AB853: Bill Text

LRB-5565/1

EAW&ZDW:wlj

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 853

February 3, 2020 - Introduced by Representatives Hutton, Sanfelippo, Knodl, Edming, Gundrum, James, Kuglitsch, Neylon, Ramthun, Rodriguez, Skowronski, Tittl, Wichgers, Dittrich and Spiros, cosponsored by Senators Kapenga, Kooyenga, Fitzgerald, Craig, Darling, Feyen, Nass, Stroebel and Wanggaard. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

AB853,1,8 An Act to renumber and amend 938.34 (14m); to amend 346.17 (3) (a), 346.17 (3) (b), 346.17 (3) (c), 346.17 (3) (d), 346.65 (1) (a), 346.65 (1) (b), 346.65 (3), 346.65 (4m), 346.65 (5), 943.23 (1g), 943.23 (1r), 943.23 (2) (a), 943.23 (2) (b), 943.23 (2g), 943.23 (3) (a), 943.23 (3) (b) and 943.23 (3g); and to create 938.266, 938.34 (8m), 938.34 (14m) (b), 939.6197, 967.055 (2) (c), 967.055 (2) (d), 967.056 and 973.0337 of the statutes; relating to: theft of a vehicle; victim impact panels; increased penalties for reckless driving; increased penalties for fleeing an officer; and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill increases the penalties for vehicle theft, reckless driving, and fleeing an officer.

Vehicle theft

Under current law, if a person takes or operates a vehicle or commercial motor vehicle without the consent of the owner (vehicle theft), the person is guilty of a felony. Under current law, the class of felony for the crime of vehicle theft depends on whether the person used force, the type of force used, whether it is a repeat offense, and whether the vehicle was a commercial vehicle.

The bill increases the penalties for vehicle theft by one felony classification and imposes a 30-day mandatory minimum term of incarceration for vehicle theft, for knowingly being a passenger in a stolen vehicle, or for removing a part of a vehicle without the consent of the owner.

Currently, subject to certain exceptions, a person under 17 years of age who is alleged to have violated a criminal law is subject to the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court, which is assigned to exercise jurisdiction under the Juvenile Justice Code, and is subject to the procedures and dispositions specified in the Juvenile Justice Code. Under current law, a person who is under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court is not subject to the sentencing requirements under the Criminal Code. Under the bill, if a juvenile has been adjudged delinquent for vehicle theft, for knowingly being a passenger in a stolen vehicle, or for stealing a part of a vehicle, the Juvenile Court is required to place the juvenile in a secured placement in a juvenile detention facility, juvenile portion of a county jail, or juvenile correctional facility for a minimum of 30 days, in addition to any other dispositions that are available under the Juvenile Justice Code.

Under the bill, if a prosecutor seeks to amend or dismiss a charge of vehicle theft, or if a petitioner seeks to amend or dismiss a petition that alleges that a juvenile has violated the vehicle theft laws, the charge or petition may be amended or dismissed only if the court finds that doing so is consistent with the public's interest in deterring the theft of motor vehicles.

Reckless driving

Under current law, no person may endanger the safety of any person or property by the negligent operation of a vehicle, commonly referred to as “reckless driving.” Under the bill:

1. The penalty for reckless driving is increased from a $25-$200 forfeiture to a $50-$500 forfeiture.

2. The penalty for a second or subsequent reckless driving offense in a four-year period is increased from a fine of $50-$500 to a fine of $100-$1,000.

3. The penalty for recklessly driving on or across a railroad crossing is increased from a $300-$1,000 forfeiture to a $600-$10,000 forfeiture.

4. The penalty for reckless driving that causes bodily harm to another is increased from a $300-$2,000 fine and imprisonment of up to a year to a Class I felony.

5. The penalty for reckless driving that causes great bodily harm to another is increased from a Class I felony to a Class H felony.

6. If the prosecutor seeks to dismiss or amend a reckless driving charge, the prosecutor must apply to the court and the court may approve the application only if the court finds that the proposed amendment or dismissal is consistent with the public's interest in deterring the negligent operation of motor vehicles.

Fleeing an officer

Under current law, no operator of a vehicle, after having received a visual or audible signal from a traffic officer, federal law enforcement officer, or marked or unmarked police vehicle that the operator knows or reasonably should know is being operated by a law enforcement officer, shall knowingly flee so as to endanger other vehicles or pedestrians. Under the bill:

1. The penalty for fleeing an officer is increased from a Class I felony to a Class H felony.

2. The penalty for fleeing an officer and causing bodily harm to another or damage to the property of another is increased from a Class H felony to a Class G felony.

3. The penalty for fleeing an officer and causing great bodily harm to another is increased from a Class F felony to a Class E felony.

4. The penalty for fleeing an officer and causing death to another is increased from a Class E felony to a Class D felony.

5. If the prosecutor seeks to dismiss or amend a charge of fleeing an officer, the prosecutor must apply to the court and the court may approve the application only if the court finds that the proposed amendment or dismissal is consistent with the public's interest in deterring fleeing from an officer.

Victim impact panels

The bill allows a court to order a person who is found guilty of certain crimes relating to reckless driving or vehicle theft, or a juvenile who is adjudicated delinquent for certain violations related to reckless driving or vehicle theft, to attend a victim impact panel or similar program as a part of his or her sentence or disposition.

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.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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

AB853,1 Section 1. 346.17 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,3,3 346.17 (3) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), (c) or (d), any person violating s. 346.04 (3) is guilty of a Class I H felony.

AB853,2 Section 2. 346.17 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,3,7 346.17 (3) (b) If the violation results in bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (4), to another, or causes damage to the property of another, as defined in s. 939.22 (28), the person is guilty of a Class H G felony.

AB853,3 Section 3. 346.17 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,4,2 346.17 (3) (c) If the violation results in great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (14), to another, the person is guilty of a Class F E felony.

AB853,4 Section 4. 346.17 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,4,5 346.17 (3) (d) If the violation results in the death of another, the person is guilty of a Class E D felony.

AB853,5 Section 5. 346.65 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,4,8 346.65 (1) (a) May be required to forfeit not less than $25 $50 nor more than $200 $500, except as provided in par. (b).

AB853,6 Section 6. 346.65 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,4,15 346.65 (1) (b) May be fined not less than $50 $100 nor more than $500 $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both if the total of convictions under s. 346.62 (2) or a local ordinance in conformity therewith or a law of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state in conformity with s. 346.62 (2) equals 2 or more in a 4-year period. The 4-year period shall be measured from the dates of the violations which resulted in the convictions.

AB853,7 Section 7. 346.65 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB853,4,20 346.65 (3) Except as provided in sub. (5m), any person violating s. 346.62 (3) shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $2,000 and may be imprisoned for not less than 30 days nor more than one year in the county jail is guilty of a Class I felony.