Green Bay Reporter

The new bill authored by State Sen. Jacque seeks to enhance legal protections and penalties for offenses targeting adults at risk in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "increased penalties for crimes against adults at risk; restraining orders for adults at risk; freezing assets of a defendant charged with financial exploitation of an adult at risk; sexual assault of an adult at risk; and providing a penalty".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to enhance protections for adults at risk by increasing penalties for various crimes against them, such as sexual and physical assault and financial exploitation. It reclassifies second-degree sexual assaults to first-degree when the victim is an adult at risk, upgrading the offense from a Class C to a Class B felony. The bill permits courts to freeze a defendant's assets to preserve them for potential restitution if charged with financially exploiting an adult at risk. Additionally, the legislation provides for increased imprisonment terms for crimes against adults at risk, with possible enhancements of up to six years depending on the original sentence. Physical abuse penalties are aligned with those applicable to elder person abuse. The bill also facilitates the process for adults at risk to obtain restraining orders by allowing them to participate in hearings via phone or audiovisual means. These changes apply regardless of the perpetrator's knowledge of the victim's status as an adult at risk. The effective date is not specified in the provided text.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Rob Kreibich (Republican-28th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), along five other co-sponsors.

André Jacque has authored or co-authored another six bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Jacque graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2003 with a BS.

Jacque, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2019 to represent the state's 1st Senate district, replacing previous state senator Caleb Frostman.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB15	02/05/2025	Increased penalties for crimes against adults at risk; restraining orders for adults at risk; freezing assets of a defendant charged with financial exploitation of an adult at risk; sexual assault of an adult at risk; and providing a penalty
SB14	02/03/2025	Pelvic exams on unconscious patients and creating an administrative rule related to hospital requirements for pelvic exams on unconscious patients
SB8	01/24/2025	Repair and replacement of implements of husbandry under warranty
SB7	01/24/2025	Prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state
SB6	01/24/2025	Impoundment of vehicles used in certain traffic offenses
SB2	01/24/2025	Expanding veterans benefits to individuals who served in Laos in support of the United States during the Vietnam War