AB 274

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 for the felon and the felon's spouse, parents,

grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters. 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.