Chapter 13, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

13.27 Punishment for contempt. (1) Whenever either house of the legislature orders the imprisonment of any person for contempt under s. 13.26 such person shall be committed to the Dane County jail, and the jailer shall receive and detain the person in close confinement for the te…

13.28 Interpellation of officers. (1) Upon the petition of 6 members of the senate, not more than 4 of whom belong to the same political party, or of 17 members of the assembly, not more than 9 of whom belong to the same political party, any appointive state officer shall appear …

13.29 Time for interpellation and procedure. (1) Upon the filing of any petition, under s. 13.28, the presiding officer with whom the petition is filed, shall fix a time not later than 20 days after the filing of the petition, for the meeting of that house of the legislature, or …

13.30 State officers; removal by legislature. Any appointive state officer after being examined under ss. 13.28 and 13.29 may be removed by the legislature by joint resolution adopted in each house by a majority of the members elected to such house. The power to remove appointive…

13.31 Witnesses; how subpoenaed. The attendance of witnesses before any committee of the legislature, or of either house thereof, appointed to investigate any subject matter, may be procured by subpoenas signed by the presiding officer and chief clerk of the senate or assembly. S…

13.32 Summary process; custody of witness. (1) Upon the return of a subpoena issued under s. 13.31, duly served, and upon filing with the presiding officer of the house from which the subpoena issued a certificate of the chairperson of the committee certifying that any person nam…

13.33 Service of process. Either house ordering any summary process may also direct the sergeant at arms to specially depute some competent person to execute the same, and such deputation shall be endorsed on such process in writing over the signature of the sergeant at arms to w…

13.34 Refusal to testify. Every refusal to testify or answer any question, or to produce keys, books, records, documents or papers before any committee included within s. 13.31 shall be forthwith certified to the proper house by the chairperson of such committee. Such certificate…

13.35 Liability of witness. (1) No person who is required to testify before either house of the legislature or a committee thereof, or joint committee of the 2 houses, and is examined and so testifies, shall be held to answer criminally in any court or be subject to any penalty o…

13.36 Witness fees. The compensation of all witnesses who are subpoenaed and appear pursuant to s. 13.31 shall be $2 for

13.365 Intervention. Pursuant to s. 803.09 (2m), when a party to an action challenges in state or federal court the constitutionality of a statute, facially or as applied, challenges a statute as violating or preempted by federal law, or otherwise challenges the construction or v…

13.39 Legislative consideration of biennial budget bill. (1) Neither house of the legislature may pass a biennial budget bill until the legislative fiscal bureau has distributed a copy of an earmark transparency report on the biennial budget bill, as amended, prepared under s. 13…

13.41 Interim successors for legislators. (1) (a) If, during an emergency resulting from enemy action, there are 9 or more vacancies in the senate at the same time, as determined under s. 17.03, the senate leader of each political party, as specified in pars. (b) and (c), shall, …

13.42 Virtual meetings of the legislature and legislative committees. (1) In this section: (a) “Disaster” means a severe or prolonged, natural or humancaused, occurrence that threatens or negatively impacts life, health, property, infrastructure, the environment, the security of …

13.45 General provisions on legislative committees. (1) TERM; ELIGIBILITY; VACANCIES. (a) Unless otherwise provided by law, the terms of all legislator members of committees or other bodies established by statute on which there are legislator members appointed as are the members …

13.46 Majority and minority parties. In any law or legislative rule: (1) “Majority leader” means the leader elected by the majority party in each house of the legislature. (2) “Majority party” means the political party in each house which has the most members. (3) “Minority leade…

13.47 Legislative state supported programs study and advisory committee. There is created a joint legislative state supported programs study and advisory committee, consisting of 5 senators and 6 representatives to the assembly, appointed as are the members of standing committees…

13.48 Long-range public building program. (1) POLICY. The legislature finds and determines that it is necessary to improve the adequacy of the public building facilities that are required by the various state agencies including the educational institutions, for the proper perform…

13.482 State Public Building Corporation. 13.482(1)(1) Organization. The building commission is authorized to organize a nonprofit-sharing corporation to be known as the Wisconsin State Public Building Corporation. When so requested by the building commission, such corporation sh…

13.484 Limitation on certain building projects. (1) This section does not apply to building projects which are amortized from private user charges such as, without limitation because of enumeration, student dormitories and food service buildings. (2) No state building corporation…

13.485 Parking structure funding. (1) The parking facility that is enumerated for construction in the 1985-87 authorized state building program and that is located in Milwaukee County on Lake Michigan may be the subject of an agreement under sub. (4) and s. 59.79 (7) and may be f…

13.486 State office building, completion of. (1) The building commission is authorized to proceed with the completion of the state office building. The project shall be effected in accordance with s. 13.482. (2) The entire property including the building and land shall be operate…

13.488 Building commission; powers and duties. (1) For the purpose of providing housing for state departments and agencies, including housing for state offices anywhere in the state and the completion of the state office building, and all buildings, improvements, facilities or eq…

13.489 Transportation projects commission. (1c) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (am) “Categorical exclusion” means a categorical exclusion from a requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement for a highway project as described under 23 CFR 771…

13.50 Joint survey committee on retirement systems. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint survey committee on retirement systems composed of 10 members, as follows: (a) Two majority party senators, one minority party senator, 2 majority party representatives to the assembly and …

13.52 Joint survey committee on tax exemptions. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint survey committee on tax exemptions composed of 9 members, as follows: (a) Two majority party senators, one minority party senator, 2 majority party representatives to the assembly and one minor…

13.525 Joint review committee on criminal penalties. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint review committee on criminal penalties composed of the following members: (a) One majority party member and one minority party member from each house of the legislature, appointed as are t…

13.53 Joint legislative audit committee. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint legislative audit committee consisting of the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance, 2 other majority and 2 minority party senators and 2 other majority and 2 minority party representatives…

13.55 Commission on uniform state laws. (1) CREATION. (a) 1. There is created a commission on uniform state laws to advise the legislature with regard to uniform laws and model laws. Except as provided under par. (b), the commission shall consist of all of the following: a. The d…

13.56 Joint committee for review of administrative rules. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint committee for review of administrative rules, consisting of 5 senators and 5 representatives to the assembly appointed as are the members of standing committees in their respective ho…

13.565 Legislative review of certain rules. Upon referral of any proposed rule relating to animal waste treatment to the presiding officers of each house of the legislature under s. 227.19 (2), the presiding officers shall refer it to a senate and an assembly committee concerned …

13.57 National conference of state legislatures. (1) The legislative delegates to the national conference of state legislatures shall be designated by the committee on senate organization for the senate and by the speaker for the assembly. Vouchers to reimburse the actual and nec…

13.58 Joint committee on information policy and technology. (1) CREATION. There is created a joint standing committee on information policy and technology composed of 3 majority party and 2 minority party senators and 3 majority and 2 minority party representatives to the assembl…

13.61 Lobbying regulated; legislative purpose. The legislature declares that the operation of an open and responsible government requires that the fullest opportunity be afforded to the people to petition their government for the redress of grievances and to express freely to any…

13.62 Definitions. In this subchapter: (1) “Administrative action” means the proposal, drafting, development, consideration, promulgation, amendment, repeal or rejection by any agency of any rule promulgated under ch. 227. (2) “Agency” means any board, commission, department, off…

13.621 Exemptions. (1) COMPLETE EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN CONDUCT. This subchapter does not apply to the following activities: (a) Lobbying through communications media or by public addresses to audiences made up principally of persons other than legislators or agency officials. (b) …

13.625 Prohibited practices. (1) No lobbyist may instigate legislative or administrative action for the purpose of obtaining employment in support or opposition to such action or contract to receive or receive compensation dependent in any manner upon the success or failure of an…

13.63 Licenses for lobbyists; suspension or revocation. (1) LICENSES. (a) An applicant for a license to act as a lobbyist may obtain an application from and file the application with the commission. Except as authorized under par. (am), an applicant shall include his or her socia…

13.64 Lobbying registry. (1) Every principal who makes expenditures or incurs obligations in an aggregate amount exceeding $500 in a calendar year for the purpose of engaging in lobbying which is not exempt under s. 13.621 shall, within 10 days after exceeding $500, cause to be f…

13.65 Lobbyist authorization. Before engaging in lobbying on behalf of a principal, a lobbyist or the principal who employs a lobbyist shall file with the commission a written authorization for the lobbyist to represent the principal, signed by or on behalf of the principal. A lo…

13.66 Restrictions on practice of lobbying. Except as authorized under s. 13.621, no person may engage in lobbying as a lobbyist unless the person has been licensed under s. 13.63 and has been authorized to act as a lobbyist for the principal whom the lobbyist represents under s.…

13.67 Identification of legislative and administrative proposals and topics. (1) Except as authorized under s. 13.621, no person may engage in lobbying as a lobbyist on behalf of a principal and no principal may authorize a lobbyist to engage in lobbying on its behalf unless the …

13.68 Principal’s expense statement. (1) STATEMENT. Every principal which is registered under s. 13.64 shall, on or before July 31 and January 31, file with the commission an expense statement covering the preceding reporting period. The statement shall be signed, under the penal…

13.685 Duties of the ethics commission. (1) The commission shall prescribe forms and instructions for preparing and filing license applications under s. 13.63 (1), registration applications under s. 13.64 and the statements required under ss. 13.68 and 13.695. (2) The commission …

13.69 Enforcement and penalties. (1) Except as provided in sub. (2m), any principal violating ss. 13.61 to 13.68 or a rule of the commission promulgated under those sections may be required to forfeit not more than $5,000. In the case of a partnership, other than a foreign or dom…

13.695 Legislative activities of state agencies. (1) Each agency shall file with the commission on or before January 31 and July 31 a statement which identifies the officers and employees of the agency who are paid a salary and whose regular duties include attempting to influence…

13.71 Lobbyists restricted during daily sessions. It is unlawful for any person lobbying to go onto the floor of the chamber of either house of the legislature during the daily sessions, except upon the invitation of such house.

13.74 Auditing. (1) The commission shall cause to have made an examination of all statements which are required to be filed with it under this subchapter and may examine any of the documents used to develop such statements. The commission shall make official note in the file of a…

13.75 Fees. (1g) The commission shall charge and collect for the following purposes the following amounts: (a) Obtaining a license under s. 13.63 (1) to act on behalf of one principal, $250, except that no fee is required for an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee wai…

13.80 Legislative organization, joint committee on. (1) There is created a joint committee on legislative organization with such powers and authority as are provided by law or by the legislature. (2) The committee shall consist of the speaker of the assembly, the president of the…