Classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1930/1
CMH:klm

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 136
March 13, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Wichgers, Behnke, Donovan, Gundrum, Kreibich, Maxey and Murphy, cosponsored by Senators James, Bradley and Nass. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

An Act to amend 946.70 (1) (a), (b), (c) and (d); to create 946.70 (1) (intro.) of the statutes; relating to: classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person may not impersonate a peace officer, a fire fighter, an emergency services medical practitioner, or an emergency medical provider with the intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually an officer, a fire fighter, or emergency personnel. Current law classifies the crime as a Class A misdemeanor. This bill changes the classification to a Class I felony.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 946.70 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

946.70 (1) (intro.) Except as provided in sub. (2), whoever does any of the following is guilty of a Class I felony:
Section 2. 946.70 (1) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the statutes are amended to read:
946.70 (1) (a) Except as provided in sub. (2), whoever impersonates Impersonates a peace officer with intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually a peace officer is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(b) Except as provided in sub. (2), whoever impersonates Impersonates a fire fighter with intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually a fire fighter is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(c) Except as provided in sub. (2), whoever impersonates Impersonates an emergency medical services practitioner, as defined in s. 256.01 (5), with intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually an emergency medical services practitioner is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) Except as provided in sub. (2), whoever impersonates Impersonates an emergency medical responder, as defined in s. 256.01 (4p), with intent to mislead others into believing that the person is actually an emergency medical responder is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
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