Green Bay Reporter

A new bill authored by State Rep. Elijah R. Behnke in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to strengthen legal protections for jurors by increasing penalties for related offenses, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "battery or threat to jurors 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 amends and creates statutes to specifically address and increase penalties related to battery or threats against jurors and their family members. Under current law, battery is a Class A misdemeanor, but special circumstance battery, such as attacks on law enforcement or jurors, is a Class H felony. The bill elevates threats or battery against jurors or their family members to a Class H felony. It also authorizes judges to prohibit convicted individuals from contacting jurors involved in their case during their sentence or probation. Additionally, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may review this bill due to the creation of new crimes or revisions to existing penalties. The bill includes amendments across various statutes to ensure comprehensive application.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), Representative Benjamin Franklin (Republican-88th District), Representative Dave Maxey (Republican-83rd District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District) and Senator Eric Wimberger (Republican-2nd District), along eight other co-sponsors.

Elijah R. Behnke has co-authored or authored another 11 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Behnke graduated from Toccoa Falls College in 2005 with an AA.

Behnke, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 6th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Peter Schmidt.

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
AB26	02/17/2025	Battery or threat to jurors and providing a penalty
AB18	02/06/2025	Fee waivers for state park vehicle admission receipts to pupils with Every Kid Outdoors passes. (FE)
AB4	02/03/2025	Required instruction in civics in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation requirements, and private school educational program criteria. (FE)
AB3	02/03/2025	Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE)