MADISON… Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) today testified before an Assembly committee in favor of Assembly Bill 209, which closes loopholes, increases penalties and clarifies potentially contradictory state law relating to crimes against children. The recommendations for improvements to Wisconsin’s law came from a special committee Darling chaired.
“I’m so very proud to have led the legislature’s efforts over the years to identify, punish and track those who prey on our children,” said Darling. “Passing AB 209 would further solidify Wisconsin’s reputation as a place where child predators are punished severely.”
Darling was chosen to chair the Special Committee for the Review of Crimes Against Children because of her leadership in this area of Wisconsin law. For over a decade, she has worked tirelessly to proactively write and pass legislation to better protect children from dangerous sexual offenders, including:
• Wisconsin’s Sexual Predator Law, which allows civil commitment of sexually violent persons (1993 Act 479)
• Wisconsin’s landmark Sexual Offender Registry and Community Notification Laws (1995 Act 440)
• “Amie’s Law,” which allows law enforcement agencies to share information regarding crimes committed against minors (2005 Act 5)
• “Jessica’s Law,” which creates a mandatory minimum term of confinement for serious sex offenses (2005 Act 430)
• GPS tracking for certain sex offenders out on probation, parole or supervised release (2005 Act 431)
• The Internet Predator Law, which increases penalties for the use of a computer to facilitate child sex crimes and the possession of child pornography (2005 Act 433)
Darling said she expects AB 209 to receive bipartisan support and swift passage through both houses of the legislature.
