SB237,7,11
1An Act to repeal 351.07 (2) (b), 939.32 (1) (b), 939.50 (1) (bc), 939.50 (3) (bc),
2939.615 (7) (c), 939.622, 939.623, 939.624, 939.625, 939.63 (2), 939.635, 939.64,
3939.641, 939.646, 939.647, 939.648, 940.09 (1b), 940.19 (3), 940.195 (3), 940.195
4(6), 940.25 (1b), 940.285 (2) (b) 3., 941.29 (2m), 941.296 (3), 943.01 (2g), 943.23
5(1m), 943.23 (1r), 946.42 (4), 946.425 (2), 948.02 (3m), 948.025 (2m), 948.03 (5),
6948.35, 948.36, 948.605 (4), 961.41 (1) (cm) 5., 961.41 (1) (d) 5., 961.41 (1) (d) 6.,
7961.41 (1) (e) 5., 961.41 (1) (e) 6., 961.41 (1m) (cm) 5., 961.41 (1m) (d) 5., 961.41
8(1m) (d) 6., 961.41 (1m) (e) 5., 961.41 (1m) (e) 6., 961.41 (2) (c), 961.41 (3g) (a)
92., 961.41 (3g) (a) 3., 961.438, 961.46 (2), 961.46 (3), 961.465, 961.48 (2), 961.48
10(4), 961.49 (2), 961.49 (3), 961.492, 973.01 (2) (b) 2. and 973.03 (3) (e) 3.;
to
11renumber 351.07 (2) (a) and 961.49 (1);
to renumber and amend 49.95 (1),
12125.075 (2), 939.63 (1), 943.20 (3) (d) 2., 948.025 (1), 948.025 (2), 961.41 (1) (cm)
131., 961.41 (1m) (cm) 1., 961.41 (3g) (a) 1., 961.46 (1), 961.48 (1), 971.17 (1),
14973.01 (2) (b) 6., 973.01 (2) (c) and 973.01 (2) (d);
to amend 6.18, 11.61 (1) (a),
111.61 (1) (b), 12.60 (1) (a), 13.05, 13.06, 13.69 (6m), 15.01 (2), 23.33 (13) (cg),
226.14 (8), 29.971 (1) (c), 29.971 (1m) (c), 29.971 (11m) (a), 29.971 (11p) (a), 30.80
3(2g) (b), 30.80 (2g) (c), 30.80 (2g) (d), 30.80 (3m), 36.25 (6) (d), 47.03 (3) (d),
448.355 (2d) (b) 3., 48.415 (9m) (b) 2., 48.417 (1) (d), 48.57 (3p) (g) 2., 48.685 (5)
5(bm) 2., 48.685 (5) (bm) 3., 48.685 (5) (bm) 4., 49.127 (8) (a) 2., 49.127 (8) (b) 2.,
649.127 (8) (c), 49.141 (7) (a), 49.141 (7) (b), 49.141 (9) (a), 49.141 (9) (b), 49.141
7(10) (b), 49.49 (1) (b) 1., 49.49 (2) (a), 49.49 (2) (b), 49.49 (3), 49.49 (3m) (b), 49.49
8(4) (b), 51.15 (12), 55.06 (11) (am), 66.4025 (1) (b), 66.4025 (1) (c), 69.24 (1)
9(intro.), 70.47 (18) (a), 71.83 (2) (b), 86.192 (4), 97.43 (4), 97.45 (2), 100.171 (7)
10(b), 100.2095 (6) (d), 100.26 (2), 100.26 (5), 100.26 (7), 101.143 (10) (b), 101.94
11(8) (b), 102.835 (11), 102.835 (18), 102.85 (3), 108.225 (11), 108.225 (18), 110.07
12(5) (a), 114.20 (18) (c), 115.31 (2g), 118.19 (4) (a), 125.085 (3) (a) 2., 125.105 (2)
13(b), 125.66 (3), 125.68 (12) (b), 125.68 (12) (c), 132.20 (2), 133.03 (1), 133.03 (2),
14134.05 (4), 134.16, 134.20 (1) (intro.), 134.205 (4), 134.58, 139.44 (1), 139.44
15(1m), 139.44 (2), 139.44 (8) (c), 139.95 (2), 139.95 (3), 146.345 (3), 146.35 (5),
16146.60 (9) (am), 146.70 (10) (a), 154.15 (2), 154.29 (2), 166.20 (11) (b), 167.10 (9)
17(g), 175.20 (3), 180.0129 (2), 181.0129 (2), 185.825, 200.09 (2), 214.93, 215.02 (6)
18(b), 215.12, 215.21 (21), 218.21 (7), 220.06 (2), 221.0625 (2) (intro.), 221.0636 (2),
19221.0637 (2), 221.1004 (2), 253.06 (4) (b), 285.87 (2) (b), 291.97 (2) (b) (intro.),
20291.97 (2) (c) 1. and 2., 299.53 (4) (c) 2., 301.035 (2), 301.035 (4), 301.26 (4) (cm)
211., 302.095 (2), 302.11 (1g) (a) 2., 302.11 (1p), 302.113 (2), 302.113 (7), 302.113
22(9), 302.114 (5) (f), 302.114 (6) (b), 302.114 (6) (c), 302.114 (9), 302.33 (1), 303.065
23(1) (b) 1., 303.08 (1) (intro.), 303.08 (2), 303.08 (5) (intro.), 303.08 (6), 303.08 (12),
24304.06 (1) (b), 304.071 (2), 341.605 (3), 342.06 (2), 342.065 (4) (b), 342.155 (4)
25(b), 342.156 (6) (b), 342.30 (3) (a), 342.32 (3), 343.31 (1) (i), 343.31 (3) (d) (intro.),
1343.44 (2) (b) (intro.), 344.48 (2), 346.17 (3) (a), 346.17 (3) (b), 346.17 (3) (c),
2346.17 (3) (d), 346.175 (1) (a), 346.175 (1) (b), 346.175 (4) (b), 346.175 (4) (c),
3346.175 (4) (d), 346.175 (5) (intro.), 346.175 (5) (a), 346.65 (2) (e), 346.65 (5),
4346.74 (5) (b), 346.74 (5) (c), 346.74 (5) (d), 350.11 (2m), 446.07, 447.09, 450.11
5(9) (b), 450.14 (5), 450.15 (2), 551.58 (1), 552.19 (1), 553.52 (1), 553.52 (2), 562.13
6(3), 562.13 (4), 565.50 (2), 565.50 (3), 601.64 (4), 641.19 (4) (a), 641.19 (4) (b),
7753.061 (2m), 765.30 (1) (intro.), 765.30 (2) (intro.), 768.07, 783.07, 801.50 (5),
8911.01 (4) (c), 938.208 (1) (a), 938.34 (4h) (a), 938.34 (4m) (b) 1., 938.355 (2d) (b)
93., 938.355 (4) (b), 938.78 (3), 939.22 (21) (d), 939.30 (1), 939.30 (2), 939.32 (1)
10(intro.), 939.50 (1) (intro.), 939.50 (2), 939.50 (3) (c), 939.50 (3) (d), 939.50 (3) (e),
11939.615 (7) (b) 2., 939.62 (1) (a), 939.62 (1) (b), 939.62 (1) (c), 939.62 (2m) (a) 2m.
12a., 939.62 (2m) (a) 2m. b., 939.632 (1) (e) 1., 939.632 (2), 939.645 (2), 939.72 (1),
13939.75 (1), 940.02 (2) (intro.), 940.03, 940.04 (1), 940.04 (2) (intro.), 940.04 (4),
14940.06 (1), 940.06 (2), 940.07, 940.08 (1), 940.08 (2), 940.09 (1) (intro.), 940.10
15(1), 940.10 (2), 940.11 (1), 940.11 (2), 940.12, 940.15 (2), 940.15 (5), 940.15 (6),
16940.19 (2), 940.19 (4), 940.19 (5), 940.19 (6) (intro.), 940.195 (2), 940.195 (4),
17940.195 (5), 940.20 (1), 940.20 (1m), 940.20 (2), 940.20 (2m) (b), 940.20 (3),
18940.20 (4), 940.20 (5) (b), 940.20 (6) (b) (intro.), 940.20 (7) (b), 940.201 (2)
19(intro.), 940.203 (2) (intro.), 940.205 (2) (intro.), 940.207 (2) (intro.), 940.21,
20940.22 (2), 940.225 (2) (intro.), 940.225 (3), 940.23 (1) (a), 940.23 (1) (b), 940.23
21(2) (a), 940.23 (2) (b), 940.24 (1), 940.24 (2), 940.25 (1) (intro.), 940.285 (2) (b)
221g., 940.285 (2) (b) 1m., 940.285 (2) (b) 1r., 940.285 (2) (b) 2., 940.29, 940.295 (3)
23(b) 1g., 940.295 (3) (b) 1m., 940.295 (3) (b) 1r., 940.295 (3) (b) 2., 940.295 (3) (b)
243., 940.30, 940.305 (1), 940.305 (2), 940.31 (1) (intro.), 940.31 (2) (a), 940.31 (2)
25(b), 940.32 (2) (intro.), 940.32 (2m), 940.32 (3) (intro.), 940.32 (3m) (intro.),
1940.43 (intro.), 940.45 (intro.), 941.11 (intro.), 941.12 (1), 941.20 (2) (intro.),
2941.20 (3) (a) (intro.), 941.21, 941.235 (1), 941.26 (2) (a), 941.26 (2) (b), 941.26
3(2) (e), 941.26 (2) (f), 941.26 (2) (g), 941.26 (4) (d), 941.26 (4) (e), 941.28 (3),
4941.29 (2) (intro.), 941.295 (1), 941.296 (2) (intro.), 941.298 (2), 941.30 (1),
5941.30 (2), 941.31 (1), 941.31 (2) (b), 941.315 (3) (intro.), 941.32, 941.325,
6941.327 (2) (b) 1., 941.327 (2) (b) 2., 941.327 (2) (b) 3., 941.327 (2) (b) 4., 941.327
7(3), 941.37 (3), 941.37 (4), 941.38 (1) (b) 4., 941.38 (2), 943.01 (2) (intro.), 943.01
8(2) (d), 943.011 (2) (intro.), 943.012 (intro.), 943.013 (2) (intro.), 943.014 (2),
9943.015 (2) (intro.), 943.017 (2) (intro.), 943.017 (2) (d), 943.017 (2m) (b) (intro.),
10943.02 (1) (intro.), 943.03, 943.04, 943.06 (2), 943.07 (1), 943.07 (2), 943.10 (1)
11(intro.), 943.10 (2) (intro.), 943.12, 943.20 (3) (a), 943.20 (3) (b), 943.20 (3) (c),
12943.20 (3) (d) (intro.), 943.20 (3) (d) 1., 943.20 (3) (d) 3., 943.20 (3) (d) 4., 943.201
13(2), 943.205 (3), 943.21 (3) (a), 943.21 (3) (b), 943.23 (1g), 943.23 (2), 943.23 (3),
14943.23 (4m), 943.23 (5), 943.24 (1), 943.24 (2), 943.25 (1), 943.25 (2) (intro.),
15943.26 (2), 943.27, 943.28 (2), 943.28 (3), 943.28 (4), 943.30 (1), 943.30 (2),
16943.30 (3), 943.30 (4), 943.30 (5) (b), 943.31, 943.32 (1) (intro.), 943.32 (2),
17943.34 (1) (a), 943.34 (1) (b), 943.34 (1) (c), 943.38 (1) (intro.), 943.38 (2), 943.39
18(intro.), 943.395 (2) (a), 943.395 (2) (b), 943.40 (intro.), 943.41 (8) (b), 943.41 (8)
19(c), 943.45 (3) (c), 943.45 (3) (d), 943.455 (4) (c), 943.455 (4) (d), 943.46 (4) (c),
20943.46 (4) (d), 943.47 (3) (c), 943.47 (3) (d), 943.50 (4) (a), 943.50 (4) (b), 943.50
21(4) (c), 943.60 (1), 943.61 (5) (b), 943.61 (5) (c), 943.62 (4) (b), 943.62 (4) (c),
22943.70 (2) (b) 2., 943.70 (2) (b) 3., 943.70 (2) (b) 4., 943.70 (3) (b) 2., 943.70 (3)
23(b) 3., 943.70 (3) (b) 4., 943.75 (2), 944.05 (1) (intro.), 944.06, 944.16 (intro.),
24944.205 (2) (intro.), 944.21 (5) (c), 944.21 (5) (e), 944.32, 944.33 (2), 944.34
25(intro.), 945.03 (intro.), 945.05 (1) (intro.), 945.08 (1), 946.02 (1) (intro.), 946.03
1(1) (intro.), 946.03 (2), 946.05 (1), 946.10 (intro.), 946.11 (1) (intro.), 946.12
2(intro.), 946.13 (1) (intro.), 946.14, 946.15 (1), 946.15 (3), 946.31 (1) (intro.),
3946.32 (1) (intro.), 946.41 (2m) (intro.), 946.415 (2) (intro.), 946.42 (3) (intro.),
4946.425 (1), 946.425 (1m) (b), 946.425 (1r) (b), 946.43 (intro.), 946.44 (1) (intro.),
5946.44 (1g), 946.44 (1m), 946.47 (1) (intro.), 946.48 (1), 946.49 (1) (b), 946.49 (2),
6946.60 (1), 946.60 (2), 946.61 (1) (intro.), 946.64, 946.65 (1), 946.68 (1r) (a),
7946.68 (1r) (b), 946.68 (1r) (c), 946.69 (2) (intro.), 946.70 (2), 946.72 (1), 946.74
8(2), 946.76, 946.82 (4), 946.84 (1), 946.85 (1), 947.013 (1t), 947.013 (1v), 947.013
9(1x) (intro.), 947.015, 948.02 (2), 948.02 (3), 948.03 (2) (a), 948.03 (2) (b), 948.03
10(2) (c), 948.03 (3) (a), 948.03 (3) (b), 948.03 (3) (c), 948.03 (4) (a), 948.03 (4) (b),
11948.04 (1), 948.04 (2), 948.05 (1) (intro.), 948.05 (1m), 948.05 (2), 948.055 (2) (a),
12948.055 (2) (b), 948.06 (intro.), 948.07 (intro.), 948.08, 948.095 (2) (intro.),
13948.11 (2) (a), 948.11 (2) (am), 948.12 (intro.), 948.13 (2), 948.20, 948.21 (1),
14948.22 (2), 948.23, 948.24 (1) (intro.), 948.30 (1) (intro.), 948.30 (2) (intro.),
15948.31 (1) (b), 948.31 (2), 948.31 (3) (intro.), 948.40 (4) (a), 948.40 (4) (b), 948.51
16(3) (b), 948.60 (2) (b), 948.60 (2) (c), 948.605 (2) (a), 948.605 (3) (a), 948.61 (2) (b),
17948.62 (1) (a), 948.62 (1) (b), 948.62 (1) (c), 949.03 (1) (b), 950.04 (1v) (g), 951.18
18(1), 951.18 (2), 951.18 (2m), 961.41 (1) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (a), 961.41 (1) (b),
19961.41 (1) (cm) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (cm) 2., 961.41 (1) (cm) 3., 961.41 (1) (cm) 4.,
20961.41 (1) (d) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (d) 1., 961.41 (1) (d) 2., 961.41 (1) (d) 3., 961.41
21(1) (d) 4., 961.41 (1) (e) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (e) 1., 961.41 (1) (e) 2., 961.41 (1) (e)
223., 961.41 (1) (e) 4., 961.41 (1) (f) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (f) 1., 961.41 (1) (f) 2., 961.41
23(1) (f) 3., 961.41 (1) (g) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (g) 1., 961.41 (1) (g) 2., 961.41 (1) (g)
243., 961.41 (1) (h) (intro.), 961.41 (1) (h) 1., 961.41 (1) (h) 2., 961.41 (1) (h) 3.,
25961.41 (1) (i), 961.41 (1) (j), 961.41 (1m) (intro.), 961.41 (1m) (a), 961.41 (1m) (b),
1961.41 (1m) (cm) (intro.), 961.41 (1m) (cm) 2., 961.41 (1m) (cm) 3., 961.41 (1m)
2(cm) 4., 961.41 (1m) (d) (intro.), 961.41 (1m) (d) 1., 961.41 (1m) (d) 2., 961.41 (1m)
3(d) 3., 961.41 (1m) (d) 4., 961.41 (1m) (e) (intro.), 961.41 (1m) (e) 1., 961.41 (1m)
4(e) 2., 961.41 (1m) (e) 3., 961.41 (1m) (e) 4., 961.41 (1m) (f) (intro.), 961.41 (1m)
5(f) 1., 961.41 (1m) (f) 2., 961.41 (1m) (f) 3., 961.41 (1m) (g) (intro.), 961.41 (1m)
6(g) 1., 961.41 (1m) (g) 2., 961.41 (1m) (g) 3., 961.41 (1m) (h) (intro.), 961.41 (1m)
7(h) 1., 961.41 (1m) (h) 2., 961.41 (1m) (h) 3., 961.41 (1m) (i), 961.41 (1m) (j),
8961.41 (1n) (c), 961.41 (1q), 961.41 (1r), 961.41 (2) (intro.), 961.41 (2) (a), 961.41
9(2) (b), 961.41 (2) (d), 961.41 (3g) (c), 961.41 (3g) (d), 961.41 (3g) (e), 961.41 (3g)
10(f), 961.41 (4) (am) 3., 961.42 (2), 961.43 (2), 961.455 (1), 961.455 (3), 961.472
11(2), 961.48 (2m) (a), 961.48 (3), 968.255 (1) (a) 2., 968.31 (1) (intro.), 968.34 (3),
12968.43 (3), 969.08 (10) (a), 969.08 (10) (b), 971.365 (1) (c), 971.365 (2), 973.01 (1),
13973.01 (2) (intro.), 973.01 (2) (a), 973.01 (2) (b) (intro.), 973.01 (2) (b) 3., 973.01
14(2) (b) 4., 973.01 (2) (b) 5., 973.01 (4), 973.0135 (1) (b) 2., 973.03 (3) (e) 1. and 2.,
15973.032 (4) (c) 2., 973.075 (1) (b) 1m. e., 973.075 (2) (d), 973.09 (2) (b) 1., 977.06
16(2) (b) and 978.13 (1) (c);
to repeal and recreate 944.15 (title);
to create
1715.105 (26), 19.42 (10) (o), 19.42 (13) (n), 20.505 (4) (dr), 20.505 (4) (mr), 20.923
18(4) (b) 7., 20.923 (6) (hr), 49.95 (1) (e) and (f), 125.075 (2) (b), 227.01 (13) (sm),
19230.08 (2) (L) 6., 230.08 (2) (of), 302.113 (7m), 302.113 (8m), 302.113 (9) (am),
20302.113 (9) (d), 302.113 (9g), 302.114 (8m), 302.114 (9) (d), 346.04 (2t), 346.04
21(4), 346.17 (2t), 801.50 (5c), 939.32 (1) (bm), 939.32 (1g), 939.32 (1m), 939.32 (2)
22(title), 939.32 (3) (title), 939.50 (1) (f), 939.50 (1) (g), 939.50 (1) (h), 939.50 (1)
23(i), 939.50 (3) (f), 939.50 (3) (g), 939.50 (3) (h), 939.50 (3) (i), 940.09 (1c), 943.20
24(3) (bm), 943.23 (3m), 943.34 (1) (bm), 943.50 (4) (bm), 946.50 (5d), 946.50 (5h),
25946.50 (5p), 946.50 (5t), 948.025 (1) (b), 948.025 (2) (a), 948.51 (3) (c), 948.62 (1)
1(bm), 950.04 (1v) (nt), 961.41 (1) (cm) 1g., 961.41 (1) (h) 4., 961.41 (1) (h) 5.,
2961.41 (1m) (cm) 1g., 961.41 (1m) (h) 4., 961.41 (1m) (h) 5., 961.41 (3g) (b) (title),
3961.48 (1) (a) and (b), 971.17 (1) (b), 971.17 (1) (d), 973.01 (2) (b) 6m., 973.01 (2)
4(b) 7., 973.01 (2) (b) 8., 973.01 (2) (b) 9., 973.01 (2) (c) 2., 973.01 (2) (d) 1. to 6.,
5973.017, 973.15 (2) (am), 973.30 and 977.05 (4) (jm) of the statutes; and
to
6affect 1997 Wisconsin Act 283, section
454 (1) (f) and
1997 Wisconsin Act 283,
7section
454 (2);
relating to: classification and elements of felony offenses and
8certain misdemeanor offenses; modification of a bifurcated sentence in certain
9cases; revocation of extended supervision; the creation of a sentencing
10commission and temporary sentencing guidelines; making an appropriation;
11and providing penalties.
This bill makes the following changes to penalties for offenses committed on or
after December 31, 1999:
2. Classification of felonies. The bill places felony offenses that are classified
under current law into the new felony classes, with the exception of a few classified
felony offenses that are reduced to misdemeanor offenses. In addition, the bill places
unclassified felony offenses into the new felony classes, with the exception of certain
unclassified felony offenses that are reduced to misdemeanor offenses and offenses
that are felonies only because of the application of a penalty enhancer.
As a general rule, the bill places a felony offense into a felony class based on the
amount of time that a person who is given a maximum sentence for the offense under
current law would serve in prison before being released on parole under the
mandatory release law (see below, item 1 under The structure of felony sentences,
item 1). However, in some cases a felony is placed in a higher or lower felony class
than the one based on the current mandatory release date for a maximum sentence
under current law. For those felony offenses that are reduced to misdemeanor
offenses under the bill, the new penalty for the offense is a fine of not more than
$10,000 or imprisonment of not more than nine months or both.
3. Changes in property offenses. This bill changes penalties for certain crimes
against property. Under current law, the penalties for certain crimes against
property (such as theft, criminal damage to property, receiving stolen property,
issuing worthless checks and various kinds of fraud) are based on the value of the
property stolen, damaged or otherwise involved in the offense. Generally, the
current threshold between misdemeanor and felony penalties for these crimes is
$1,000. Thus, if the value of the property involved is $1,000 or less, the crime is a
misdemeanor. If the value of the property involved is more than $1,000, the crime
is a felony. This bill increases the threshold between misdemeanor and felony
penalties to $2,000 for property crimes cases in which the penalty depends on the
value of the property involved in the offense.
4. Felony murder. Under current law, a person commits felony murder if he or
she causes the death of another while committing or attempting to commit certain
felonies (such as sexual assault, arson or armed robbery). If a person commits felony
murder, the maximum period of imprisonment for the felony the person committed
or attempted to commit is increased by not more 20 years. This bill provides that the
maximum period of imprisonment for the felony the person committed or attempted
to commit is increased by not more 15 years.
5. Changes to the crime of carjacking. Under current law, a person is guilty of
carjacking if he or she intentionally takes any vehicle without the consent of the
owner while possessing a dangerous weapon and by using or threatening the use of
force or the weapon against another. This bill classifies every carjacking offense as
a Class C felony, including an offense resulting in a person's death (currently a Class
A felony), and adds carjacking to the list of offenses subject to the felony murder
statute (see item 4 above, Felony murder).
a) Stalking (Class I felony).
b) Criminal damage to railroad property (Class I felony).
c) Possession of a firearm in a school zone (Class I felony).
d) Discharge of a firearm in a school zone (Class G felony).
7. Elimination of certain minimum penalty provisions. Current law requires
a court to impose a minimum sentence of imprisonment in certain cases. In other
cases current law specifies a minimum sentence of imprisonment but also allows a
court, in the exercise of its discretion, to impose a lesser sentence of imprisonment
or no imprisonment at all. This bill eliminates both mandatory and presumptive
minimum prison sentences for felony offenses, except for Class A felonies, which
carry a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment (see below, Sentences of life
imprisonment), and the persistent repeater penalty enhancers (often called the
"three strikes, you're out" and "two strikes, you're out" laws), which require a
sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of release. In addition, the bill does
not change the minimum mandatory sentence of six months for fifth and subsequent
offenses of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
8. Elimination of mandatory consecutive sentences. Under current law, a court
sentencing a person convicted of a crime generally may provide that any sentence
imposed run concurrent with or consecutive to any other sentence imposed at the
same time or any sentence imposed previously. However, a court must impose a
consecutive sentence if the person was convicted of certain escape offenses,
possession or discharge of a firearm in a school zone, using or possessing a handgun
and armor-piercing bullet while committing another crime or violating conditions
of lifetime supervision by committing another crime. This bill eliminates the
requirement that consecutive sentences be imposed in these cases. The bill also
imposes new requirements relating to bifurcated sentences and sentences imposed
under current law that are ordered to run consecutively to each other (see below, The
structure of felony sentences, item 3-C).
In addition, under current law, if a person violates certain prohibitions relating
to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and, at the time of the offense, a child
under the age of 16 is in the vehicle, the penalties for the offense double. This bill
retains this penalty enhancer for most of the offenses involving operating a motor
vehicle while intoxicated, but the bill eliminates the enhancer for the crimes of
homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle.
1. The structure of prison sentences for felony offenses committed before
December 31, 1999. If a person commits a felony before December 31, 1999, and is
sentenced to prison, the person will usually have three possible ways of being
released from prison on parole: discretionary parole granted by the parole
commission (for which a person is usually eligible after serving 25% of the sentence
or six months, whichever is greater); mandatory release on parole (usually granted
automatically after the person serves two-thirds of the sentence); or special action
parole release by the secretary of corrections (a program designed to relieve prison
crowding). However, the person could be subject to more restrictive discretionary
parole eligibility provisions or to restrictions on mandatory release under certain
circumstances (for example, if the person has one or more prior convictions for
certain serious felonies).
B) The court must set the term of confinement in prison portion of the sentence
to be at least one year but not more than 40 years for a Class B felony, 20 years for
a Class BC felony, ten years for a Class C felony, five years for a Class D felony, or
two years for a Class E felony. If the person is being sentenced to prison for a felony
that is not in one of these classes, the term of confinement in prison portion of the
sentence must be at least one year but not more than 75% of the total length of the
bifurcated sentence.
3. The changes made by this bill. This bill makes the following changes relating
to the imposition of bifurcated sentences:
G) The bill creates a procedure by which certain older prisoners who have been
given a bifurcated sentence may petition the sentencing court for a modification of
the terms of the sentence. The procedure is available to prisoners who are 65 years
of age or older and have served at least five years of the term of confinement in prison
portion of their bifurcated sentence and to prisoners who are 60 years of age or older
and have served at least ten years of the term of confinement in prison portion of the
bifurcated sentence.
H) The bill clarifies that, if a misdemeanor offender may be sentenced to prison
because of the application of a sentence enhancer and the court decides to sentence
the person to prison, the court must impose a bifurcated sentence. In sentencing a
person to prison in such a case, the term of confinement in prison portion of the
sentence may not constitute more than 75% of the total bifurcated sentence.