MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers signed bipartisan legislation Wednesday aimed at better protecting the safety of judges and combating the rise in human trafficking in the wake of the killing of a retired judge.
Mr. Evers signed a total of 29 crime-related bills, most of which passed with broad bipartisan support.
Wisconsin state legislators vote to veto election audit bill.Green light for crackdown on political AI
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has recommended three of the bills Evers signed, which were filed in response to threats of violence against judges.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers speaks to a joint session of the state Legislature in the House chamber during his State of the State address at the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, January 22, 2019. Mr. Evers signs the bipartisan bill into law. . , 2024, is designed to better protect the safety of judges and combat the rise in human trafficking following the murder of a retired judge. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
The bill was introduced after 68-year-old former Wisconsin judge John Romer was shot and killed in his New Lisbon home in 2022. The man accused of Romer’s murder had been sentenced to prison by Romer several years earlier. He shot himself at his home in Romer and later died at the hospital.
One new law makes it a crime to picket, parade, or demonstrate at or near a judge’s home for the purpose of influencing or interfering with the judge’s duties. Another gives judges new privacy protections to stop the release of personal information about them and their families, including their home addresses. And the third bill Evers signed would exempt judicial security profile forms from disclosure under the Public Records Act.
According to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Sheriff’s Office, there have been 142 threats against Wisconsin judges over the past year.
In a statement praising the new law, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler cited Romer’s killing as one of many acts that are increasing violence against judges across the country.
She said the new set of laws were “a much-needed step in the right direction to provide safety and security for judicial staff”.
Mr. Evers also signed a series of bills proposed by the Legislative Committee to Study Human Trafficking.
A law would establish a Human Trafficking Council within the state Department of Justice beginning in July 2025. It is tasked with collecting and maintaining information and data on human trafficking, developing model training, and creating a national strategic plan to prevent human trafficking.
Another bill Evers signed requires training to identify and prevent human trafficking for employees who may come into contact with the public or vulnerable populations. This includes private security guards, public transportation managers, hotel and motel owners, and people who own and manage strip clubs.
Expanding training to identify human trafficking “is an important tool in efforts to intervene and prevent human trafficking crimes,” Evers said in a statement.
Mr. Evers also signed a bill that provides $10 million in grants for services that support crime victims, including victims of sexual assault and domestic violence abuse. Another bipartisan bill Evers signed would ensure that the office is fully staffed to help schools address safety concerns.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The new law would use state funds instead of federal pandemic relief funds to fund about 14 positions in the state Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety for nine months.
Other bills signed by Evers increase fines for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. A new crime will be created for possessing child sexual abuse material created using artificial intelligence technology, and a new crime will be created for possessing a sex doll intended to resemble a minor.
