Assembly Bill 201 introduces a new crime known as "sexual extortion" in Wisconsin, defining it as a Class I felony. The bill outlines specific actions that constitute sexual extortion, including threatening to harm a person's property or reputation, committing violence, or threatening to distribute intimate representations to coerce individuals into sexual conduct or other actions against their will. The bill escalates the severity of the crime to a Class H felony if the victim engages in sexual conduct or suffers great bodily harm as a result of the violation, and to a Class G felony under certain conditions, such as if the defendant has prior convictions for sexually violent offenses or if the victim is a minor. Additionally, the bill allows for prosecution for felony murder if the extortion leads to the victim's death.

The bill also amends various statutes to incorporate the new crime of sexual extortion and provides for compensation from the Department of Justice's crime victim compensation fund for victims or their family members in cases of injury or death resulting from extortion or sexual extortion. It includes provisions for reporting requirements for individuals convicted of related offenses and specifies that victims may be compensated for suicides or attempted suicides if the crime was a substantial factor in those actions. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen legal protections against extortion and enhance penalties for offenders.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 48.685(1)(c)2, 48.685, 48.686(1)(c)1, 48.686, 51.20(13)(ct)1m.a, 51.20, 51.20(13)(ct)1m.b, 115.31(2g)(c)1, 115.31, 115.31(2r)(c)3, 301.45(1p)(b), 301.45, 901.08(1)(b), 901.08, 938.34(15m)(am)1, 938.34, 938.34(15m)(am)2, 938.345(3)(d), 938.345, 940.03