An Act to amend 968.07 (1m); to create 704.96 and 943.147 of the statutes; Relating to: criminal trespass at a campground and providing a penalty. (FE)
Summary
AB259 creates a new criminal trespass offense specific to campgrounds and camping resorts licensed under Wisconsin law. It would make it unlawful for a person to enter or remain on campground premises without the operator’s consent, and it authorizes the operator to issue a written request directing the person to leave immediately. If the person does not depart after receiving that request, the person commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, up to 30 days in county jail, or both.
The bill also directs law enforcement to arrest and take into custody a person when there is probable cause to believe the person violated the new campground trespass provision. In addition, it creates a new statute stating that landlord-tenant law in chapter 704 does not apply to occupants and guests of a campground or camping resort, while preserving separate rights for manufactured and mobile home communities and for individuals who enter into a campground contract under existing law.
Impact
AB259 would add a new standalone trespass statute for campgrounds, amend the mandatory-arrest statute to include violations of that new offense, and carve campground occupants and guests out of chapter 704 landlord-tenant protections. Its practical effect would be to give campground operators a clearer and faster removal process for unauthorized persons and to create a criminal penalty framework specifically tied to campground access and occupancy.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was introduced as a public-safety and property-rights measure, with no recorded committee testimony or vote breakdown in the provided materials. Its eventual failure to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 indicates it did not advance to enactment, but the text itself reflects a straightforward enforcement-oriented approach rather than a broad policy overhaul.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the balance between campground operators’ ability to remove unwanted persons and the rights of occupants or guests who may be staying at a campground. The bill expressly excludes campground situations from chapter 704 landlord-tenant law, which could concern those who view campground stays as having some tenancy-like protections. Another possible issue is the mandatory arrest provision, which requires law enforcement action upon probable cause and may raise concerns about criminalizing disputes that could otherwise be handled as civil or property-management matters.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 968.07 (1m); to create 704.96 and 943.147 of the statutes; Relating to: criminal trespass at a campground and providing a penalty. (FE)