Senate Bill 394 aims to enhance the penalties for damaging or vandalizing historical property in Wisconsin. Under the current law, it is classified as a Class I felony to damage certain vehicles, highways, and state-owned historical property. This bill expands the definition of protected property to include any structure, plaque, statue, painting, or other monument of commemorative or historical significance that is either on publicly owned land or maintained by the state, counties, or municipalities.

The bill amends existing statutes by replacing the term "state-owned" with "publicly owned" and clarifies that the property must either be listed on a specific registry or be a significant historical or commemorative structure. These changes aim to provide broader protection for historical properties and ensure that penalties are applied consistently across various types of public property.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 943.01(2)(e), 943.01, 943.017(2)(e), 943.017