AB695,1,4 1An Act to renumber and amend 968.26; to amend 48.981 (7) (a) 14m., 230.81
2(2), 911.01 (4) (b), 970.02 (1) (c), 971.02 (1), 971.23 (1) (a), 972.08 (1) (a), 972.08
3(2) and 972.085; and to create 968.26 (2) of the statutes; relating to: John Doe
4proceedings.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, under a John Doe proceeding, a person who believes a crime
has been committed may complain to a judge. Then the judge must ascertain if a
crime has been committed. The scope of examination is within the judge's discretion.
If the judge determines that a crime has probably been committed, she or he will
issue a warrant for the arrest of the accused.
This bill limits an individual who believes a crime has been committed to
complaining only to a district attorney under any of the following circumstances: 1)
If the alleged crime occurs when the individual is under arrest, incarcerated,
imprisoned, or otherwise detained by any law enforcement agency or detained as a
sexually violent person; 2) If the alleged crime occurs on the property of the
Department of Corrections (DOC), the Department of Health and Family Services
(DHFS), or a county jail; 3) If the person who allegedly committed the crime is
working as an employee of DOC or DHFS, a law enforcement officer, or a correctional
officer. After the individual files a complaint, the district attorney may conduct an
investigation of the complaint and may file a complaint.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB695, s. 1 1Section 1. 48.981 (7) (a) 14m. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,2,22 48.981 (7) (a) 14m. A judge conducting proceedings under s. 968.26 (1).
AB695, s. 2 3Section 2. 230.81 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,2,104 230.81 (2) Nothing in this section prohibits an employee from disclosing
5information to an appropriate law enforcement agency, a state or federal district
6attorney in whose jurisdiction the crime is alleged to have occurred, a state or federal
7grand jury or a judge in a proceeding commenced under s. 968.26 (1), or disclosing
8information pursuant to any subpoena issued by any person authorized to issue
9subpoenas under s. 885.01. Any such disclosure of information is a lawful disclosure
10under this section and is protected under s. 230.83.
AB695, s. 3 11Section 3. 911.01 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,2,1312 911.01 (4) (b) Grand jury; John Doe proceedings. Proceedings before grand
13juries or a John Doe proceeding under s. 968.26.
AB695, s. 4 14Section 4. 968.26 of the statutes is renumbered 968.26 (1) and amended to
15read:
AB695,3,1416 968.26 (1) If Except as provided in sub. (2), if a person complains to a judge that
17he or she has reason to believe that a crime has been committed within his or her
18jurisdiction, the judge shall examine the complainant under oath and any witnesses
19produced by him or her and may, and at the request of the district attorney shall,
20subpoena and examine other witnesses to ascertain whether a crime has been
21committed and by whom committed. The extent to which the judge may proceed in

1the examination is within the judge's discretion. The examination may be adjourned
2and may be secret. Any witness examined under this section may have counsel
3present at the examination but the counsel shall not be allowed to examine his or her
4client, cross-examine other witnesses or argue before the judge. If it appears
5probable from the testimony given that a crime has been committed and who
6committed it, the complaint may be reduced to writing and signed and verified; and
7thereupon a warrant shall issue for the arrest of the accused. Subject to s. 971.23,
8if the proceeding is secret, the record of the proceeding and the testimony taken shall
9not be open to inspection by anyone except the district attorney unless it is used by
10the prosecution at the preliminary hearing or the trial of the accused and then only
11to the extent that it is so used. A court, on the motion of a district attorney, may
12compel a person to testify or produce evidence under s. 972.08 (1). The person is
13immune from prosecution as provided in s. 972.08 (1), subject to the restrictions
14under s. 972.085.
AB695, s. 5 15Section 5. 968.26 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
AB695,3,1916 968.26 (2) An individual who has reason to believe that a crime has been
17committed may complain only to the district attorney of the county in which the
18alleged crime occurred, and the district attorney may conduct an investigation and
19file a complaint, if any of the following circumstances apply:
AB695,3,2120 (a) The complaining individual was a prisoner, as defined in s. 46.011 (2), or was
21detained under ch. 980, when the alleged crime occurred.
AB695,3,2522 (b) The complaining individual has reason to believe that the alleged crime
23occurred on property, including a vehicle, owned or leased by the department or the
24department of health and family services, or any property, including a vehicle, used
25lawfully for a purpose under s. 302.31.
AB695,4,4
1(c) The complaining individual has reason to believe that the individual who
2allegedly committed the crime is an employee of the department, the department of
3health and family services, a law enforcement officer, or a correctional officer and was
4working in his or her official duty at the commission of the alleged crime.
AB695, s. 6 5Section 6. 970.02 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,4,106 970.02 (1) (c) That the defendant is entitled to a preliminary examination if
7charged with a felony in any complaint, including a complaint issued under s. 968.26
8(1), or when the defendant has been returned to this state for prosecution through
9extradition proceedings under ch. 976, or any indictment, unless waived in writing
10or in open court, or unless the defendant is a corporation or limited liability company.
AB695, s. 7 11Section 7. 971.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,4,1912 971.02 (1) If the defendant is charged with a felony in any complaint, including
13a complaint issued under s. 968.26 (1), or when the defendant has been returned to
14this state for prosecution through extradition proceedings under ch. 976, or any
15indictment, no information or indictment shall be filed until the defendant has had
16a preliminary examination, unless the defendant waives such examination in
17writing or in open court or unless the defendant is a corporation or limited liability
18company. The omission of the preliminary examination shall not invalidate any
19information unless the defendant moves to dismiss prior to the entry of a plea.
AB695, s. 8 20Section 8. 971.23 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,4,2421 971.23 (1) (a) Any written or recorded statement concerning the alleged crime
22made by the defendant, including the testimony of the defendant in a secret
23proceeding under s. 968.26 (1) or before a grand jury, and the names of witnesses to
24the defendant's written statements.
AB695, s. 9 25Section 9. 972.08 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,5,11
1972.08 (1) (a) Whenever any person refuses to testify or to produce books,
2papers or documents when required to do so before any grand jury, in a proceeding
3under s. 968.26 (1) or at a preliminary examination, criminal hearing or trial for the
4reason that the testimony or evidence required of him or her may tend to incriminate
5him or her or subject him or her to a forfeiture or penalty, the person may
6nevertheless be compelled to testify or produce the evidence by order of the court on
7motion of the district attorney. No person who testifies or produces evidence in
8obedience to the command of the court in that case may be liable to any forfeiture or
9penalty for or on account of testifying or producing evidence, but no person may be
10exempted from prosecution and punishment for perjury or false swearing committed
11in so testifying.
AB695, s. 10 12Section 10. 972.08 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,5,2213 972.08 (2) Whenever a witness attending in any court trial or appearing before
14any grand jury or John Doe investigation under s. 968.26 fails or refuses without just
15cause to comply with an order of the court under this section to give testimony in
16response to a question or with respect to any matter, the court, upon such failure or
17refusal, or when such failure or refusal is duly brought to its attention, may
18summarily order the witness's confinement at a suitable place until such time as the
19witness is willing to give such testimony or until such trial, grand jury term or John
20Doe investigation is concluded but in no case exceeding one year. No person confined
21under this section shall be admitted to bail pending the determination of an appeal
22taken by the person from the order of confinement.
AB695, s. 11 23Section 11. 972.085 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB695,6,5 24972.085 Immunity; use standard. Immunity from criminal or forfeiture
25prosecution under ss. 13.35, 17.16 (7), 77.61 (12), 93.17, 111.07 (2) (b), 128.16, 133.15,

1139.20, 139.39 (5), 195.048, 196.48, 551.56 (3), 553.55 (3), 601.62 (5), 767.87 (4),
2885.15, 885.24, 885.25 (2), 891.39 (2), 968.26 (1), 972.08 (1) and 979.07 (1) and ch.
3769, provides immunity only from the use of the compelled testimony or evidence in
4subsequent criminal or forfeiture proceedings, as well as immunity from the use of
5evidence derived from that compelled testimony or evidence.
AB695, s. 12 6Section 12. Initial applicability.
AB695,6,87 (1) The treatment of section 968.26 (2) of the statutes first applies to complaints
8made on the effective date of this subsection.
AB695,6,99 (End)
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