Chapter 948

948.13(2m)(d) (d) Before deciding a petition filed under par. (a), the court shall allow the victim of the crime that is the subject of the petition to make a statement in court at any hearing held on the petition or to submit a written statement to the court. A statement under this paragraph must be relevant to the issues specified in par. (a) 1., 1m. and 2.

948.13(2m)(e) (e)

948.13(2m)(e)1. 1. Before deciding a petition filed under par. (a), the court may request the person filing the petition to be examined by a physician, psychologist or other expert approved by the court. If the person refuses to undergo an examination requested by the court under this subdivision, the court shall deny the person’s petition without prejudice.

948.13(2m)(e)2. 2. If a person is examined by a physician, psychologist or other expert under subd. 1., the physician, psychologist or other expert shall file a report of his or her examination with the court, and the court shall provide copies of the report to the person and, if he or she requests a copy, to the district attorney. The contents of the report shall be confidential until the physician, psychologist or other expert has testified at a hearing held under par. (c). The report shall contain an opinion regarding whether it would be in the interest of public protection to require the person to comply with sub. (2) (a) and the basis for that opinion.

948.13(2m)(e)3. 3. A person who is examined by a physician, psychologist or other expert under subd. 1. is responsible for paying the cost of the services provided by the physician, psychologist or other expert, except that if the person is indigent the cost of the services provided by the physician, psychologist or other expert shall be paid by the county. If the person claims or appears to be indigent, the court shall refer the person to the authority for indigency determinations under s. 977.07 (1), except that the person shall be considered indigent without another determination under s. 977.07 (1) if the person is represented by the state public defender or by a private attorney appointed under s. 977.08.

948.13(2m)(em) (em) A court shall decide a petition no later than 45 days after the petition is filed if the petition specifies that the person filing the petition is covered under sub. (2) (b), that he or she has received actual written notice from a law enforcement agency of the prohibition under sub. (2) (a), and that he or she is seeking an exemption under this subsection before the expiration of the 90-day period under sub. (2) (b).

948.13(2m)(f) (f) The person who filed the petition under par. (a) has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that he or she satisfies the criteria specified in par. (a) 1., 1m. and 2. In deciding whether the person has satisfied the criterion specified in par. (a) 2., the court may consider any of the following:

948.13(2m)(f)1. 1. The ages, at the time of the violation, of the person who filed the petition and the victim of the crime that is the subject of the petition.

948.13(2m)(f)2. 2. The relationship between the person who filed the petition and the victim of the crime that is the subject of the petition.

948.13(2m)(f)3. 3. Whether the crime that is the subject of the petition resulted in bodily harm to the victim.

948.13(2m)(f)4. 4. Whether the victim of the crime that is the subject of the petition suffered from a mental illness or mental deficiency that rendered him or her temporarily or permanently incapable of understanding or evaluating the consequences of his or her actions.

948.13(2m)(f)5. 5. The probability that the person who filed the petition will commit other serious child sex offenses in the future.

948.13(2m)(f)6. 6. The report of the examination conducted under par. (e).

948.13(2m)(f)7. 7. Any other factor that the court determines may be relevant to the particular case.

948.13(3) (3) Evidence that a person engages in an occupation or participates in a volunteer position relating to any of the following is prima facie evidence that the occupation or position requires him or her to work or interact primarily and directly with children under 16 years of age:

948.13(3)(a) (a) Teaching children.

948.13(3)(b) (b) Child care.

948.13(3)(c) (c) Youth counseling.

948.13(3)(d) (d) Youth organization.

948.13(3)(e) (e) Coaching children.

948.13(3)(f) (f) Parks or playground recreation.

948.13(3)(g) (g) School bus driving.

948.13 History History: 1995 a. 265; 1997 a. 130, 220; 1999 a. 3; 2001 a. 97, 109; 2003 a. 321; 2005 a. 277; 2007 a. 97, 116.

948.14 948.14 Registered sex offender and photographing minors.

948.14(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

948.14(1)(a) (a) “Captures a representation” has the meaning given in s. 942.09 (1) (a).

948.14(1)(b) (b) “Minor” means an individual who is under 17 years of age.

948.14(1)(c) (c) “Representation” has the meaning giving in s. 942.09 (1) (c).

948.14(1)(d) (d) “Sex offender” means a person who is required to register under s. 301.45.

948.14(2) (2) Prohibition.

948.14(2)(a) (a) A sex offender may not intentionally capture a representation of any minor without the written consent of the minor’s parent, legal custodian, or guardian. The written consent required under this paragraph shall state that the person seeking the consent is required to register as a sex offender with the department of corrections.

948.14(2)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a sex offender who is capturing a representation of a minor if the sex offender is the minor’s parent, legal custodian, or guardian.

948.14(3) (3) Penalty. Whoever violates sub. (2) is guilty of a Class I felony.

948.14 Note NOTE: The Court of Appeals in State v. Oatman, 2015 WI App 76, concluded that this section is overbroad on its face and invalid in its entirety.

948.14 History History: 2005 a. 432.

948.14 Annotation The structure of s. 942.09, with its separate subdivisions for capturing and possessing a representation, and the legislature’s decision to import the definition of “captures a representation” from s. 942.09, along with legislative history indicating that the purpose of this section is to prohibit sex offenders from photographing, filming, or videotaping minors without parental consent, leads to the conclusion that “stores in any medium data that represents a visual image” as used in the definition of “captures a representation” in s. 942.09 does not include the mere possession of visual images. State v. Chagnon, 2015 WI App 66, 364 Wis. 2d 719, 870 N.W.2d 27, 14-2770.

948.20 948.20 Abandonment of a child. Whoever, with intent to abandon the child, leaves any child in a place where the child may suffer because of neglect is guilty of a Class G felony.

948.20 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1987 a. 332 s. 35; Stats. 1987 s. 948.20; 2001 a. 109.

948.21 948.21 Neglecting a child.

948.21(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

948.21(1)(a) (a) “Child sex offense” means an offense under s. 948.02, 948.025, 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.06, 948.07, 948.08, 948.10, 948.11, or 948.12.

948.21(1)(b) (b) “Emotional damage” has the meaning given in s. 48.02 (5j).

948.21(1)(c) (c) “Necessary care” means care that is vital to the needs of a child’s physical, emotional, or mental health based on all of the facts and circumstances bearing on the child’s need for care, including the child’s age; the child’s physical, mental, or emotional condition; and any special needs of the child.

948.21(1)(d) (d) “Negligently” means acting, or failing to act, in such a way that a reasonable person would know or should know seriously endangers the physical, mental, or emotional health of a child.

948.21(2) (2) Neglect. Any person who is responsible for a child’s welfare who, through his or her action or failure to take action, for reasons other than poverty, negligently fails to provide any of the following, so as to seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health of the child, is guilty of neglect and may be penalized as provided in sub. (3):

948.21(2)(a) (a) Necessary care.

948.21(2)(b) (b) Necessary food.

948.21(2)(c) (c) Necessary clothing.

948.21(2)(d) (d) Necessary medical care.

948.21(2)(e) (e) Necessary shelter.

948.21(2)(f) (f) Education in compliance with s. 118.15.

948.21(2)(g) (g) The protection from exposure to the distribution or manufacture of controlled substances, as defined in s. 961.01 (4), or controlled substance analogs, as defined in s. 961.01 (4m), or to drug abuse, as defined in s. 46.973 (1) (b).

948.21(3) (3) Penalties. A person who violates sub. (2) is guilty of the following:

948.21(3)(a) (a) A Class D felony if the child suffers death as a consequence.

948.21(3)(b) (b) A Class F felony if any of the following applies:

948.21(3)(b)1. 1. The child suffers great bodily harm as a consequence.

948.21(3)(b)2. 2. The child becomes a victim of a child sex offense as a consequence.

948.21(3)(c) (c) A Class G felony if the child suffers emotional damage as a consequence.

948.21(3)(d) (d) A Class H felony if the child suffers bodily harm as a consequence.

948.21(3)(e) (e) A Class I felony if the natural and probable consequences of the violation would be a harm under par. (a), (b), (c), or (d) although the harm did not actually occur if one of the following applies:

948.21(3)(e)1. 1. The child had not attained the age of 6 years when the violation was committed.

948.21(3)(e)2. 2. The child has a physical, cognitive, or developmental disability that was known or should have been known by the actor.

948.21(3)(f) (f) A Class A misdemeanor if the natural and probable consequences of the violation would be a harm under par. (a), (b), (c), or (d) although the harm did not actually occur.

948.21 History History: 1987 a. 332; 2001 a. 109; 2007 a. 80; 2017 a. 283.

948.215 948.215 Chronic neglect; repeated acts of neglect.

948.215(1) (1) Whoever violates s. 948.21 (2) is guilty of chronic neglect and may be penalized as provided in sub. (2) if one of the following applies:

948.215(1)(a) (a) The person commits 3 or more violations under s. 948.21 (2) within a specified period of time involving the same child.

948.215(1)(b) (b) The person has at least one previous conviction for a violation of s. 948.21 (2) involving the same child as the current violation.

948.215(2) (2) A person who is guilty of chronic neglect under sub. (1) is guilty of the following:

948.215(2)(a) (a) A Class B felony if the child suffers death as a consequence.

948.215(2)(b) (b) A Class D felony if any of the following applies:

948.215(2)(b)1. 1. The child suffers great bodily harm as a consequence.

948.215(2)(b)2. 2. The child becomes a victim of a child sex offense, as defined in s. 948.21 (1) (a), as a consequence.

948.215(2)(c) (c) A Class E felony if the child suffers emotional damage, as defined in s. 948.21 (1) (b), as a consequence.

948.215(2)(d) (d) A Class F felony if the child suffers bodily harm as a consequence.

948.215(2)(e) (e) A Class H felony if the natural and probable consequences of the violation would be a harm under par. (a), (b), (c), or (d) although the harm did not actually occur.

948.215(3) (3) If an action under sub. (1) (a) is tried to a jury, in order to find the defendant guilty the members of the jury must unanimously agree that at least 3 violations of s. 948.21 (2) involving the same child occurred within the specified period but need not agree on which acts constitute the requisite number or which acts resulted in any requisite consequence.

948.215(4) (4) The state may not charge a person in the same action with a violation under sub. (1) (a) and a violation involving the same child under s. 948.21 (2), unless the violation of s. 948.21 (2) occurred outside of the period applicable under sub. (1) (a).

948.215 History History: 2017 a. 283.

948.22 948.22 Failure to support.

948.22(1) (1) In this section:

948.22(1)(a) (a) “Child support” means an amount which a person is ordered to provide for support of a child by a court of competent jurisdiction in this state or in another state, territory or possession of the United States, or, if not ordered, an amount that a person is legally obligated to provide under s. 49.90.

948.22(1)(b) (b) “Grandchild support” means an amount which a person is legally obligated to provide under s. 49.90 (1) (a) 2. and (11).

948.22(1)(c) (c) “Spousal support” means an amount which a person is ordered to provide for support of a spouse or former spouse by a court of competent jurisdiction in this state or in another state, territory or possession of the United States, or, if not ordered, an amount that a person is legally obligated to provide under s. 49.90.

948.22(2) (2) Any person who intentionally fails for 120 or more consecutive days to provide spousal, grandchild or child support which the person knows or reasonably should know the person is legally obligated to provide is guilty of a Class I felony. A prosecutor may charge a person with multiple counts for a violation under this subsection if each count covers a period of at least 120 consecutive days and there is no overlap between periods.

948.22(3) (3) Any person who intentionally fails for less than 120 consecutive days to provide spousal, grandchild or child support which the person knows or reasonably should know the person is legally obligated to provide is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

948.22(4) (4) Under this section, the following is prima facie evidence of intentional failure to provide child, grandchild or spousal support:

948.22(4)(a) (a) For a person subject to a court order requiring child, grandchild or spousal support payments, when the person knows or reasonably should have known that he or she is required to pay support under an order, failure to pay the child, grandchild or spousal support payment required under the order.

948.22(4)(b) (b) For a person not subject to a court order requiring child, grandchild or spousal support payments, when the person knows or reasonably should have known that he or she has a dependent, failure to provide support equal to at least the amount established by rule by the department of children and families under s. 49.22 (9) or causing a spouse, grandchild or child to become a dependent person, or continue to be a dependent person, as defined in s. 49.01 (2).