Assembly Bill 26 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 retaliation related to their service.

The bill includes several amendments to existing statutes, notably the renumbering and amendment of section 940.20 (3) to 940.202, which now explicitly addresses battery or threats to jurors. Additionally, new definitions for "juror" and "family member" are introduced, clarifying the scope of the law. Other sections of the law are amended to incorporate the new crime and its associated penalties, ensuring that the legal framework is updated to reflect these changes. Overall, the bill seeks to reinforce the integrity of the judicial process by protecting jurors from harm or intimidation.

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