An Act to amend 939.616 (title), 940.302 (2) (a) (intro.), 940.302 (2) (b), 948.051 (1) and 948.051 (2); to create 939.616 (1s), 939.6175 and 939.74 (2) (av) of the statutes; Relating to: human trafficking and trafficking of a child and providing a penalty.
Summary
SB266 would increase criminal penalties for human trafficking and child trafficking under Wisconsin law. The bill raises human trafficking from a Class D felony to a Class C felony and trafficking of a child from a Class C felony to a Class B felony. It also adds mandatory minimum prison confinement terms: at least 10 years for human trafficking and at least 15 years for trafficking a child.
In addition to increasing penalties, the bill extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting human trafficking offenses to 10 years after the violation. It amends the existing trafficking statutes to reflect the higher felony classifications and applies the new mandatory minimum sentencing rules through Wisconsin’s bifurcated sentencing structure.
Impact
The bill would amend several sections of the Wisconsin statutes governing trafficking offenses, including the criminal code provisions for human trafficking and child trafficking, sentencing rules, and the criminal limitations period. It would make prosecutions and sentencing more severe for offenders, increase the maximum felony level for child trafficking, and require courts to impose longer prison confinement before extended supervision. It would also give prosecutors more time to bring human trafficking charges by lengthening the limitations period.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or recorded vote information is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or floor sentiment in the materials supplied. The bill’s subject matter and penalty increases suggest a law-and-order approach aimed at stronger punishment for trafficking offenses, but the available record only shows that the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Contention
The main policy issue in SB266 is the severity of punishment: supporters would likely favor tougher mandatory minimums and higher felony classifications to deter trafficking and reflect the seriousness of the crimes, while opponents could object to mandatory minimum sentencing, reduced judicial discretion, and the broader use of long prison terms. Another possible point of contention is the expanded statute of limitations, which increases the window for prosecution and may raise concerns about stale evidence or due process in older cases.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 939.616 (title), 940.302 (2) (a) (intro.), 940.302 (2) (b), 948.051 (1) and 948.051 (2); to create 939.616 (1s), 939.6175 and 939.74 (2) (av) of the statutes; Relating to: human trafficking and trafficking of a child and providing a penalty.