Senate Bill 5 aims to enhance the legal protections for jurors by establishing penalties for battery or threats directed at jurors and their family members. Under the proposed legislation, such actions would be classified as a Class H felony, which reflects a significant increase in the severity of penalties compared to current law. The bill also allows judges to prohibit convicted individuals from contacting jurors involved in their cases during their sentence or probation. This is intended to safeguard jurors from potential intimidation or harassment related to their service.

In addition to creating new legal provisions, the bill includes several amendments to existing statutes, such as renumbering and amending sections related to battery and threats against jurors. Notably, it introduces new definitions for "juror" and "family member" within the context of these offenses. The bill also updates various statutes to include the new crime of battery or threat to a juror, thereby ensuring that the legal framework reflects these changes. Overall, the legislation seeks to reinforce the integrity of the judicial process by protecting jurors from threats and violence.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 48.685(2)(bb), 48.685, 48.685(5)(bm)4, 48.686(1)(c)9, 48.686, 48.686(1)(c)12, 48.686(2)(bb), 50.065(2)(bb), 50.065, 165.70(1)(b), 165.70, 165.84(7)(ab)2, 165.84, 301.048(2)(bm)1.a, 301.048, 767.461(4), 767.461, 940.03, 941.29(1g)(a), 941.29, 941.291(1)(b), 941.291, 941.39(title), 941.39, 946.82(4), 946.82, 949.03(2), 949.03, 968.26(1b)(a)2.a, 968.26