Assembly Bill 401 aims to enhance the penalties for damaging or graffitiing certain historical properties in Wisconsin. Under the current law, it is classified as a Class I felony to damage specific vehicles, highways, and state-owned historical property. This bill expands the definition of protected properties 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 clarifying that the properties affected must either be listed on a registry or be recognized as significant historical or commemorative monuments. These changes aim to provide broader protection for historical properties and ensure that penalties are consistently applied to a wider range of significant structures.

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