LRB-1895/2
JEO:jlg:lp
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
March 4, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives La Fave, Kaufert, Ryba, Musser,
Hasenohrl, Albers, Black, Sinicki and Riley, cosponsored by Senator
Roessler. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice.
AB154,1,2
1An Act to create 941.299 of the statutes;
relating to: restrictions on the use of
2laser pointers and providing a penalty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law provides various restrictions on acts that endanger public health
and safety. Among the acts covered by these restrictions are tampering with
household products, placing foreign objects in edibles and possessing or using certain
weapons or devices that imitate or look like certain weapons. For instance, current
law, with certain exceptions, prohibits a person from carrying or displaying a
facsimile firearm in a manner that could reasonably be expected to alarm,
intimidate, threaten or terrify another person. This prohibition applies to a replica
of a firearm, a toy firearm, a starter pistol or any other object that bears a reasonable
resemblance to or that reasonably can be perceived to be an actual firearm. A person
who violates the prohibition may be subject to a forfeiture (a civil monetary penalty)
of not more than $500.
This bill creates restrictions on the use of laser pointers. Under the bill, no
person may do any of the following with a laser pointer: 1) intentionally and for no
legitimate purpose direct a beam of light from the laser pointer at any part of the body
of any human being; 2) direct a beam of light from the laser pointer in a manner that
could reasonably be expected to alarm, intimidate, threaten or terrify another
person; or 3) direct a beam of light from a laser pointer in a manner that, under the
circumstances, tends to disrupt any public or private event or create or provoke a
disturbance. A person who violates the prohibition created in the bill may be subject
to a forfeiture of not more than $1,000.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB154, s. 1
1Section
1. 941.299 of the statutes is created to read:
AB154,2,4
2941.299 Restrictions on the use of laser pointers. (1) In this section,
3"laser pointer" means a hand-held device that uses light amplification by stimulated
4emission of radiation to emit a beam of light that is visible to the human eye.
AB154,2,5
5(2) No person may do any of the following:
AB154,2,76
(a) Intentionally and for no legitimate purpose direct a beam of light from a
7laser pointer at any part of the body of any human being.
AB154,2,98
(b) Direct a beam of light from a laser pointer in a manner that could reasonably
9be expected to alarm, intimidate, threaten or terrify another person.
AB154,2,1210
(c) Direct a beam of light from a laser pointer in a manner that, under the
11circumstances, tends to disrupt any public or private event or create or provoke a
12disturbance.
AB154,2,13
13(3) Whoever violates sub. (2) is subject to a Class B forfeiture.
AB154,2,1615
(1) This act first applies to offenses occurring on the effective date of this
16subsection.
