State Senator Andre Jacque’s bill, looking to help protect potential victims of domestic abuse and gang violence, has been signed into law.
The New Franken legislator joined forces with Rep. Brent Jacobson of Mosinee to craft the measure, now known as Act 44, which increases the penalty for entering someone’s residence with the intent to injure.
Under the previous law, for entering a residence with the intent to steal, a Class F felony, which carried a maximum penalty of $25,000 and up to 12½ years in prison, with increased penalties based on circumstances.
Entering the same location with the intent to commit bodily harm was generally only chargeable as a misdemeanor.
This new law corrects the inequity by elevating the penalty for breaking into someone’s property with the intent to commit bodily harm to a Class F felony.
Sen. Jacque said of the passage. “Act 44 is a common-sense, bipartisan law that will grant prosecutors enhanced tools to deter future cases of domestic abuse and gang-related crimes, and creates a fairer system for these more serious crimes.”
A large number of law enforcement groups throughout the state came out to support the change in law, including the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the Badger State Sheriffs’ Association, the Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, and the Wisconsin State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police.
