I have approved Assembly Bill 351 as 1997 Wisconsin Act 283 and deposited it in the Office of the Secretary of State. I have exercised my partial veto authority in two sections of the bill in order to remove a discrepancy concerning the effective date of a penalty increase that was created from a drafting error.

Assembly Bill 351, commonly referred to as the "truth-in-sentencing" bill, establishes a new sentencing structure that eliminates parole for crimes committed on or after December 31, 1999. It has four major components: 1) changes in maximum penalties; 2) creation of a bifurcated sentencing structure consisting of prison time followed by extended supervision; 3) criminal penalties study committee; and 4) anti child-abuse funding requests.

The bill contains a drafting error in Section 456 relating to the maximum prison term for intentionally violating state statutes regarding prize notices (s. 100.171 (7) (b), Wisconsin Statutes). To avoid any confusion about the maximum prison term, I am exercising my partial veto authority to eliminate a discrepancy between the reference to s. 100.171 (7) (b) in Section 455 - Initial Applicability and Section 456 - Effective Dates.

With these partial vetoes I am removing any ambiguity that may be created regarding which maximum prison term should be applicable between the effective date of the bill and December 31, 1999. The effect of this veto is to make the maximum prison term increase under s. 100.171 (7) (b) effective immediately.