City Times Staff

Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday signed into law Assembly Bill 808, the Sexual Assault Victim Amnesty Bill.

The governor signed the bill in the Laird Room on the UW-Stevens Point campus.

The bill provides protection from an underage drinking citation when a victim of sexual assault seeks medical treatment and reports the crime. The law also applies to a person who is present with the victim at the time of or immediately following the alleged assault.

“Crime victims should never be afraid to come forward and under the Sexual Assault Victim Amnesty Bill signed into law today by Governor Walker, another barrier to reporting has been broken down for victims of sexual assault,” said Attorney General Brad Schimel. “Instead of worrying about receiving an underage drinking citation, a sexual assault victim can focus on deciding whether or not to report to law enforcement and seek medical help.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Joan Ballweg and Sen. Jerry Petrowski.

Schiml called the law a “commonsense change” that has received support by law enforcement and campus administrators.