List: 56 new laws on Wisconsin’s books as of Wednesday, March 30th

MADISON -- Governor Scott Walker signed 56 bills into law Wednesday, March 30th at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. 

Assembly Bill 543 – expands the number of bills required to be reviewed for social and financial impacts to include mandates that change the cost-sharing for a particular health insurance plan.  The bill also requires the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) to issue social and financial impact records before any public hearing on a bill or amendment.  If there is no public hearing, OCI is required to prepare a report prior to the vote.  Authored by Representative John Jagler (R – Watertown) and Senator Leah Vukmir (R – Brookfield), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 288.

Senate Bill 615 – makes several changes to the Special Needs Scholarship Program, which was created in the 2015-17 biennial budget, including requiring a child with a disability who wishes to participate in the program to have an Individualized Education Program or services plan in effect prior to being eligible to participate; permitting a child with a disability to apply for a scholarship and attend a private school under the program at any time during a school year; requiring a parent or guardian of the child attending a private school under the program to make the child available no more than once every three years for a reevaluation of the child’s IEP and services plan; and requiring a participating private school that receives more applicants under the program than the number of spaces available at the school to accept applications in the order in which they are received.  The bill also modifies how the revenue limit authority is calculated for school districts with students that enroll in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program and the Racine Parental Choice Program.  Authored by Senator Leah Vukmir (R – Brookfield) and Representative John Jagler (R – Watertown), the bill passed the Senate with a vote of 19-13 and was concurred by the Assembly with a vote of 56-37.  It is Act 289.

Assembly Bill 865 – allows a pharmacist or pharmacy student to administer an injectable prescribed drug to a patient outside of the context of teaching the patient self-administration techniques.  The bill requires a pharmacist or pharmacy student, or his or her agent after the pharmacist or pharmacy student administers a prescribed drug product or device to a patient, to notify the prescribing practitioner or enter the information in a patient record system shared by the prescribing practitioner.  Authored by Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R – Fond du Lac) and Senator Leah Vukmir (R – Brookfield), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 290.

Assembly Bill 866 – as amended, allows a pharmacist to use his or her professional judgment to dispense non-controlled substances up to 90 days when refills exist on a prescription order.  Authored by Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R – Fond du Lac) and Senator Leah Vukmir (R – Brookfield), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 291.

Assembly Bill 521 – makes various changes to the criminal invasion of privacy statute.  It provides that in addition to installing or using an installed surveillance device, no person may use a surveillance device – whether installed or not – to observe in a private place a nude or partially nude person without the consent of the person observed.  The bill makes it a Class I felony to capture, reproduce, exhibit, or distribute an “intimate representation” without the consent of the person depicted under circumstances in which he or she has a reasonable expectation of privacy if the person knows or has reason to know that the person who is depicted does not consent to the capture of the intimate representation.  Authored by Representative John Spiros (R – Marshfield) and Senator Leah Vukmir (R – Brookfield), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 292.

Assembly Bill 174 – limits the civil liability of private campgrounds for injuries or property damage suffered by campers engaging in normal camping activities.  Owners and operators of a private campground, as well as any employees and officers of a private campground, are immune from civil liability for acts or omissions related to camping at a private campground if a person is injured or killed, or property is damaged as a result of an inherent risk of camping.  Authored by Representative Joel Kitchens (R – Sturgeon Bay) and Senator Devin LeMahieu (R – Oostburg), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 293.

Assembly Bill 664 – allows licensed treatment professionals offering outpatient mental health services at school to receive Medical Assistance (MA) reimbursement, to the extent federal law allows such reimbursement, regardless of whether the school site is designated as a clinic office.  The bill also requires Department of Health Services (DHS) to reimburse certain providers working independently, who may not currently be reimbursed by MA.  Authored by Representative Joel Kitchens (R – Sturgeon Bay) and Senator Devin LeMahieu (R – Oostburg), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 294.

Assembly Bill 837 – adopts the updated Revised Uniform Partnership Act (RUPA) as drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) with some state modifications.  A partnership may currently file a partnership agreement with the register of deeds in the county where the partnership is located, and this bill permits the voluntary filing of partnership documents with the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).  To become a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), both domestic and foreign partnerships must file documents with DFI, and this bill provides procedures for changes to the business structure of an LLP, including mergers, conversions, domestications, and interest exchanges.  Authored by Representative Adam Jarchow (R – Balsam Lake) and Senator Devin LeMahieu (R – Oostburg), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 295.

Senate Bill 550 – as amended, establishes an authorized special group for persons interested in expressing their support for the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team.  The bill makes a one-time appropriation increase to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in the amount of $23,700 for the initial costs of plate production.  In addition to a regular vehicle registration fee, special group members are required to pay a $15 fee for issuance or reissuance of the special plates and to annually include a voluntary payment of $25.  The bill requires the special plates to display a logo or symbol associated with the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, and specifies that the plate design is to be approved by the president of the Milwaukee Bucks.  Also under the bill, the Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is prohibited from issuing these special plates, until they have obtained the authority to use any applicable trademark or service mark associated with the Milwaukee Bucks on the special plates.  Authored by Senator Devin LeMahieu (R – Oostburg) and Representative Paul Tittl (R – Manitowoc), the bill passed the Senate with a vote of 24-8 and was concurred by the Assembly with a vote of 91-4.  It is Act 296.

Assembly Bill 602 – adds Christian Schools International to the list of entities that are accrediting agencies and preaccrediting agencies for purposes of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, the Racine Parental Choice Program, and the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program.  The bill also adds Christian Schools International to the list of entities from which accreditation may qualify a private school to participate in the Special Needs Scholarship program.  Authored by Representative Terry Katsma (R – Oostburg) and Senator Chris Kapenga (R – Delafield), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 63-35 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 297.

Assembly Bill 776 – allows state crime labs to possess, manufacture, or use a controlled substance without specifying the name or schedule assignment of the controlled substance.  The permit is effective for any controlled substance whether or not the name of the drug is specified.  Authored by Representative John Spiros (R – Marshfield) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R – River Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 298.

Assembly Bill 804 – as amended, allows the Public Service Commission (PSC) Chair to extend, for good reason, an affiliated interest agreement consistent with other application timelines and extensions.  The bill also: eliminates a Focus on Energy “double-tax” by clarifying that only investor-owned utilities’ retail revenue will go toward the program, saving ratepayers $7 million; allows the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) more time to consider permits related to high-voltage transmission lines; saves ratepayers unnecessary relocation or permitting costs for existing utility structures; allows the Commission the authority to more appropriately bill staff time to the entities requiring it; relieves utilities of a duplicative and unnecessary sulfur dioxide reporting requirement; and removes Commission authority to investigate railroad telecommunications systems and complaints about local access and transport area (LATA) boundaries because these sections of the statute are now obsolete.  Authored by Representative Mike Kuglitsch (R – New Berlin) and Senator Roger Roth (R – Appleton), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 61-33 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 299.

Assembly Bill 695 – adopts the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, as recommended by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.  The bill allows Wisconsin citizens to designate a guardian to manage and oversee their digital assets, in a similar way as they can make plans for their tangible property.  Authored by Representative Robert Brooks (R – Saukville) and Senator Roger Roth (R – Appleton), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 300.

Assembly Bill 714 – expands the definition of tourism entity to allow convention and visitors bureaus and chambers of commerce to provide tourism promotion and tourism development services to one or more municipalities if they spend 51 percent of revenues on tourism promotion and tourism development or, if not applicable, spend 100 percent of the room tax revenue they receive for tourism promotion or tourism development.  The bill also changes membership of the governing body of a tourism entity serving a tourism zone.  It requires at least four owners or operators of lodging facilities that are located in the tourism zone for which the room tax is collected.  Authored by Representative Mike Rohrkaste (R – Neenah) and Senator Roger Roth (R – Appleton), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 301.

Assembly Bill 730 – prohibits cities, villages, towns, and counties from enacting or enforcing ordinances or adopting or enforcing resolutions regulating the use, disposition, or sale of auxiliary containers; prohibiting or restricting auxiliary containers; imposing fees, charges, or surcharges on auxiliary containers.  Authored by Representative Mike Rohrkaste (R – Neenah) and Senator Roger Roth (R – Appleton), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 63-35 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 302.

Assembly Bill 25 – prohibits Wisconsin agencies from enforcing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) rule prohibiting the commercial sale of less-than-optimum energy efficient wood stoves.  Authored by Representative David Craig (R – Big Bend) and Senator Frank Lasee (R – De Pere), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 63-35 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 19-13.  It is Act 303.

Assembly Bill 807 – makes the following changes: updates the use of “reserves” to “net worth;” allows the Office of Credit Unions (OCU) to accept an examination report from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA); removes a limit on the amount that a credit union may make in donations and grants; provides a procedure under which a group of credit union members have a right to inspect and copy non-confidential portions of the credit union’s books and records; authorizes credit unions and the OCU to provide confidential examination reports to credit union attorneys, independent certified public accountants, or other consultants and advisors; updates language related to director conflict of interest; repeals the Credit Union Finance Corporation provision in current statute that is not used; and repeals the limit of fixed assets a credit union can hold.  Authored by Representative David Craig (R – Big Bend) and Senator Richard Gudex (R – Fond du Lac), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 304.

Assembly Bill 824 – authorizes the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to pay unexpended sparsity aid to a school district that qualified for sparsity aid in the previous school year but, due to an increase in the school district’s membership, does not qualify in the current school year.  The bill also changes the membership cap of the school district to 745 pupils beginning in the 2016-17 school year.  Authored by Representative Jeffrey Mursau (R – Crivitz) and Senator Thomas Tiffany (R – Hazelhurst), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 305.

Assembly Bill 704 – allows a tribal college-county joint library to participate in a public library system.  The agreement must require that the tribal college annually provides to the county library board an accounting of the expenditure of any appropriations received from the county and that, subject to certain reasonable regulations, the tribal college make the library free for the use of the inhabitants of the county.  The bill also provides that a county with a tribal college-county joint library must have a three member library board, with members appointed by the tribal college, the American Indian tribe or band that controls the college, and the county board.  Authored by Representative Jeffrey Mursau (R – Crivitz) and Senator Thomas Tiffany (R – Hazelhurst), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 306.

Assembly Bill 755 – requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue a general permit authorizing the Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to discharge storm water from the site of certain activities conducted by WisDOT.  Authored by Representative Jeffrey Mursau (R – Crivitz) and Senator Jerry Petrowski (R – Marathon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 307.

Assembly Bill 198 – prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while using a cellular or other wireless telephone in a construction zone or utility work area, except to report an emergency.  The prohibition does not apply to the use of voice-operated or hands-free device if the person does not use his or her hands to operate the device, except to activate or deactivate a feature or function of the device.  Persons who violate this prohibition may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for a second or subsequent offense within one year.  Authored by Representative John Spiros (R – Marshfield) and Senator Jerry Petrowski (R – Marathon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 308.

Assembly Bill 721 – establishes a process for escheating unclaimed U.S. Savings Bonds to Wisconsin.  Currently, the Department of Revenue (DOR) cannot cash in unclaimed U.S. Savings Bonds, so they are stored in their paper form.  It is estimated that the current amount of paper bonds in possession of the state is $400,000 to $600,000.  This bill allows the state to take ownership of unclaimed U.S. Savings Bonds, allowing them to claim the proceeds from the U.S. Treasury and hold those proceeds in the unclaimed property program until the rightful owner or the owner’s heir claim them.  Authored by Representative Terry Katsma (R – Oostburg) and Senator Howard Marklein (R – Spring Green), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 309.

Assembly Bill 760 – expands the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) reimbursement ability to include categories such as timeshares, future service plans, rental cars, foreclosure consultants, and self-service storage facilities violations.  Authored by Representative Terry Katsma (R – Oostburg) and Senator Howard Marklein (R – Spring Green), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 310.

Assembly Bill 341 – creates the crime of terrorist threats.  Under this bill, it is a Class I felony for a person to threaten to cause the death of or bodily harm to any person or to damage any person’s property under specified circumstances.  Authored by Representative Edward Brooks (R – Reedsburg) and Senator Howard Marklein (R – Spring Green), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 98-0 and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 311.

Assembly Bill 731 – modifies provisions created by Act 55 in the 2015-17 biennial budget, which authorized the creation of ABLE accounts in Wisconsin.  The bill repeals the provisions in Act 55 requiring the Department of Administration (DOA) to implement and administer the program, and instead allows individuals in Wisconsin to utilize an ABLE program in other states by maintaining the same preferential tax treatments for ABLE accounts that were included under Act 55.  Assembly Bill 731 also clarifies that under state law, any ABLE account proceeds will be disregarded for eligibility determinations under the Medicaid program, which is consistent with federal law.  Authored by Representative John Macco (R – Ledgeview) and Senator Howard Marklein (R – Spring Green), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 63-35 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 32-0.  It is Act 312.

Assembly Bill 841 – as amended, authorizes the Pharmacy Examining Board to grant a waiver or variance in connection with a pilot program from any rule promulgated by the board if it is related to the practice of pharmacy or prescription verification; the board determines that the waiver or pilot program will improve the safety and quality of pharmacy practice in Wisconsin; and the board may not authorize a pilot program to last longer than three years.  Authored by Representative Mike Rohrkaste (R – Neenah) and Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 313.

Assembly Bill 840 – requires the Department of Health Services (DHS) to submit an annual report to the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) on ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), which must contain: the total revenue collected from ASCs; the amount each ASC paid, the amount Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) received from Medicaid payments as a result of the assessment; the amount each MCO paid to ASCs; and the increase in Medicaid payments to ASCs on a fee-for-service basis resulting from the assessment.  The bill also requires ASCs to report any data required by the Department of Revenue (DOR) to determine assessment amounts, including the medical specialty of the ASC.  Authored by Representative Mike Rohrkaste (R – Neenah) and Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 314.

Assembly Bill 35 – as amended, requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow law enforcement agencies to use the integrated crime alert network to disseminate a report of a hit-and-run incident to entities that DOJ identifies as persons who can effectively broadcast or make public reports, if all of the following conditions are met: a person has been killed due to the accident that is related to the violation; additional information is available to law enforcement about the incident that could help identify the person or vehicle; and an alert could help avert further harm or could aid in apprehending the person who allegedly committed the hit and run.  The bill also requires a law enforcement agency that receives a report of a hit-and-run incident to disseminate the report through the integrated crime alert network if all of the conditions listed above are met.  Authored by Representative Scott Krug (R – Nekoosa) and Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 86-6 and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 315.

Senate Bill 549 – expands the use of an existing resource to assist the Wisconsin Agricultural community at times of greatest need following a gubernatorial designation of disaster.  The bill also increases the availability of resources to maintain family farmsteads by modifying eligibility requirements.  The bill modifies and expands terms of guarantees to allow flexibility in work situations.  Authored by Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls) and Representative Lee Nerison (R – Westby), the bill passed the Senate on a voice vote and was concurred by the Assembly on a voice vote.  It is Act 316.

Assembly Bill 843 – eliminates the requirement that the Department of Revenue (DOR) determine if an assessment changed on appeal has an effect on equalized values before approving a chargeback, which requires the overlying tax jurisdiction to pay part of the refund to the property taxpayer.  Authored by Representative Todd Novak (R – Dodgeville) and Senator Richard Gudex (R – Fond du Lac), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 32-0.  It is Act 317.

Assembly Bill 670 – prohibits a person from operating a drone over a correctional institution, including any grounds of the institution.  A “correctional institution” is defined as any state or local facility that incarcerates or detains any adult accused of, charged with, convicted of, or sentenced for any crime.  This includes a state prison as well as a county jail, and a house of correction.  Authored by Representative Michael Schraa (R – Oshkosh) and Senator Richard Gudex (R – Fond du Lac), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 318.

Assembly Bill 201 – removes the requirement for prosecutors to prove that a driver knew they struck a person or a vehicle occupied by a person.  Operators of vehicles involved in an accident must reasonably investigate what was struck and, if he or she knows or has reason to know that the accident resulted in injury, death, or vehicle damage, must stop at the scene of the accident and provide any necessary information and assistance.  This bill will help prevent a hit-and-run driver from using the defense that they thought they hit something else.  Authored by Representative André Jacque (R – De Pere) and Senator Van Wanggaard (R – Racine), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 319. 

Assembly Bill 566 – increases penalties for all depicting nudity offenses where the victim is under the age of 18 when the violation occurs.  The bill also increases penalties for locker room-specific privacy offenses and increases penalties to an additional level of severity when victims are under the age of 18.  Authored by Representative Samantha Kerkman (R – Salem) and Senator Van Wanggard (R – Racine), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 85-13 and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 320.

Assembly Bill 575 – codifies the Department of Revenue’s (DOR’s) current practice of publishing preliminary equalized values by August 1.  The bill also requires DOR to correct an error in equalized values greater than two percent of the corrected equalized value before August 15 when equalized values are finalized.  Authored by Representative Samantha Kerkman (R – Salem) and Senator Luther Olsen (R – Ripon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 321. 

Assembly Bill 576 – reduces time, by one year, that local assessments can be out of compliance with state law before state-supervised revaluation is ordered.  Authored by Representative Samantha Kerkman (R – Salem) and Senator Luther Olsen (R – Ripon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 32-0.  It is Act 322.

Assembly Bill 370 – expands the certain exceptions currently made for active military relating to vehicle registration renewals and driver license renewals, to also include active duty U.S. Foreign Service personnel.  Authored by Representative Scott Krug (R – Nekoosa) and Senator Luther Olsen (R – Ripon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 323. 

Assembly Bill 616 – as amended, makes two changes relating to collector trucks licensed as “special interest” vehicles under Ch. 341, Stats.  First, the bill clarifies that a 500-pound weight limit for hauling by nonmilitary trucks does not apply to the weight of a trailer or load drawn by a truck.  Second, under current law, a licensed special interest vehicle must not transport passengers for hire.  The bill expands that prohibition to prohibit collector vehicles from transporting property for hire.  Authored by Representative John Murtha (R – Baldwin) and Senator Luther Olsen (R – Ripon), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 324.

Assembly Bill 584 – requires the Local Government Property Insurance Fund (LGPIF) to keep at least $1 in reserve for every $2 in premium collected.  This ration ensures the fund is appropriately capitalized.  If the fund falls below the required ratio and is above 225 percent, the fund is required to assess members for the shortfall.  The bill also ensures the LGPIF does not have excess reserves.  In cases where LGPIF has more than $2.25 in reserve for every $1 of premium, the fund is required to issue a refund to fund members.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (R – Marinette) and Senator Frank Lasee (R – De Pere), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 325.

Assembly Bill 668 – makes technical changes to the financial guarantee contracts between financial institutions and insurers.  Under the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) technical bill passed earlier in the year, these contracts were subjected to a 24-hour stay requirement.  Federal banking rules recognized some stays, but not those required under state law.  The deletion of the 24-hour stay requirement under state law will make these contracts less expensive to execute.  Authored by Representative Kevin Petersen (R – Waupaca) and Senator Frank Lasee (R – De Pere), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 326.

Assembly Bill 698 – changes the licensure requirements in order to obtain a liquefied petroleum gas retailers license from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).  Under current law, a retailer may prove financial responsibility by obtaining a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit, and Assembly Bill 698 eliminates these two options as ways of proving financial responsibility.  Authored by Representative Dave Heaton (R – Wausau) and Senator Frank Lasee (R – De Pere), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 327.

Assembly Bill 702 – establishes designated special groups for persons interested in obtaining special plates expressing support for the Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, the Boy Scouts of America, nurses and the nursing profession, or certain efforts of the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer.  In addition to a regular vehicle registration fee, special group members are required to pay a $15 fee for issuance or reissuance of the special plates and to annually include a voluntary payment of $25 that provides funds to that respective designated special group.  Authored by Representative Joel Kitchens (R – Sturgeon Bay) and Senator Frank Lasee (R – De Pere), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 90-2 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 29-3.  It is Act 328.

Assembly Bill 842 – modifies and updates a number of rules and statutes related to the Wisconsin Technical College Board.  The bill changes the name of faculty development grant programs for technical colleges; eliminates the requirement for those programs and for the technical college instructor occupational competency program; modifies some rules of the Technical College System Board; and eliminates outdated rules for the Technical College System Board.  Authored by Representative David Murphy (R – Greenville) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R – River Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 329.

Assembly Bill 848 – makes changes to the rules of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin (UW) System, including revising several rules to allow certain types of notice to be served by electronic means in addition to personal service and service by certified mail; eliminates an outdated provision in the rules regarding faculty holding appointments under a statutory law that was repealed in 1974; modifies rules to be consistent with statutory changes made by the 2015 biennial budget; removes references in the rules to a statute regarding faculty tenure and probationary appointments that was repealed in the budget; modifies the rules to refer to the UW System’s 2-year schools as “colleges” instead of the outdated term “centers;” modifies the rules to define “chancellor” as the chief executive officer of an “institution;” and provides for capitalizing “Board of Regents” and “University of Wisconsin System” throughout administrative code.  Authored by Representative David Murphy (R – Greenville) and Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R – River Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 330.

Assembly Bill 351 – modifies the eligibility criterion based on residence for the Children First program.  The bill allows a court to order a non-custodial parent to participate in a Children First program outside the parent’s county of residence if the parent resides within a reasonable driving distance.  Authored by Representative Nancy VanderMeer (R – Tomah) and Senator Julie Lassa (D – Stevens Point), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 331.

Assembly Bill 557 – adds heroin metabolite to the definition of a restricted controlled substance for which a person’s blood may be tested in order to determine whether a person has operated a vehicle under the influence of a restricted controlled substance.  Authored by Representative Joe Sanfelippo (R – New Berlin) and Senator Alberta Darling (R – River Hills), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 332.

Assembly Bill 648 – prohibits the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), city, village, or town from enacting or enforcing an ordinance that prohibits the seasonal placement of a Christmas tree in the state capitol rotunda or church.  The bill also creates the presumption that fire safety inspections of seasonal Christmas trees in the state capitol rotunda or church is not a fire hazard.  Authored by Representative Jesse Kremer (R – Kewaskum) and Senator Stephen Nass (R – Whitewater), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 25-7.  It is Act 333.

Assembly Bill 819 – a limited number of employers, including non-profits, hospitals, and governments, reimburse the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund directly for benefits paid rather than paying a UI tax.  Those employers are charged for benefits obtained fraudulently, unlike regular employers, who are not.  This bill eliminates that inequity by using a small sum of Trust Fund dollars plus interest to pay these charges.  The bill increases program integrity by clarifying the definition of “concealment” and providing continued funding for program integrity efforts; increases program efficiency by providing statutory authority to modernize appeal procedures; clarifies benefit eligibility requirements including defining by statute when a claimant must accept a job offer; strengthens the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund by establishing penalties for fraudulent tax avoidance, eliminating unfair competition against law-abiding Wisconsin employers; and provides additional resources for program integrity.  Authored by Representative Daniel Knodl (R – Germantown) and Senator Stephen Nass (R – Whitewater), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 31-1.  It is Act 334. 

Assembly Bill 53 – classifies malicious threats, with intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, or with intent to compel the person threatened to do any act against the person’s will, to disseminate or communicate to anyone information, that would humiliate or injure the reputation of the threatened person as a Class I felony.  Authored by Representative Jim Ott (R – Mequon) and Senator Stephen Nass (R – Whitewater), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 335.  

Assembly Bill 662 – as amended, makes the following changes to current law related to the county board’s requirement to set coroner fees and the moratorium on coroner or medical examiner fees: provides the requirement that a county board set fees for all services rendered by a coroner also applies to all services rendered by a medical examiner; provides the moratorium to prohibit the county board from charging anyone an increase in fees as described above; specifies that fees listed above for which the county board may not increase during the moratorium apply to both the coroner and medical examiner; and provides an exception to the moratorium on coroner or medical examiner fees.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (R – Marinette) and Senator Robert Cowles (R – Green Bay), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 336.

Assembly Bill 872 – establishes Garnishment Fees structure as follows: when a creditor establishes a garnishment schedule with a debtor, an initial fee of $15 is paid by the creditor to the garnishee for the cost of establishing the payment schedule on the debtor.  In the second and any subsequent payments, a $3 fee is subtracted from the payment by the garnishee to cover the cost of the collection.  Authored by Representative John Nygren (R – Marinette), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 21-11.  It is Act 337.

Assembly Bill 722 – requires each school that maintains an Internet site and for which the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has published an accountability report to prominently display a link to the school’s most recent accountability report on the school’s Internet site within 30 days after the department publishes the accountability report.  The bill also requires each private school participating in a parental choice program and independent charter school that maintains an Internet site to do the same.  Authored by Representative Adam Neylon (R – Pewaukee), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 338.

Assembly Bill 864 – requires that a bartender only receives a citation for serving an underage person, if the sale occurs pursuant to a “sting operation” and the bar owner is not on the premises at the time of the sale.  Authored by Representative Tyler Vorpagel (R – Plymouth), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 339.

Assembly Bill 357 – makes it a Class I felony to throw or expel blood, semen, vomit, saliva, urine, feces, or other bodily substance at or toward a prosecutor.  Authored by Representative Todd Novak (R – Dodgeville) and Senator Van Wanggard (R – Racine), the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 84-14 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 24-8.  It is Act 340.

Senate Bill 581 – increases annual compensation amount an elected official in a city, village, or town having a population of 5,000 or less may earn as a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), or first responder for that local government.  Authored by Senator Robert Cowles (R – Green Bay) and Representative Joel Kitchens (R – Sturgeon Bay), the bill passed the Senate on a voice vote and was concurred by the Assembly on a voice vote.  It is Act 341.

Assembly Bill 922 – ratifies the tentative bargaining agreement reached between the Board of Regents and the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee.  The bill authorizes expenditures from the program supplement appropriations to fund the cost of the agreement, which calls for a zero-percent base wage increase.  Authored by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, the bill passed the Assembly with a vote of 94-0 and was concurred by the Senate with a vote of 32-0.  It is Act 342.

Assembly Bill 674 – allows family members who are being prevented from visiting or communicating with their loved ones to petition a court for visitation.  The bill also creates a basis for filing a cause of action to review the conduct of a guardian if they are knowingly isolating the person they are caring for from his or her family members or violating a court order granting visitation.  Authored by Representative John Spiros (R – Marshfield) and Senator Terry Moulton (R – Chippewa Falls), the bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and was concurred by the Senate on a voice vote.  It is Act 343.