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 for these offenses. The bill also allows judges to prohibit convicted individuals from contacting jurors involved in their cases during their sentence or probation, thereby reinforcing the integrity of the judicial process.

In addition to creating new penalties, the bill includes amendments to various sections of existing statutes, such as renumbering and amending sections related to battery laws. Notably, it introduces new definitions for "juror" and "family member" in the context of these offenses, ensuring clarity in the application of the law. The bill also updates several references to include the newly created section on battery or threat to jurors, thereby integrating these provisions into the broader legal framework concerning violent crimes and penalties.

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