DOA:......Bork, BB0241 - Office of Election Transparency and Compliance
For 2025-2027 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
ELECTIONS
Office of Election Transparency and Compliance
This bill creates under the Elections Commission the Office of Election Transparency and Compliance. The office is under the direction and supervision of a director who shall be a policy initiatives advisor appointed in the classified service by the Elections Commission administrator.
The bill requires the office, as directed by the commission by resolution, to perform research and assist the commission’s legal staff in presenting information to the members of the commission concerning sworn complaints of election law violations, including allegations that a person provided false or misleading information to an election official during the registration or voting process, and sworn complaints alleging noncompliance with election laws and processes by election officials. The bill further requires the office to provide assistance and research to the commission with respect to the following, as directed by the commission administrator:
1. Procedures at polling places.
2. Election processes.
3. Election systems and equipment, including with respect to accessibility requirements for individuals with disabilities.
4. Responding to public records requests.
5. Responding to legislative inquiries and requests for assistance.
6. Responding to inquiries from the public.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 5.053 of the statutes is created to read:
5.053 Office of election transparency and compliance. (1) Definition. In this section, “office” means the office of election transparency and compliance.
(2) Duties. The office shall do all of the following:
(a) As directed by the commission by resolution, perform research and assist the commission’s legal staff in presenting information to the members of the commission concerning any of the following:
1. Sworn complaints of election law violations filed under s. 5.05 (2m), including allegations that a person provided false or misleading information to an election official during the registration or voting process.
2. Sworn complaints filed under s. 5.06 alleging noncompliance of election officials.
(b) As directed by the administrator, provide assistance and research to the commission concerning the following:
1. Procedures at polling places.
2. Election processes.
3. Election systems and equipment, including with respect to accessibility requirements for individuals with disabilities.
4. Responding to public records requests submitted under s. 19.35.
5. Responding to inquiries and requests for assistance made by a member, committee, or house of the state legislature.
6. Responding to inquiries from the public.
Section 2. 15.615 of the statutes is created to read:
15.615 Same; attached office. (1) Office of election transparency and compliance. There is created an office of election transparency and compliance, which is attached to the elections commission under s. 15.03. The office shall be under the direction and supervision of a director who shall be a policy initiatives advisor appointed in the classified service by the administrator or interim administrator of the elections commission.
(end)
