2005 WISCONSIN ACT 462
An Act to amend 218.04 (1) (a), 943.245 (1m) (intro.), 943.245 (3m) and 943.245 (8); and to create 943.24 (6), 943.245 (9) and 971.41 of the statutes; relating to: deferred prosecution agreements for persons charged with issuing a worthless check or other order for payment.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
462,1
Section
1. 218.04 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
218.04 (1) (a) "Collection agency" means any person engaging in the business of collecting or receiving for payment for others of any account, bill or other indebtedness. It shall not include attorneys at law authorized to practice in this state and resident herein, banks, express companies, state savings banks, state savings and loan associations, insurers and their agents, trust companies, or district attorneys acting under s. 971.41, persons contracting with district attorneys under s. 971.41 (5), professional men's associations collecting accounts for its members on a nonprofit basis, where such members are required by law to have a license, diploma, or permit to practice or follow their profession, real estate brokers, and real estate salespersons.
462,2
Section
2. 943.24 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
943.24 (6) (a) If the department of justice, a district attorney, or a state or local law enforcement agency requests any of the following information under par. (b) from a financial institution, as defined in s. 705.01 (3), regarding a specific person, the financial institution shall provide the information within 10 days after receiving the request:
1. Documents relating to the opening and closing of the person's account.
2. Notices regarding any of the following that were issued within the 6 months immediately before the request and that relate to the person:
a. Checks written by the person when there were insufficient funds in his or her account.
b. Overdrafts.
c. The dishonor of any check drawn on the person's account.
3. Account statements sent to the person by the financial institution for the following:
a. The period during which any specific check covered by a notice under subd. 2. was issued.
b. The period immediately before and immediately after the period specified in subd. 3. a.
4. The last known address and telephone number for the person's home and business.
(b) The department of justice, a district attorney, or a state or local law enforcement agency may request information under par. (a) only if the request is in writing and if it states that the requester is investigating whether the person specified violated this section or is prosecuting the person specified under this section.
(c) A financial institution may not impose a fee for providing information under this subsection.
462,3
Section
3. 943.245 (1m) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
943.245 (1m) (intro.) Any Except as provided in sub. (9), any person who incurs pecuniary loss, including any holder in due course of a check or order, may bring a civil action against any adult or emancipated minor who:
462,4
Section
4. 943.245 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
943.245 (3m) Any recovery under this section shall be reduced by the amount recovered as restitution for the same act under ss. 800.093 and 973.20 and by any amount collected in connection with the act and paid to the plaintiff under a deferred prosecution agreement under s. 971.41.
462,5
Section
5. 943.245 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
943.245 (8) Nothing in this section other than sub. (9) precludes a plaintiff from bringing the action under ch. 799 if the amount claimed is within the jurisdictional limits of s. 799.01 (1) (d).
462,6
Section
6. 943.245 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
943.245 (9) A person may not bring an action under this section after requesting that a criminal prosecution be deferred under s. 971.41 if the person against whom the action would be brought has complied with the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement.
462,7
Section
7. 971.41 of the statutes is created to read:
971.41 Deferred prosecution program; worthless checks. (1) Definition. In this section, "offender" means a person charged with, or for whom probable cause exists to charge the person with, a violation of s. 943.24.
(2) Establishment of program; eligibility criteria. A district attorney may create within his or her office a worthless check deferred prosecution program for offenders who agree to participate in it as an alternative to prosecution. The district attorney may establish criteria for determining an offender's eligibility for the program. Among the factors that the program may use in determining eligibility are the following:
(a) The face value of any check or order that was involved in the offense.
(b) If applicable, the reason why the check or order was dishonored by a financial institution.
(c) Other evidence presented to the district attorney regarding the facts and circumstances of the offense.
(d) The offender's criminal history.
(e) Prior referrals of the offender to the program.
(f) Whether other charges under s. 943.24 are pending against the offender.
(3) Conditions of program. A deferred prosecution agreement to which this section applies may require an offender to do any of the following:
(a) Pay money owed for the worthless check or other order issued in violation of s. 943.24 to the district attorney for remittance to the payee of the worthless check or order.
(b) Make other payments for restitution for the offense, including payments to reimburse any person for fees assessed by a financial institution in connection with the person attempting to present the worthless check or other order.
(c) Pay administrative fees assessed under sub. (7).
(b) Pay for and successfully complete a class or counseling regarding financial management.
(4) Offenses covered. The deferred prosecution agreement shall specify the offenses for which prosecution is being deferred and shall describe the checks involved in the transactions. The district attorney shall agree not to prosecute those offenses while the agreement remains in effect or afterward if the offender successfully completes the deferred prosecution program.
(5) Private contractor operation of program. (a) A district attorney who establishes a deferred prosecution program under this section may contract with a private entity to operate or administer all or part of the program under the supervision, direction, and control the district attorney.
(b) A private entity acting under this subsection shall maintain insurance, financial accounting controls, and fund disbursement procedures as required by the district attorney. The district attorney shall audit the accounts of the private entity, but only after providing written notice.
(c) If an offender who is the subject of a deferred prosecution agreement under this section is represented by an attorney, a private entity acting under this subsection may communicate directly with the offender if any of the following apply:
1. The attorney has not informed the private entity of his or her representation in writing.
2. The attorney has authorized the communication.
3. The private entity has requested authorization for the communication from the attorney, but the attorney has failed to respond to that request within a reasonable period of time.
(d) A district attorney may cancel a contract entered into with a private entity under this subsection if any of the following occur:
1. The private entity or a principal of the private entity is convicted of any of the following:
a. A felony under any state or federal law.
b. A misdemeanor under any state or federal law if proof of the defendant's dishonesty is an essential element of the offense or if the offense relates to debt collection.
2. The private entity uses or threatens to use force or violence against an offender, a member of his or her family, or his or her property.
3. The private entity threatens the seizure, attachment, or sale of an offender's property without disclosing that prior court proceedings are required.
4. The private entity, with knowledge that the statement is false, makes or threatens to make a statement to a 3rd party that adversely affects an offender's reputation for creditworthiness.
5. The private entity initiates or threatens to initiate communication with an offender's employer. This subdivision does not apply if the communication is authorized under a court order or federal law or if all of the following apply:
a. An offender's payment is 30 or more days past due.
b. The private entity has provided written notice to the offender at his or her last known address, at least 5 days beforehand, of its intent to communicate with the employer.
