Assembly Bill 121 aims to recodify and reorganize the battery statutes in Wisconsin law, specifically those found in sections 940.19 to 940.208. The bill does not alter the penalties associated with these crimes but instead restructures them into a new subchapter titled "Bodily security; battery." Key changes include the renumbering of existing statutes, the consolidation of definitions, and the separation of special circumstances batteries based on the identity of the actor or victim. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of a family member to include grandparents and legal guardians, clarifies the inclusion of jails in the context of bodily harm caused by prisoners, and combines various threats to commit battery into a single crime.

The bill also updates the titles of certain crimes to ensure consistency and moves specific language regarding the Department of Justice's responsibilities to post model language for health care facilities. Notably, it repeals certain cross-references and updates others to reflect the new organization of the statutes. For example, the title "Physical abuse of an elder person" is changed to "Battery to an elder person," and the relevant statutes are renumbered accordingly. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline and clarify the legal framework surrounding battery offenses in Wisconsin.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 343.12(7)(c)9j, 343.12, 939.22(21)(e), 939.22, 939.22(21)(em)