Madison, WI – Today, State Senator Jesse James (R-Thorp) celebrates two bipartisan bills being signed into law. These bills focus on protecting our youth through preventative measures and early intervention.
Assembly Bill 677, now Act 88, establishes the definition of ‘grooming’ and makes it a crime. Senator James states “Time and again, we see headlines in the news about our children being groomed by individuals that they should trust. Unfortunately, without a definition of what grooming is and no penalty currently in statute, we are limited in our ability to stop the damage before it’s too late.”
Senator James continues, “Grooming is a frequent, deliberate, and gradual process that often occurs through digital communication, emotional manipulation, isolation, or the abuse of trust. By the time enticement or physical contact occurs, substantial harm has already been done.”
This bill allows law enforcement to intervene earlier in that process, when prevention is still possible.
Another piece of legislation Senator James is proud to see cross the finish line is Senate Bill 466, now Act 93, which increases the eligible age to qualify for the Missing Child Alert program from 10 to 12 years old. This ensures more children are covered and these alerts can be circulated when they go missing.
“Last session, we passed our legislation to expand an existing missing persons alert to cover children in honor of Lily Peters from Chippewa Falls and Prince McCree in Milwaukee. Originally, the alert only covered children up to the age of ten, but additional resources were approved in this year’s state budget to expand this alert to even more children. Keeping our kids safe is not a partisan issue, and I am so thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that helped get these measures across the finish line. I will continue to show up for our youth and fight for a better future for them one bill at a time.”