In a rare show of bipartisanship, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed seven bills last Monday addressing law enforcement procedures endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats.
During the signing ceremony at the Milwaukee State Crime Laboratory, Walker praised members of both parties for coming together on these bills.
“When it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our state, it’s not a Republican or Democratic issue,” Walker said. “It’s just a good common sense issue.”
The seven bills address matters ranging from victim protection to increased access to juvenile criminal records. Senate Bill 173 provides law enforcement and other authorities faster access to the records of underage offenders, a process that previously required the express permission of a judge. To deter possible abuse, the new law establishes a fine of up to $5,000 for the improper use of such records.
State Rep. Jon Richards of Wisconsin’s 19th district, the leading Democratic co-sponsor for the bill, said the measure is necessary to prevent juveniles from becoming repeat offenders.
“State statutes currently keep law enforcement, prosecutors and others in the justice system in the dark about the criminal history of some juvenile offenders,” Richards said in a press release. “As a result, some young violent offenders who should be detained by police are unknowingly released back into the community. (This bill) provides limited access to juvenile court records to police officers and others in the justice system who need this information to protect the community and to help in the supervision and rehabilitation of children. ”
Assembly Bill 263 allows judges to order a person convicted of providing false information to a law enforcement officer to pay for the costs associated with the misled investigation.
Three bills are aimed at protecting children. Assembly Bill 397, nicknamed “Caylee’s Law” after the infamous Caylee Anthony case in Florida, requires parents and guardians to notify police when their child is missing in a timely manner. The law requires a report within 24 hours for children under 13, within 48 hours for those 13 to 15 years old, and within 72 hours for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Senate Bill 536 extends the window of prosecution for those accused of child trafficking. Currently, prosecution must be performed before the victim reaches age 24. The bill raises that age to 45, terminates the parental rights of convicted child traffickers, makes the knowledgeable access of child pornography a felony and increases the number of child sex crime victims eligible for compensation.
Another new law, Assembly Bill 209, provides minimum sentences for offenders under 18 convicted of child abuse and child pornography, who were previously exempt from mandatory sentencing.
The last two bills address restraining orders and victims of domestic violence. Senate Bill 104, “Cindy’s Law,” allows a judge to order restraining order violators to wear a GPS tracking device. The law is named after Cindy Bischof, an Arlington Heights, Ill. real estate agent who was shot and killed by an ex-boyfriend in 2008.
Assembly Bill 269 increases the penalty for those who violate a 72-hour no-contact order with victims of domestic violence to up to $10,000 and/or nine months in prison. Previously, the maximum penalty for such a violation was $1,000.
The laws have been received positively by advocates for domestic violence victims in the state. Patti Seger, the executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, praised the governor and the legislature for supporting victims while also acting tough on offenders.
“We are grateful the Legislature and Governor Walker have acted on these critical pieces of legislation,” Seger said in a statement. “These enactments continue to build a network of laws and policies to promote the safety of victims and accountability for offenders.”
