Senate Bill 92 introduces new provisions regarding the prosecution and penalties for property theft and retail theft in Wisconsin. The bill allows for the aggregation of the value of items taken in multiple theft violations committed by the same individual within a six-month period. Specifically, it creates new sections in the statutes: 943.20 (5) and 943.50 (6), which state that the value of property from these multiple violations can be combined for charging and penalty determinations. This means that if a defendant commits several thefts within six months, the total value of the stolen items can be considered together, potentially leading to a more severe penalty based on the aggregated value.

Additionally, the bill establishes that if two or more violations are prosecuted as a single crime, as outlined in the new section 971.36 (5), the trial can take place in any county where any of the violations occurred, and the prosecutor will have exclusive jurisdiction over the case. This legislative change aims to streamline the prosecution process for repeat offenders and ensure that penalties reflect the totality of their theft activities.