SB70: Bill Text

Driving skills test waiver

Under current law, with limited exceptions, an applicant for an operator’s license authorizing operation of “Class D” vehicles, which are automobiles and most passenger vehicles, must successfully complete a knowledge test and a driving skills (road) test. The bill allows DOT to waive the road test for a person if all of the following are satisfied:

1. The person is under 18 years of age.

2. The person is applying for authorization to operate only “Class D” vehicles.

3. The person has satisfactorily completed a course in driver education.

4. An adult sponsor of the person consents to a waiver of the driving skills test.

Electronic notifications

Under current law, DOT must provide certain notifications by postal mail. The bill allows DOT to provide some of these notifications by electronic means if the person being notified has requested electronic notifications from DOT. The notifications covered in the bill are notices of extensions of probationary license restrictions, notices related to amount of security required under certain financial responsibility requirements, and certain notices related to operator’s license revocations, suspensions, or disqualifications.

Ignition interlock device requirement expansion

Under current law, if a person is convicted of a second or subsequent offense related to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant or other drug, with a prohibited alcohol concentration, or with a measurable amount of a controlled substance in his or her blood (OWI offense) or a first OWI offense for which his or her alcohol concentration is 0.15 or greater, a court must order the person’s operating privilege restricted to operating vehicles that are equipped with an ignition interlock device. The bill expands the ignition interlock requirement to all OWI offenses that involve the use of alcohol.

Increased safety belt violation forfeiture

The bill increases the forfeiture from $10 to $25 for violations of motor vehicle safety belt requirements. Under current law, if a motor vehicle is required to be equipped with safety belts, no person may operate the vehicle unless the person and each passenger who is at least eight years old is properly restrained. Separate requirements and penalties apply to passengers for whom child safety restraint systems are required.

Seasonal period for farm service license endorsement

Under current law, no person may operate a motor vehicle upon a highway in this state unless the person possesses a valid operator’s license. Additional endorsements are required for the operation of certain vehicles. An “F” endorsement authorizes a seasonal farm employee who is eligible for a restricted commercial driver license under federal law to operate certain commercial vehicles for a seasonal period not to exceed 180 days in any calendar year. The bill increases the seasonal period for an “F” endorsement to 210 days.

Electric vehicle identification sticker

The bill requires DOT to issue a decal for each hybrid and nonhybrid electric vehicle that identifies the vehicle as electric and which must must be displayed on the front and rear registration plates of the vehicle. The bill provides that there is a onetime fee of $1 for the issuance of the decals.

General transportation

General fund transfers to the transportation fund

The bill requires two transfers from the general fund to the transportation fund in each fiscal year, beginning on June 30, 2024. The first transfer must be in an amount equal to the amount of sales tax generated by the sale of electric vehicles in this state, as calculated by DOA. Beginning in fiscal year 2025-26, the amount transferred may not exceed 120 percent of the amount transferred in the previous year, or $75,000,000, whichever is less. The second transfer must be equal to the marginal difference between the sales tax generated from the sale of automotive parts, accessories, tires, and repair and maintenance services in fiscal year 2020-21 and the fiscal year of the transfer, as calculated by DOA.

Mass transit aid amounts

Under current law, DOT provides state aid payments to local public bodies in urban areas served by mass transit systems to assist the local public bodies with the expenses of operating those systems. There are five classes of mass transit systems, and the total amount of state aid payments to four of these classes is limited to a specific amount in each calendar year. The fifth class consists of certain commuter or light rail systems, and no state aid amounts are specified for this class. For the four classes of mass transit systems for which state aid amounts are specified, the bill does the following to the total amount limits:

1. For mass transit systems having annual operating expenses of $80,000,000 or more, the bill maintains the current limit of $65,477,800 in calendar year 2023 and increases the limit to $68,096,900 in calendar year 2024 and $70,820,800 in calendar year 2025 and thereafter.

2. For mass transit systems having annual operating expenses of over $20,000,000 but less than $80,000,000, the bill maintains the current limit of $17,205,400 in calendar year 2023 and increases the limit to $17,893,600 in calendar year 2024 and $18,609,400 in calendar year 2025 and thereafter.

3. For the two classes of mass transit systems having annual operating expenses of no more than $20,000,000, the bill does not make changes to the current limits.

Transit capital assistance grants

The bill requires DOT to establish a transit capital assistance grant program, under which DOT awards grants to eligible applicants for the replacement of public transit vehicles.

Transportation facilities revenue obligation repayment fund

Under current law, the Building Commission may issue revenue bonds for major highway projects and transportation administrative facilities. DOT may deposit in special trust funds certain revenues pledged for the repayment of these revenue bonds. Moneys pledged in excess of the amount needed for repayment of the bonds are transferred to the transportation fund, free of any pledge.

The bill authorizes DOT to create a new trust fund and requires the transfer of $379,369,800 from the general fund to the trust fund, for the purpose of repayment of revenue bonds.

Freight rail preservation bonding

Under current law, the state may contract up to $300,300,000 in public debt for DOT to acquire railroad property, provide grants and loans for railroad property acquisition and improvement, and provide intermodal freight facilities grants. The bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit for these purposes by $20,000,000 to $320,300,000.

Harbor assistance bonding

Under current law, the state may contract up to $167,300,000 in public debt for DOT to provide local grants for harbor assistance and for harbor improvements such as dock wall repair and maintenance, construction of new dock walls, dredging of materials from a harbor, or the placement of dredged materials in containment facilities. The bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit for these purposes by $16,000,000 to $183,300,000.

Number of state patrol officers

The bill increases the number of state traffic patrol officers DOT may employ from 399 to 434.

Mississippi River Parkway Commission position authority

Under current law, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission assists in coordinating the development and preservation of the Great River Road in Wisconsin. The commission consists of members appointed to four-year terms by the governor. These members serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual expenses of performing their duties. Reimbursements are paid from moneys appropriated to DOT for departmental management and operations.

The bill increases the position authority for the Mississippi River Parkway Commission by 1.0 FTE, funded from the same appropriation, for the purpose of providing administrative support to the commission.

VETERANS

County veterans service officer grants

The bill increases the dollar amount of grants made to counties with a veterans service officer. Under current law, DVA is required to annually award a grant to counties that employ a county veterans service officer chosen from a list of candidates who have completed a particular civil service examination or who were appointed under a certain civil service competitive examination procedure. The grants are awarded for the purpose of improving a county’s services to veterans. The amount of each grant is $9,350 for a county with a population of less than 20,000, $11,000 for a county with a population of 20,000 to 45,499, $12,650 for a county with a population of 45,500 to 74,999, and $14,300 for a county with a population of 75,000 or more. Counties that employ a part-time county veterans service officer are eligible to receive an annual grant not exceeding $550. DVA may also make annual grants not to exceed $16,500 to the governing bodies of federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands if the tribal governing body appoints a tribal veterans service officer and enters into an agreement with DVA regarding the creation, goals, and objectives of the tribal veterans service officer position.

The bill doubles the dollar amount of the grants annually awarded to counties and tribal governing bodies and repeals the restriction that a county employing a part-time county veterans services officer receive a grant not to exceed $550.

Assistance to Needy Veterans grants

The bill expands the Assistance to Needy Veterans grant program. Under current law, DVA administers the Assistance to Needy Veterans grant program, which provides subsistence aid and health care aid to veterans. Under the program, DVA may provide up to $3,000 in subsistence aid per 12-month period to veterans who have suffered a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. Under the program, DVA may also provide aid payments to a veteran to pay for dental care, hearing care, and vision care. The total lifetime limit that a veteran may receive in aid under the program is $7,500.

The bill expands the program by allowing DVA to provide subsistence aid payments, in an amount of up to $5,000 per 12-month period, to a veteran who has suffered a loss of income for any reason and also allows DVA to provide health care aid payments to pay for any medical device prescribed by a licensed health care provider. The bill also raises the lifetime limit on aid that a veteran may receive under the program to $10,000.

Hmong and Laotian veterans

The bill expands the definition of “veteran” to include either 1) individuals who were naturalized pursuant to the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000; or 2) individuals who the secretary of veterans affairs has determined served honorably with a special guerrilla unit or irregular forces operating from a base in Laos in support of the armed forces of the United States at any time during the period from February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975, and who are citizens of the United States or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States who reside in Wisconsin. The bill extends most veterans benefits to anyone who meets this newly expanded definition of veteran, however, admission to a state veterans home and burial in a veterans cemetery are not included benefits as they are subject to federal regulation.

Wisconsin veterans cemetery eligibility requirements

The bill changes an eligibility requirement for an individual to be buried in one of the state veterans cemeteries. Under current law, an individual who was discharged under other than dishonorable conditions must have been a Wisconsin resident in order to be eligible for burial in one of the state veterans cemeteries. In select cases, children and spouses of eligible veterans must also be Wisconsin residents in order to be buried in a state veterans cemetery. The bill removes the Wisconsin residency eligibility requirements in determining whether an individual or his or her spouse or children may be buried in a state veterans cemetery. The bill also directs from which appropriation account some eligible individuals’ burial expenses may be paid.

Veterans homes and related programs

The bill requires DVA to contract with a vendor during the 2023-25 fiscal biennium to study the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The purpose of the study is to provide a framework to guide decision making for future operations and development on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The study must be completed before June 1, 2025.

Transfer of funds for the operations of veterans homes

The bill transfers $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2023-24 from the general fund to the DVA appropriation used for the institutional operations of veterans homes.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

Because this bill relates to an exemption from state or local taxes, it may be referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions for a report to be printed as an appendix to the bill.

Because this bill may increase or decrease, directly or indirectly, the cost of the development, construction, financing, purchasing, sale, ownership, or availability of housing in this state, the Department of Administration, as required by law, will prepare a report to be printed as an appendix to this bill.

This proposal may contain a health insurance mandate requiring a social and financial impact report under s. 601.423, stats.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

SB70,,4 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB70,1 Section 1. 5.02 (6m) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70,,6 5.02 (6m) (f) An unexpired identification card issued by a university or college in this state that is accredited, as defined in s. 39.30 (1) (d), or by a technical college in this state that is a member of and governed by the technical college system under ch. 38, that contains the date of issuance and signature of the individual to whom it is issued and that contains an expiration date indicating that the card expires no later than 2 years after the date of issuance if the individual establishes, except that if the identification card is expired the individual shall establish that he or she is enrolled as a student at the university or college on the date that the card is presented.

SB70,2 Section 2. 5.02 (20) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70,,8 5.02 (20) “Special primary” means the primary held 4 weeks before the special election, except as provided in s. 8.50 (4m) and except when the special election is held on the same day as the general election the special primary shall be held on the same day as the general primary or if the special election is held concurrently with the spring election, the primary shall be held concurrently with the spring primary.

SB70,3 Section 3. 5.02 (22) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70,,10 5.02 (22) “Spring primary” means the nonpartisan primary held on the 3rd Tuesday in February to nominate nonpartisan candidates to be voted for at the spring election and partisan candidates to be voted for at a special election under s. 8.50 (4m).

SB70,4 Section 4. 5.05 (11m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB70,,12 5.05 (11m) Aids to counties and municipalities for certain special election costs. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.510 (1) (f), the commission shall reimburse counties and municipalities for costs incurred in the administration of special primaries for state or national office and special elections for state or national office.

SB70,,13 (b) A cost is eligible for reimbursement under par. (a) only if all of the following apply:

SB70,,14 1. The commission determines that the cost is reasonable.

SB70,,15 2. The cost is specified under par. (c).

SB70,,16 3. If applicable, the commission determines that the rate paid by the county or municipality for the cost does not exceed the rate customarily paid for similar costs at a primary or election that is not a special primary or election.

SB70,,17 4. If the special primary or election coincides with a primary or election that is not a special primary or election, the commission determines that the cost does not exceed the amount that would be incurred if the primaries or elections did not coincide.

SB70,,18 (c) Only the following costs are eligible for reimbursement under par. (a):

SB70,,19 1. Rental payments for polling places.

SB70,,20 2. Election day wages paid under s. 7.03 to election officials working at the polls.

SB70,,21 3. Costs for the publication of required election notices.

SB70,,22 4. Printing and postage costs for absentee ballots and envelopes.

SB70,,23 5. Costs for the design and printing of ballots and poll books.

SB70,,24 6. Purchase of ballot bags or containers, including ties or seals for chain of custody purposes.

SB70,,25 7. Costs to program electronic voting machines.

SB70,,26 8. Purchase of memory devices for electronic voting machines.

SB70,,27 9. Wages paid to conduct a county canvass.

SB70,,28 10. Data entry costs for the statewide voter registration system.

SB70,5 Section 5. 5.05 (11r) of the statutes is created to read:

SB70,,30 5.05 (11r) Aids to counties and municipalities for the purchase of election supplies and equipment. From the appropriation under s. 20.510 (1) (ff), the commission may award grants to counties and municipalities for the purchase of election supplies and equipment, including electronic poll books.

SB70,6 Section 6. 5.053 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70,,32 5.053 Office of election transparency and compliance. (1) Definition. In this section, “office” means the office of election transparency and compliance.