LRB-1811/1
CMH:kjf
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
February 21, 2017 - Introduced by Senators Johnson, Carpenter, C. Larson, L.
Taylor and Vinehout, cosponsored by Representatives Ohnstad, Anderson,
Barca, Berceau, Billings, Bowen, Considine, Fields, Hesselbein, Mason,
Pope, Riemer, Sargent, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Subeck, C. Taylor, Wachs and
Zamarripa. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
SB64,1,1
1An Act to create 165.73 of the statutes;
relating to: hate crime hotline.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, the Department of Justice must maintain a toll-free hotline for
persons to report hate crimes. “Hate crimes” are crimes in which the perpetrator
selects the victim due to the perpetrator's belief or perception of the victim's race,
religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB64,1
2Section
1. 165.73 of the statutes is created to read:
SB64,1,9
3165.73 Hotline for reports of hate crimes. (1) In this section, “hate crime”
4means a crime under chs. 939 to 948 in which the actor selects the person against
5whom the crime is committed or selects the property that is damaged or otherwise
6affected by the crime in whole or in part because of the actor's belief or perception
7regarding the race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or
8ancestry of that person or the owner or occupant of that property, whether or not the
9actor's belief or perception was correct.
SB64,2,7
1(2) The department of justice shall maintain a toll-free telephone number with
2voice mail to receive reports of hate crimes. The department shall relay a report of
3a hate crime to the appropriate employee of the department or law enforcement
4officer for investigation. The department shall keep confidential the person's
5identity who makes a report of a hate crime. The department shall publicize the
6toll-free telephone number by creating a flyer and making the flyers available and
7printable from its website.
