LRB-4024/1
PJH:emw
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
March 10, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Goyke, Barnes, Bowen, Brostoff,
Kessler, Berceau, Johnson, Spreitzer and Zamarripa, cosponsored by
Senator L. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AB978,1,3
1An Act to create 20.455 (5) (dm) and 165.935 of the statutes;
relating to:
2creating a grant program for law enforcement agencies to provide victim and
3witness advocacy services and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates a grant program, administered by the Department of Justice,
for law enforcement agencies to provide services to victims of, and witnesses to,
crimes from the time a crime is reported until the time a person is charged for the
crime.
Under the bill, a law enforcement agency may receive a grant if it submits a
plan to the department that includes providing a victim and witness service
coordinator on-site at the agency who will ensure, from the time a crime is reported,
that victims and witnesses receive the services to which they are entitled. The bill
requires a law enforcement agency that receives a grant to provide data on services
it provides to victims and witnesses under its plan and requires the department to
submit a report on the grant program after five years. The bill terminates the grant
program after five years.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB978,1
1Section
1. 20.455 (5) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB978,2,32
20.455
(5) (dm)
Victim and witness services. A sum sufficient to provide grants
3to law enforcement agencies under s. 165.935.
AB978,2
4Section
2. 165.935 of the statutes is created to read:
AB978,2,9
5165.935 Victim services. (1) From the appropriation under s. 20.455 (5)
6(dm), the department of justice shall distribute grants to law enforcement agencies
7on a competitive basis. A law enforcement agency that receives a grant under this
8subsection shall provide on-site services to victims of, and witnesses to, a crime
9before a person alleged to have committed the crime is charged for the crime.
AB978,2,17
10(2) In order to receive a grant under sub. (1), a law enforcement agency shall
11submit a plan to the department of justice for the expenditure of the grant moneys
12distributed. A law enforcement agency is eligible for a grant if the law enforcement
13agency's plan creates the position of a victim and witness services coordinator who
14is available at the law enforcement agency and who will ensure that victims and
15witnesses receive the rights and services to which they are entitled under ch. 950
16from the time a crime is reported until criminal charges are filed against the alleged
17perpetrator of the crime.
AB978,2,23
18(3) A law enforcement agency that receives a grant under sub. (1) shall provide
19information to the department of justice regarding the agency's implementation of
20the plan, including the number of victims and witnesses who are provided services
21and the types of services they receive. The department may request any data
22regarding a plan funded under this section that is necessary to evaluate the program
23and prepare the reports under subs. (4) and (5).
AB978,3,2
24(4) The department of justice shall, annually, analyze the data submitted
25under sub. (3) for the previous year and prepare a progress report that evaluates the
1effectiveness of the program. The department shall make the report available to the
2public.
AB978,3,5
3(5) The department of justice shall, after 5 years, prepare a comprehensive
4report that analyzes the data submitted under sub. (3) for the previous 5 years and
5shall submit the report to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).
AB978,3,8
6(6) The department may not issue any grant under this section on or after the
7date on which 5 years have lapsed after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB
8inserts date].
