NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Monday, January 12, 2016

For More Information:

Camille Cooper: 828-318-6382

Sean Holihan: 571-488-5742

Rep. Kleefisch, Sen. Wanggaard, AG Schimel Join Together to Protect Children

Bill Modeled After “Alicia’s Law” Pushes for Funds to Investigate Internet Crimes Against Children

Madison, WI (January xx, 2016)—Rep. Joel Kleefisch and Sen. Van Wanggaardjoined with Attorney General Brad Schimel today to announce their efforts to combat child pornography and sexual exploitation through legislation modeled after “Alicia’s Law,” which would provide a dedicated stream of revenue for Wisconsin’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).

Rep. Kleefisch (R – 38) and Sen. Wanggaard (R – 21) have submitted legislation which would create a dedicated funding stream for the ICAC task force.

Joel Kleefisch, who has represented Oconomowoc and surrounding areas of southeastern Wisconsin since he was elected in 2004, is one of the Assembly’s most senior members and has a history of passing legislation targeting child sex predators and internet crime.

“We cannot rely on our federal government to fund crime prevention efforts in Wisconsin,” said Kleefisch. “Those who seek to cause harm to our state’s children need to be found and must be held accountable. Alicia’s law will bolster our state’s ability to keep our children safe from these internet predators.”

Van Wanggaard, Chair of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, has championed an array of bills to protect women, children and other victims of abuse during his years in office. Before being elected, he served Racine as a police officer with the Racine Police Department for nearly 30 years.

“It is unthinkable that anyone would subject children to torture or worse, for personal gain,” said Wanggaard. “Yet, these horrific and repulsive images are part of a black market that continues to flourish in our state.”

“Tragically, it is estimated there are thousands of children in our communities waiting for rescue, but the funds aren’t there,” said Senator Wanggaard. “Alicia’s Law provides necessary funds to help protect our most vulnerable and put heinous predators behind bars.”

Joining Rep. Kleefisch and Sen. Wanggaard in this effort is Attorney General Brad Schimel. Elected as Wisconsin’s top prosecutor in 2014, Schimel served as the former District Attorney for Waukesha County. In 2006, he was awarded the Wisconsin Association and Witness Professionals “Wisconsin Professional of the Year” for his work on behalf of victims of sexual assault.

“We in law enforcement have no more important mission that to keep our children safe; safe from drug abuse, safe from abuse in their own home and safe from internet predators,” said Schimel. “In 26 years as a prosecutor, and now as the Attorney General, I have seen success from the work of the ICAC task force. But I also have seen tragic outcomes from incidents involving those who prey on children through the internet. The funding assistance provided by Alicia’s Law will help ensure that this valuable task force can continue their work with the resources they need to catch these predators.”

Alicia’s Law is named afterAliciaKozakiewicz, who was abducted by an Internet predator, held hostage and tortured in his Virginia basement at the age of 13. Alicia gave a statement in support of this legislation.

"I'm here today because the ICAC Task Forces were there,” Aliciasaid. "I was the needle in the haystack. I received the miracle. Because of that, I feel a moral obligation to help save as many other children who are subjected to abuse."

This bill establishes a dedicated fund and dedicated surcharge to exclusively build “boots on the ground” capacity for investigations and forensics to combat internet crimes against children and to rescue Wisconsin victims from harm. Under this bill, if a court imposes a sentence on a person or places a person on probation for committing a crime, the court imposes a surcharge of $20 for each misdemeanor conviction and $40 for each felony conviction. This money will be used to fight internet crimes against children.

We are grateful to Representative Kleefisch, Senator Wanggaard, and the Attorney General for their leadership on this legislation,” said Grier Weeks, Executive Director of The National Association to Protect Children. “Their success will be measured in children saved.”

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