Jacque legislation prohibits America’s enemies from owning Wisconsin property
MADISON… Legislation authored by Senator André Jacque (New Franken) and Representative William Penterman (Hustisford) to prevent enemy nations from owning Wisconsin land passed the State Senate on Wednesday, and is now headed to the desk of Governor Tony Evers.
Senate Bill 7 would prohibit any foreign adversary of the United States from purchasing and owning property in Wisconsin. Only those countries identified under federal law as actively undermining the security and sovereignty of America would be affected, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela.
“This legislation is about protecting Wisconsin’s critical resources, including our farmland, our food systems, and our communities, from regimes that have repeatedly demonstrated hostile intent towards America,” said Jacque. “The economic and national security threat of foreign adversaries owning and controlling Wisconsin lands and supply chains is not hypothetical, but one that is real, urgent and must be dealt with now.”
SB 7 has the support of leading agricultural groups in the state such as the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the Dairy Business Association. The bill passed the Assembly last month on a bipartisan 55-42 vote. Other bills authored by Senator Jacque passing the Senate today included:
Audiovisual Recording of a Child’s Statement (Senate Bill 884) – Bipartisan legislation to modernize how Wisconsin handles the testimony of minors in a court setting unanimously passed the State Senate.
In child abuse and similar cases, audiovisual recordings of the statements of minors are often used to capture the victim’s immediate account in a way that reduces additional trauma, and can later be submitted as testimony in court.
Drafted at the request of Brown County District Attorney David Lasee, SB 884 adjusts the age thresholds for the admissibility of recorded audiovisual statements made by children. This bill maintains existing law which allows a child under 12 to record a statement that can later be used in court. It permits the courts, when the interest of justice warrant, to admit statements made before a child’s 18th birth, instead of the current threshold of 16.
“This change reflects the modern understanding of adolescent development while preserving due process and judicial discretion,” said Jacque. “It ensures that reliable evidence is not excluded solely because of an outdated age threshold, and reduces the likelihood victims will be forced to relive traumatic experiences and recall precise details years later.”
Rep. Ben Franklin (De Pere) is the lead author of SB 884 in the Assembly. Law enforcement and victim rights groups, such as the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Badger State Sheriffs’ Association, and the Wisconsin State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police are formally supporting the legislation. The companion legislation, AB 912, passed the Assembly Committee on Judiciary on February 4th on an 8-0 vote.
Visitation Rights of Nonparents (Senate Bill 522) – Under current law, a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) is often appointed by the court to represent a child’s best interest in family court situations. SB 522 will eliminate confusion in current law by allowing a court to appoint a GAL when a nonparent petitions for visitation rights, such as a stepparent or grandparent, who has maintained a parent-child relationship with a child.
“This bill will provide the courts with important guidance and allow for competing interests to be properly assessed while still serving the needs of the child and giving them an advocate in family court proceedings,” said Jacque.
SB 522 passed the Senate 32-1, and must now pass the Assembly before moving to the governor. Representative Barbara Dittrich (Oconomowoc) is the lead author in the Assembly.
Senator André Jacque represents Northeast Wisconsin’s First Senate District, consisting of Door and Kewaunee Counties and portions of Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, and Outagamie counties.
