SB811: Bill Text

LRB-5544/1

MLJ:cjs

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 811

January 6, 2022 - Introduced by Senators Stroebel, Nass, Ballweg, Cowles, Darling, Felzkowski, Jagler, Marklein and Roth, cosponsored by Representatives Vos, Armstrong, Behnke, Brooks, Cabral-Guevara, Dallman, Dittrich, Duchow, Edming, James, Kuglitsch, Kurtz, Magnafici, Murphy, Neylon, Penterman, Plumer, Schraa, Sortwell, Spiros, Steffen, Thiesfeldt, Wichgers, Wittke, Zimmerman and Knodl. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

SB811,1,2 An Act to create 943.20 (2m) of the statutes; relating to: multiple acts of theft committed in concert and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, when a person commits an act of theft, the penalty for the crime varies depending on the value of the property stolen. The penalties range from a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property does not exceed $2,500 up to a Class F felony if the value of the property exceeds $100,000. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to nine months or both. A Class F felony is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 years and six months or both.

This bill provides that, when multiple thefts are committed by five or more individuals at the same time and in the same place, in concert, the acts shall be considered together as one crime and the value of the property shall be aggregated for the purposes of determining the penalty for the crime.

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:

SB811,1 Section 1. 943.20 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB811,2,5 943.20 (2m) Acts in concert. When multiple violations of sub. (1) (a) are committed by five or more individuals at the same time and in the same place, in concert, the acts shall be considered as one crime and the value of the property shall be aggregated for the purposes of determining the penalty for the violation under sub. (3).

SB811,2,6 (End)