AB562: Bill Text

1999 Assembly BILL 562

October 27, 1999 - Introduced by Committee on Criminal Justice. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice.

AB562,1,1 An Act relating to: creating a southeast Wisconsin crime abatement task force.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee may jointly establish a crime commission, aimed at determining methods of crime prevention in Milwaukee County. This bill establishes a 17-member southeast Wisconsin crime abatement task force. The bill requires the task force to study the criminal justice system, the correctional system and the incidence of criminal recidivism in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Rock and Waukesha counties and to make recommendations regarding all of the following in those counties: 1) establishing effective community-based rehabilitation programs; 2) establishing effective community-based sanctions for offenders who violate conditions of community supervision; 3) potential changes in salary structure and benefits for community corrections agents as a way to retain them; 4) enhancing communication among courts and state and county agencies devoted to criminal justice and rehabilitation; and 5) strategies for increasing judicial and prosecutorial confidence in community corrections. The task force is required to submit a report containing its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation necessary for the implementation of those recommendations, to the legislature and the governor prior to January 23, 2001, when the task force sunsets.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB562, s. 1 Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB562,2,5 (1) Southeast Wisconsin crime abatement task force. There is created a southeast Wisconsin crime abatement task force that is attached to the department of administration under section 15.03 of the statutes and that shall consist of the following members:

AB562,2,7 (a) One member, not employed by any unit of federal, state or local government, appointed by each of the following:

AB562,2,8 1. The speaker of the assembly.

AB562,2,9 2. The assembly minority leader.

AB562,2,10 3. The senate majority leader.

AB562,2,11 4. The senate minority leader.

AB562,2,12 (b) The state public defender or his or her designee.

AB562,2,13 (c) The secretary of corrections or his or her designee.

AB562,2,14 (d) The secretary of health and family services or his or her designee.

AB562,2,15 (e) The secretary of workforce development or his or her designee.

AB562,2,16 (f) The chief judge of Milwaukee County or his or her designee.

AB562,2,18 (g) One circuit judge from Kenosha, Racine, Rock or Waukesha county, appointed by the supreme court.

AB562,2,19 (h) The Kenosha County executive or his or her designee.

AB562,2,20 (i) The Milwaukee County executive or his or her designee.

AB562,2,21 (j) The Racine County executive or his or her designee.

AB562,2,22 (k) The Rock County administrator or his or her designee.

AB562,2,23 (l) The Waukesha County executive or his or her designee.

AB562,2,24 (m) The district attorney of Milwaukee County or his or her designee.

AB562,3,2 (n) One representative of a Kenosha, Racine, Rock or Waukesha county law enforcement agency, to be appointed by the attorney general.

AB562,3,6 (2) Co-chairpersons and reporter. The speaker of the assembly and the senate majority leader shall each select one member of the task force to be co-chairpersons. The co-chairpersons shall select one member of the task force to be its reporter.

AB562,3,10 (3) Reimbursement. Members of the task force shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. A member who is an officer or an employe of the state shall be reimbursed by the agency that pays the member's salary.

AB562,3,11 (4) Duties.

AB562,3,13 (a) The task force shall make recommendations concerning all of the following with respect to Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Rock and Waukesha counties:

AB562,3,15 1. Establishing programming that increases criminal offenders' likelihood of successful rehabilitation within a community setting.

AB562,3,19 2. Establishing drug diversion courts, teen courts, day reporting centers, intensive supervision, deferred prosecution agreements and other community-based alternatives to incarceration as sanctions for offenders who violate conditions of community supervision.

AB562,3,22 3. Whether changes in the salary structure for or benefits provided to community corrections agents may induce those agents to achieve longer tenure within those counties.

AB562,3,24 4. Enhancing communication among the courts and state and county agencies devoted to criminal justice and rehabilitation.

AB562,4,2 5. Fostering and maintaining strategies for increasing judicial and prosecutorial confidence in the effectiveness of community corrections programs.

AB562,4,7 (b) No later than January 23, 2001, the task force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature in the manner provided in section 13.172 (2) of the statutes and the governor. The report shall include any proposed legislation that is necessary to implement the recommendations made by the task force in its report.

AB562,4,8 (5) Sunset. This section does not apply after January 23, 2001.

AB562,4,9 (End)