A bill that would create a new dedicated funding stream for law enforcement to fight internet crimes against children was signed by Gov. Scott Walker as 2015 Wisconsin Act 369 in April 2016. The law transfers $1 million from an existing appropriation for drug law enforcement to a new appropriation for investigating internet crimes against children. The bill was championed by Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc).
The law will also give the attorney general authority to administer a subpoena on an internet service provider to produce information about a customer. The internet service provider is required to comply if the information likely to be obtained is relevant to an ongoing investigation of an internet crime against a child or if there is reasonable cause to believe that an internet service account has been used in the crime. If the investigation into an internet crime against a child does not result in prosecution, the attorney general is required to destroy information requested by the subpoena.
The original bill proposed adding a $20 surcharge on all misdemeanors and $40 surcharge on all felonies and direct those revenues to fighting internet crimes against children. However, the bill was amended to create a different funding stream for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.