State legislators introduced a bill April 25 that would increase protections for people who have been victims of domestic abuse, child abuse or harassment by allowing courts to issue restraining orders against the person who committed the crime even if the person does not reside in Wisconsin.
The bill would change current state law, which only gives Wisconsin courts jurisdiction over state residents that are convicted of crimes. The bill was introduced by state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, and state Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton.
The bill has received support from domestic violence groups in the state, including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
“Right now, some victims of abuse, harassment and stalking are slipping through the cracks because Wisconsin’s restraining order laws don’t clearly reach many out-of-state abusers,” said Patti Seger, executive director of WCADV, in a statement Wednesday. “This bill is necessary to protect Wisconsinites from dangerous people in other states.”
