Wis. Assembly passes bill making bribes for recall signatures a crime

MADISON (AP) — The Wisconsin State Assembly has passed a bill that would make it a felony to offer anything of value to induce someone to sign a recall petition.

It is currently a felony to induce someone to vote or refrain from voting. The Republican-backed bill passed early Wednesday morning would make attempting to coerce someone to sign, or not to sign, a recall petition a Class I felony.

That is punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and three years and six months in jail.It passed unanimously. The bill comes as Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators face recall elections.