Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB941 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 SENATE BILL 941
5	5	January 19, 2024 - Introduced by Senator KNODL, cosponsored by Representatives
6	6	GUNDRUM, GOEBEN, BEHNKE, CALLAHAN, DITTRICH, DONOVAN, EDMING, HURD,
7	7	KITCHENS, MAXEY, MURPHY, MURSAU, O'CONNOR, PENTERMAN, SCHRAA and
8	8	WICHGERS. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
9	9	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
10	10	AN ACT to amend 165.71 (1) and 944.32; and to create 939.6175 of the statutes;
11	11	relating to: solicitation for prostitution and providing a penalty.
12	12	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
13	13	Under current law, a person who intentionally solicits a person who is at least
14	14	18 to practice prostitution or establishes a person who is at least 18 in a place of
15	15	prostitution is guilty of a Class H felony. This bill increases the penalty to a Class
16	16	G felony. A Class G felony is punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 10
17	17	years, which, under a bifurcated sentence, is a maximum term of confinement in
18	18	prison of five years followed by a maximum term of extended supervision of five
19	19	years. Current law has no mandatory minimum term of confinement in prison for
20	20	this crime. The bill imposes a mandatory minimum term of confinement in prison
21	21	for a person who is convicted of soliciting a prostitute, and the mandatory minimum
22	22	applies whether the person solicited is an adult or a child. The minimum term
23	23	imposed depends on the number of convictions for solicitation that the person has.
24	24	For a first offense, the mandatory minimum is either six months or, if the person
25	25	completes a treatment and education program approved by the court, three months.
26	26	For a second offense, the mandatory minimum is either 12 months or, if the offense
27	27	follows the completion of the treatment and education program for the first offense,
28	28	12 months plus the reduction for completing the program. For a third offense, the
29	29	mandatory minimum is two years. For a fourth or subsequent offense, the
30	30	mandatory minimum is three years.
31	31	Current law requires the Department of Justice to design a poster that provides
32	32	information regarding a human trafficking resource hotline. Under current law, the
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36	36	SENATE BILL 941
37	37	poster must inform individuals what human trafficking is and provide a phone
38	38	number for a victim to use for help and services. The bill adds that the poster must
39	39	also include the penalties for the crimes of human trafficking and soliciting a person
40	40	to practice prostitution.
41	41	Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
42	42	the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
43	43	report.
44	44	For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
45	45	printed as an appendix to this bill.
46	46	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
47	47	enact as follows:
48	48	SECTION 1. 165.71 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
49	49	165.71 (1) The department of justice shall design a poster, or obtain a
50	50	predesigned poster, that provides information regarding a human trafficking
51	51	resource center hotline. The department shall ensure that the size of poster makes
52	52	it legible and that the poster informs individuals what human trafficking is and
53	53	provides a phone number that a victim or someone who knows a victim can call or
54	54	text for help and services. The poster shall include the penalties for a human
55	55	trafficking violation under s. 940.302 or 948.051 and for a solicitation violation under
56	56	s. 944.32 or 948.08. The poster shall be in English and Spanish, and, for each county,
57	57	in any other language required for voting materials in that county under federal law.
58	58	SECTION 2. 939.6175 of the statutes is created to read:
59	59	939.6175 Minimum sentence for solicitation. (1) Except as provided in
60	60	sub. (2), if a person is convicted of a violation of s. 944.32 or 948.08, the court shall
61	61	impose a bifurcated sentence under s. 973.01. The court may not place the defendant
62	62	on probation, and the penalty is subject to any applicable penalty enhancement. The
63	63	term of confinement in prison portion of the bifurcated sentence shall be as follows:
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82	82	SECTION 2
83	83	SENATE BILL 941
84	84	(a) For a first offense under s. 944.32 or 948.08, notwithstanding the minimum
85	85	term of confinement under s. 973.01 (2) (b) (intro.), either at least 6 months or, if the
86	86	person completes a treatment and education program approved by the court, at least
87	87	3 months.
88	88	(b) For a 2nd offense under s. 944.32 or 948.08, either at least 12 months or, if
89	89	the person served a reduced sentence for a prior offense due to completing a
90	90	treatment and education program as provided under par. (a), at least 12 months plus
91	91	the amount by which the sentence was reduced from the 6-month minimum.
92	92	(c) For a 3rd offense under s. 944.32 or 948.08, at least 2 years.
93	93	(d) For a 4th or subsequent offense under s. 944.32 or 948.08, at least 3 years.
94	94	(2) This section does not apply if the defendant was under 18 years of age when
95	95	the violation occurred.
96	96	SECTION 3. 944.32 of the statutes is amended to read:
97	97	944.32 Soliciting prostitutes. Except as provided under s. 948.08, whoever
98	98	intentionally solicits or causes any person to practice prostitution or establishes any
99	99	person in a place of prostitution is guilty of a Class H G felony.
100	100	(END)
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