AB 118

Current law prohibits a person from harboring or aiding a felon with intent to

prevent the felon's apprehension. Current law also prohibits a person from

destroying, altering, hiding, or disguising physical evidence or placing false evidence

with intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution, or conviction of a felon. These

two prohibitions, however, do not apply to the felon or to his or her spouse, parents,

grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, or sisters. A person who violates

one of these prohibitions may be fined up to $10,000 or sentenced to a term of

imprisonment of up to three and one-half years, or both.

This bill eliminates the exception to the second prohibition for the felon and the

felon's spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, and

sisters. The bill creates an exception to both prohibitions for a person if the felon has

been charged with an act of domestic abuse against the person and the person may

be called to testify against the felon.

The bill also increases the violation for violating these prohibitions if the felon

being aided committed: 1) a Class A, B, C, or D felony; 2) an unclassified felony that

is punishable by a sentence of life imprisonment; or 3) an offense in another state that

is punishable by imprisonment there for one year or more and that would, if

committed in Wisconsin, be a Class A, B, C, or D felony or be punishable by a sentence

of life imprisonment. A person who aids the felon who commits these offenses is

guilty of a Class G felony and may be fined up to $25,000 or imprisoned for up to ten

years, or both.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime,

the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a

report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to

result if the bill is enacted.