| 1 | 1 | | LRB-5589/1 |
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| 2 | 2 | | MJW:emw |
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| 3 | 3 | | 2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE |
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| 4 | 4 | | 2023 SENATE BILL 946 |
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| 5 | 5 | | January 26, 2024 - Introduced by Senators JAMES, BALLWEG, CARPENTER, L. |
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| 6 | 6 | | JOHNSON, LARSON, TAYLOR, TESTIN and WIRCH, cosponsored by Representatives |
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| 7 | 7 | | BILLINGS, O'CONNOR, ALLEN, C. ANDERSON, J. ANDERSON, ANDRACA, BALDEH, |
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| 8 | 8 | | BARE, BEHNKE, BRANDTJEN, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DITTRICH, DRAKE, EDMING, |
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| 9 | 9 | | EMERSON, GREEN, GUNDRUM, GUSTAFSON, HURD, JOERS, KITCHENS, KRUG, |
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| 10 | 10 | | MADISON, MAXEY, MELOTIK, MOORE OMOKUNDE, MURPHY, MURSAU, OHNSTAD, |
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| 11 | 11 | | PALMERI, PENTERMAN, RATCLIFF, SHANKLAND, SINICKI, STUBBS, SUBECK and |
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| 12 | 12 | | HAYWOOD. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. |
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| 13 | 13 | | AN ACT to create 972.11 (2m) (a) 2. am. of the statutes; relating to: the |
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| 14 | 14 | | testimony of a child in a criminal proceeding for a human trafficking crime. |
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| 15 | 15 | | Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau |
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| 16 | 16 | | Current law provides that in any criminal prosecution, the testimony of a child |
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| 17 | 17 | | witness who is under 12 years of age, or under 16 years of age if the interest of justice |
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| 18 | 18 | | so requires, may be taken in a room other than the courtroom and simultaneously |
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| 19 | 19 | | televised in the courtroom if the court finds both of the following: |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1. That the presence of the defendant during the taking of the child's testimony |
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| 21 | 21 | | will result in the child suffering serious emotional distress such that the child cannot |
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| 22 | 22 | | reasonably communicate. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 2. That taking the testimony of the child in a room other than the courtroom |
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| 24 | 24 | | and simultaneously televising the testimony in the courtroom is necessary to |
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| 25 | 25 | | minimize the trauma to the child of testifying in the courtroom setting and to provide |
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| 26 | 26 | | a setting more amenable to securing the child witness's uninhibited, truthful |
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| 27 | 27 | | testimony. |
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| 28 | 28 | | This bill provides that, in a criminal prosecution for a human trafficking crime, |
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| 29 | 29 | | the testimony of a child witness who is under 18 years of age may be taken in a room |
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| 30 | 30 | | other than the courtroom and simultaneously televised in the courtroom if the court |
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| 31 | 31 | | makes those same findings. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-5589/1 |
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| 34 | 34 | | MJW:emw |
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| 35 | 35 | | SENATE BILL 946 |
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| 36 | 36 | | For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be |
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| 37 | 37 | | printed as an appendix to this bill. |
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| 38 | 38 | | The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do |
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| 39 | 39 | | enact as follows: |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 1. 972.11 (2m) (a) 2. am. of the statutes is created to read: |
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| 41 | 41 | | 972.11 (2m) (a) 2. am. Prior to the child's 18th birthday if the trial is for a |
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| 42 | 42 | | prosecution for a violation of s. 940.302 or 948.051; or |
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| 43 | 43 | | (END) |
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