2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2001/1
MJW:skw
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 61
February 24, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives NEDWESKI, DITTRICH,
PIWOWARCZYK, ANDRACA, ARMSTRONG, BEHNKE, BRILL, CALLAHAN, DONOVAN,
GOEBEN, GUNDRUM, B. JACOBSON, KAUFERT, KITCHENS, KREIBICH, MAXEY,
MIRESSE, O'CONNOR, PENTERMAN, SINICKI, STEFFEN, TITTL and WICHGERS,
cosponsored by Senators WANGGAARD, CARPENTER, L. JOHNSON, MARKLEIN
and NASS. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
AN ACT to amend 951.18 (2m) of the statutes; relating to: injuring or killing a
police or fire animal and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, no person may do any of the following to any animal that is
used by a law enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or
department functions or duties: frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass
the animal; strike, shove, kick, or otherwise subject the animal to physical contact;
or strike the animal by using a dangerous weapon. Under current law, any person
who intentionally does any of those actions and causes injury to the animal is guilty
of a Class I felony, and any person who intentionally does any of those actions and
causes death of the animal is guilty of a Class H felony. Additionally, for such a
violation, a sentencing court must require a criminal violator to pay restitution,
including veterinary care expenses or the value of a replacement animal.
This bill increases the penalty for injuring such an animal to a Class H felony
and the penalty for causing the death of such an animal to a Class G felony. A Class
H felony is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to six years,
or both, and a Class G felony is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 or
imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,
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ASSEMBLY BILL 61
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SECTION 1
the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a
report.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SECTION 1. 951.18 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
951.18 (2m) Any person who violates s. 951.095 is subject to a Class B
forfeiture. Any person who intentionally or negligently violates s. 951.095, knowing
that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency or fire
department to perform agency or department functions or duties, is guilty of a
Class A misdemeanor. Any person who intentionally violates s. 951.095, knowing
that the animal that is the victim is used by a law enforcement agency or fire
department to perform agency or department functions or duties and causing
injury to the animal, is guilty of a Class I H felony. Any person who intentionally
violates s. 951.095, knowing that the animal that is the victim is used by a law
enforcement agency or fire department to perform agency or department functions
or duties and causing death to the animal, is guilty of a Class H G felony.
(END)
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