AB209: Bill Text

LRB-2085/1

JEO:jlg:hmh

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Assembly BILL 209

March 16, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Kaufert, La Fave, Skindrud, Musser, Kreibich, Ladwig, Goetsch, Ziegelbauer, Kelso, Petrowski, Johnsrud, Seratti, Spillner, Nass, Handrick, Owens, Albers, Hahn and Stone, cosponsored by Senators Moen, Fitzgerald and Roessler. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice.

AB209,1,2 An Act to create 941.33 of the statutes; relating to: misuse of laser 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 disarming a police officer and possessing or using certain weapons or devices that imitate or look like certain weapons. A person who disarms a police officer may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years or both, if the offense occurs before December 31, 1999, or may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years or both, if the offense occurs on or after December 31, 1999. If a person carries or displays a facsimile firearm (such as a toy firearm or a starter pistol) in a manner that could reasonably be expected to alarm, intimidate, threaten or terrify another person, the person may be subject to a forfeiture (a civil monetary penalty) of not more than $500.

This bill prohibits a person from intentionally directing a beam of light from a laser pointer at any part of the body of a law enforcement officer. A person who violates this prohibition may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both.

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

AB209, s. 1 Section 1. 941.33 of the statutes is created to read:

AB209,2,2 941.33 Misuse of laser pointers. (1) In this section:

AB209,2,5 (a) "Laser pointer" means a hand-held device that uses light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation to emit a beam of light that is visible to the human eye.

AB209,2,8 (b) "Law enforcement officer" means a Wisconsin law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 175.46 (1) (g), or a federal law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 175.40 (7) (a) 1.

AB209,2,10 (2) Whoever intentionally directs a beam of light from a laser pointer at any part of the body of a law enforcement officer is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

AB209, s. 2 Section 2. Initial applicability.

AB209,2,13 (1) This act first applies to offenses committed on the effective date of this subsection.

AB209,2,14 (End)