Several Initiatives Authored by Northeast Wisconsin Senator Pass Assembly Tuesday
MADISON, WI…Legislation authored by Senator André Jacque (New Franken) to give law enforcement additional tools to combat retail theft passed the Assembly yesterday on a voice vote and will now move to Governor Tony Evers’ desk for a signature.
Assembly Bill 89 responds to the rise in retail theft and losses by small businesses by allowing prosecutors to aggregate the value of items stolen and increase penalties for repeat offenses to allow for stronger criminal charges. Under current law, retail theft is prosecuted based on the dollar amount stolen. When the value of stolen items is under $500, the penalty is only a misdemeanor. This bill allows prosecutors to combine the value of stolen items to allow for a more appropriate penalty.
“Modern thieves have chosen to strategically move from store to store in an attempt to evade and limit punishment,” said Jacque. “By combining multiple crimes into a larger charge, we can close this loophole in Wisconsin law and hold accountable thieves that are terrorizing businesses and communities.”
Rep. William Penterman (Hustisford) is the lead Assembly author of AB 89, which is supported by an extensive coalition of 20 retailers, business organizations and law enforcement groups, including the Wisconsin Grocers Association, Badger State Sheriffs Association, the Alliance of Wisconsin Retailers, Wisconsin District Attorneys Association, Milwaukee Police Association, National Federation of Independent Business and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
Other legislation authored by Sen. Jacque passing the Assembly Tuesday include:
Senate Bill 259/Assembly Bill 252 – At the request of the Department of Defense (DoD), bi-partisan legislation was introduced with Rep. Robert Brooks (Saukville) to protect victims of domestic abuse or neglect among military family members by ensuring county human and social service agencies immediately bring cases of alleged domestic abuse to the attention of the DoD. The bill unanimously passed the Assembly and now moves to the governor’s desk for final consideration.
“To support potential domestic abuse victims, it is essential we get information to the appropriate authorities as quickly as possible, to guarantee their safety and to give them access to the protection, care and support they need,” said Jacque.
SB 259 passed the Senate on a voice vote last October.
Protecting Adult at Risk (Assembly Bill 19) – Bi-partisan legislation authored with Rep. Rob Kreibich (New Richmond) to increase penalties for crimes committed against “adults at risk” and protect survivors passed the Assembly on a voice vote.
Wisconsin has a longstanding definition of an “adult at risk” which protects persons with a physical or mental disadvantage. AB 19 extends the same protections to at risk adults as those which currently apply to individuals over the age of 60, such as allowing courts to freeze their assets if the victim is threatened with financial exploitation. The legislation also allows for greater prison time for those who victimize at risk adults, increases the severity of certain sexual crimes, and allows adults at risk to remotely participate in court proceedings when seeking a restraining order.
“Targeting and victimizing Wisconsin residents with mental or physical disadvantages must never be tolerated, and this legislation strengthens protections for some of the most vulnerable in our society,” said Jacque.
The companion bill, Senate Bill 15, passed the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety last March on a 7-1 vote, and must now pass the full Senate before being sent to the governor. The bill has the support of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, the Alzheimer’s Association and the Wisconsin Nurses Association.
Condemning the Abduction of Ukrainian Children (Senate Joint Resolution 103) – Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation embarked upon the forcible abduction of Ukrainian children in occupied areas and relocating them into Russia. This has involved nearly 20,000 confirmed cases, with U.S. Intelligence estimates suggesting the number could potentially be over 200,000. The Genocide Convention, of which Russia is a party, considers abducting and relocating persons from one group an act of genocide, since it attempts to erase a people’s culture.
Authored with Rep. Dan Knodl (Germantown), the Assembly passed SJR 103 yesterday on a voice vote. By doing so, both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature have now formally condemned the act of genocide being carried out by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“With this vote, the Wisconsin Legislature expresses its solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and with their families who every day live in fear that they will never see their children again,” said Jacque. “We call on our colleagues at every level of government to keep pressure on the Russian Federation to put an end to their genocidal program and ensure that every Ukrainian child is reunited with their family.”
Senator André Jacque represents Northeast Wisconsin’s First Senate District, consisting of Door and Kewaunee and Counties and portions of Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, and Outagamie counties.
