Senate Bill 76 aims to amend the prosecution process for certain serious crimes in Wisconsin by requiring court approval for prosecutors to dismiss or amend charges. Specifically, this bill targets crimes such as domestic abuse, theft of automobiles, sexual assault, and crimes against children, among others. The court can only approve such dismissals or amendments if it finds that doing so aligns with the public interest in deterring these offenses and the legislature's intent to prosecute them vigorously. Additionally, if the court approves any dismissals or amendments in a given year, it must submit an annual report to the legislature detailing these approvals.

The bill also introduces restrictions on deferred prosecution agreements, prohibiting prosecutors from entering into such agreements for the same serious crimes listed above. It repeals existing statutes related to deferred prosecution agreements and amends various sections to reflect these changes. Notably, it creates new sections that define "covered crimes" and outline the intent of the legislature to encourage vigorous prosecution of these offenses. The bill emphasizes the importance of public safety and accountability in the prosecution of serious crimes, ensuring that offenders are held responsible for their actions.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20.437(1)(hh), 20.437, 814.75(8), 814.75, 814.75(8m), 814.76(6), 814.76, 814.80(6), 814.80, 814.81(6), 814.81, 971.37, 971.38(1), 971.38, 971.39(1)(intro.), 971.39