,43 Section 43 . 973.0135 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

973.0135 (1) (b) 2. Any felony under s. 940.09 (1), 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1m) or (1r), 1999 stats., s. 948.35 (1) (b) or (c), 1999 stats., or s. 948.36, 1999 stats., s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.09 (1c), 940.16, 940.19 (5), 940.195 (5), 940.198 (2) (a) or (c), 940.21, 940.225 (1) or (2), 940.305, 940.31, 941.327 (2) (b) 4., 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, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07, 948.075, 948.08, or 948.30 (2).

76,44 Section 44. 973.06 (1) (av) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

973.06 (1) (av) 2. a. The defendant was charged under s. 946.41 solely because he or she recanted a report of abusive conduct, including interspousal battery, as described under s. 940.19 or 940.20 (1m), domestic abuse, as defined in s. 49.165 (1) (a), 813.12 (1) (am), or 968.075 (1) (a), harassment, as defined in s. 813.125 (1) (am) 4., sexual exploitation by a therapist under s. 940.22, sexual assault under s. 940.225, child abuse, as defined under s. 813.122 (1) (a), or child abuse under ss. 948.02 to 948.11.

76,45 Section 45 . 973.06 (1) (av) 2. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

973.06 (1) (av) 2. b. The defendant was a victim of abusive conduct, including interspousal battery, as described under s. 940.19 or 940.20 (1m), domestic abuse, as defined in s. 49.165 (1) (a), 813.12 (1) (am), or 968.075 (1) (a), harassment, as defined in s. 813.125 (1) (am) 4., sexual exploitation by a therapist under s. 940.22, sexual assault under s. 940.225, child abuse, as defined under s. 813.122 (1) (a), or child abuse under ss. 948.02 to 948.11, and he or she was charged under s. 946.41 based on information he or she omitted or false information he or she provided during the course of an investigation into the crime committed against him or her.

76,46 Section 46 . 973.123 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

973.123 (1) In this section, “violent felony" means any felony under 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, 940.195, 940.198, 940.20, 940.201, 940.203, 940.21, 940.225, 940.23, 940.235, 940.285 (2), 940.29, 940.295 (3), 940.30, 940.302, 940.305, 940.31, 940.43 (1) to (3), 940.45 (1) to (3), 941.20, 941.26, 941.28, 941.29, 941.292, 941.30, 941.327 (2) (b) 3. or 4., 943.02, 943.04, 943.06, 943.10 (2), 943.23 (1g), 943.32, 943.87, 946.43, 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.

76,47 Section 47 . 980.01 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

980.01 (6) (b) Any crime specified in s. 940.01, 940.02, 940.03, 940.05, 940.06, 940.19 (2), (4), (5), or (6), 940.195 (4) or (5), 940.198 (2) or (3), 940.30, 940.305, 940.31, 941.32, 943.10, 943.32, or 948.03 that is determined, in a proceeding under s. 980.05 (3) (b), to have been sexually motivated.