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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 2,
TO ASSEMBLY BILL 897
February 20, 2020 - Offered by Representatives Vining, Stubbs, L. Myers,
Anderson, Billings, Bowen, Brostoff, Cabrera, Considine, Crowley, Doyle,
Fields, Goyke, Haywood, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hintz, Kolste, McGuire, B.
Meyers
, Milroy, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Pope, Riemer, Sargent, Shankland,
Sinicki, Spreitzer, Stuck, Subeck, C. Taylor, Vruwink and Zamarripa.
AB897-AA2,1,11 At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
AB897-AA2,1,3 21. Page 1, line 2: before “investigations" insert “legislative and congressional
3redistricting,".
AB897-AA2,1,4 42. Page 2, line 1: before that line insert:
AB897-AA2,1,6 5 Section 1a. 3.002 (intro.) and (1m) of the statutes are consolidated,
6renumbered 3.002 and amended to read:
AB897-AA2,1,10 73.002 Description of territory. In this chapter: (1m) Reference, reference
8to any county or municipality means that county or municipality as its boundaries
9exist on April 1 of the year of the federal decennial census on which the districting
10plan described under subch. II is based
.
AB897-AA2,1b 11Section 1b. 3.002 (2) of the statutes is repealed.
AB897-AA2,1c 12Section 1c. 3.004 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB897-AA2,2,5
13.004 (2) “Ward" means a ward prescribed by a municipality based upon
2municipal boundaries in effect on April 1 of the year of the federal decennial census
3in accordance with the most recent revision of municipal wards under s. 5.15 upon
4which the districting plan described under subch. II is based
and used in preparing
5congressional and legislative redistricting plans as required under s. 4.005
.
AB897-AA2,1d 6Section 1d. Subchapter I of chapter 4 [precedes 4.001] of the statutes is
7repealed and recreated to read:
AB897-AA2,2,88 CHAPTER 4
AB897-AA2,2,99 subchapter i
AB897-AA2,2,1110 general provisions
11and redistricting
AB897-AA2,2,12 124.001 Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
AB897-AA2,2,13 13(1) “Block" has the meaning given in s. 5.02 (1q).
AB897-AA2,2,15 14(2) “Commission" means the redistricting advisory commission established
15under s. 13.49.
AB897-AA2,2,17 16(3) “Plan" means a plan for legislative and congressional reapportionment
17prepared under this subchapter.
AB897-AA2,2,19 18(4) “Political subdivision" means a city, town, village, or county within this
19state.
AB897-AA2,2,20 20(5) “Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act" means 52 USC 10301.
AB897-AA2,2,23 21(6) “Ward" means a municipal ward in effect on April 1 of the year of the federal
22decennial census and used in preparing congressional and legislative redistricting
23plans as required under s. 4.005.
AB897-AA2,3,3
14.002 Political subdivision boundaries. In this chapter, reference to any
2political subdivision means that political subdivision as its boundaries exist on April
31 of the year of the federal decennial census.
AB897-AA2,3,7 44.003 Legislative districts established. This state is divided into 33 senate
5districts, each composed of 3 assembly districts. Each senate district may elect one
6member of the senate. Each assembly district may elect one representative to the
7assembly.
AB897-AA2,3,11 84.004 Preparations for redistricting. (1) The legislative reference bureau
9shall acquire appropriate information, review and evaluate available facilities, and
10develop programs and procedures in preparation for drawing congressional and
11legislative redistricting plans on the basis of each federal decennial census.
AB897-AA2,3,16 12(2) By December 1 of the year of the decennial federal census, the legislative
13reference bureau shall obtain from the U.S. bureau of the census information
14regarding geographic and political units in this state for which federal census
15population data has been gathered and will be tabulated. The legislative reference
16bureau shall use the information to do all of the following:
AB897-AA2,3,1917 (a) Prepare necessary descriptions of geographic and political units for which
18census data will be reported and that are suitable for use as components of legislative
19districts.
AB897-AA2,3,2220 (b) Prepare maps of geographic and political units within the state which may
21be used to illustrate the locations of district boundaries proposed in plans prepared
22in accordance with s. 4.007.
AB897-AA2,4,7 23(3) As soon as possible after receiving from the U.S. bureau of the census the
24population data needed for legislative redistricting that the U.S. bureau of the
25census is required to provide this state under P.L. 94-171, the legislative reference

1bureau shall use that data to assign a population figure based upon certified federal
2census data to each geographic or political unit described under sub. (2) (b). The
3legislative reference bureau shall prepare and publish an analysis describing the
4population of current legislative and congressional districts and the extent to which
5the districts may violate the standards under s. 4.007. Upon satisfying these
6requirements, the legislative reference bureau shall begin the preparation of
7congressional and legislative redistricting plans as required under s. 4.006.
AB897-AA2,4,11 8(4) None of the 4 selecting authorities, as defined in s. 13.49 (1) (b), may assign
9or hire any person to work with the legislative reference bureau to prepare for
10redistricting under this section, to prepare plans under s. 4.006, or to oversee either
11process.
AB897-AA2,4,18 124.005 Use of municipal ward plans. After receipt of a division ordinance or
13resolution under s. 5.15 (4) (b), the legislative reference bureau shall use the data
14obtained from the U.S. bureau of the census under s. 4.004 (3) to assign a population
15figure based upon certified federal census data to each ward established in the
16division ordinance or resolution. The legislative reference bureau shall use each
17ward to which a population figure is assigned in preparing congressional and
18legislative redistricting plans as required under s. 4.006.
AB897-AA2,5,3 194.006 Preparation of redistricting plans. (1) Not later than January 1 of
20the 2nd year following the decennial federal census, the legislative reference bureau
21shall deliver to the majority leader of the senate and speaker of the assembly
22identical bills creating plans of legislative and congressional redistricting, prepared
23in accordance with s. 4.007. Either the assembly or the senate shall bring the bill to
24a vote expeditiously, but not less than 7 days after the commission report under s.
2513.49 (3) (d) 2. is received and made available to the members of the legislature. The

1vote shall be under a procedure or rule permitting no amendments. If the bill is
2approved by the first house in which it is considered, the bill shall expeditiously be
3brought to a vote in the 2nd house under a similar procedure or rule.
AB897-AA2,5,18 4(2) If neither of the bills delivered by the legislative reference bureau under
5sub. (1) is approved by both the assembly and the senate, the chief clerk of the house
6that failed to approve the bill shall immediately transmit to the legislative reference
7bureau information that the house may direct regarding reasons why the plan was
8not approved. The legislative reference bureau shall prepare identical bills
9embodying a 2nd plan of legislative and congressional redistricting prepared in
10accordance with s. 4.007, taking into account the reasons transmitted to the
11legislative reference bureau under this subsection insofar as it is possible to do so
12within the requirements of s. 4.007. The legislative reference bureau shall deliver
13the bills to the majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later
14than 21 days after the date of the vote by which the senate or the assembly failed to
15approve the bill submitted under sub. (1). Any bill delivered by the legislative
16reference bureau under this subsection shall be expeditiously introduced and
17brought to a vote not less than 7 days after the date of introduction, in the same
18manner as prescribed for the bill required under sub. (1).
AB897-AA2,6,5 19(3) If neither of the bills delivered by the legislative reference bureau under
20sub. (2) is approved by both the assembly and the senate, the same procedure as
21prescribed by sub. (2) shall be followed. If a 3rd plan is required under this
22subsection, the legislative reference bureau shall deliver the bills to the majority
23leader of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than 21 days after the
24date of the vote by which the senate or the assembly failed to approve the bill
25submitted under sub. (2). Any bill delivered by the legislative reference bureau

1under this subsection shall be expeditiously introduced and brought to a vote not less
2than 7 days after the date of introduction and shall be subject to amendment in the
3same manner as other bills. Any bill delivered under this subsection, and any
4amendment to such a bill, may be passed only with the approval of three-fourths of
5all the members elected in each house.
AB897-AA2,6,6 6(4) Notwithstanding subs. (1) to (3):
AB897-AA2,6,167 (a) If certified federal census data that is sufficient to permit preparation of a
8congressional redistricting plan becomes available at an earlier time than the
9population data needed to permit preparation of a legislative redistricting plan in
10accordance with s. 4.007, the legislative reference bureau shall so inform the
11majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. If the majority leader
12of the senate and the speaker of the assembly jointly direct, the legislative reference
13bureau shall prepare a separate bill establishing congressional districts and deliver
14it separately from the bill establishing legislative districts. The legislature shall
15proceed to consider the congressional redistricting bill in substantially the manner
16prescribed by subs. (1) to (3).
AB897-AA2,7,217 (b) If the population data for legislative redistricting that the U.S. bureau of
18the census is required to provide this state under P.L. 94-171 and, if used by the
19legislative reference bureau, the corresponding topologically integrated geographic
20encoding and referencing data file for that population data are not available to the
21legislative reference bureau on or before April 1 of the first year following the
22decennial federal census, the deadlines set forth in this section shall be extended by
23a number of days equal to the number of days after April 1 of the first year following
24the decennial federal census that the population data and the topologically

1integrated geographic encoding and referencing data file for legislative redistricting
2become available.
AB897-AA2,7,6 34.007 Redistricting standards. (1) Legislative and congressional districts
4shall be established on the basis of population requirements imposed under the
5Wisconsin Constitution and the U.S. Constitution and requirements imposed under
6Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
AB897-AA2,7,18 7(2) Senate and assembly districts, respectively, shall satisfy the population
8standards established in this subsection. The quotient, obtained by dividing the sum
9of the absolute values of the deviations of all district populations from the applicable
10ideal district population by the number of districts established, may not exceed 1
11percent of the applicable ideal district population, unless necessary to maintain
12compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. For purposes of this subsection,
13the ideal district population is determined by dividing the population of the state
14reported in the most recent federal decennial census by the number of districts to be
15established. No senate district may have a population that exceeds that of any other
16senate district by more than 10 percent and no assembly district may have a
17population that exceeds that of any other assembly district by more than 10 percent,
18unless necessary to maintain compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
AB897-AA2,7,24 19(3) Congressional districts shall each have a population as nearly equal as
20practicable to the ideal district population, derived as prescribed in sub. (2), while
21maintaining compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. No congressional
22district may have a population which varies by more than 1 percent from the
23applicable ideal district population, unless necessary to comply with Section 2 of the
24Voting Rights Act.
AB897-AA2,8,8
1(4) District boundaries shall coincide with ward boundaries and, to the extent
2consistent with sub. (1), shall coincide with the boundaries of political subdivisions.
3The number of political subdivisions divided among more than one district shall be
4as small as possible. When there is a choice among political subdivisions to divide,
5the more populous political subdivisions shall be divided before the less populous,
6except that this requirement does not apply to a legislative district boundary drawn
7along a county boundary which passes through a city with territory in more than one
8county.
AB897-AA2,8,10 9(5) Districts shall be composed of convenient contiguous territory. Areas which
10meet only at the points of adjoining corners are not contiguous.
AB897-AA2,8,14 11(6) Districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging
12the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political
13process or diminishing their ability to elect representatives of their choice, whether
14by themselves or by voting in concert with other persons.
AB897-AA2,8,15 15(7) (a) In this subsection:
AB897-AA2,8,2416 1. “Geographic unit center" means that point within a population data unit
17approximately equidistant from the northern and southern extremities and also
18approximately equidistant from the eastern and western extremities of the
19population data unit. This point shall be determined by visual observation of a map
20of the population data unit, unless it is otherwise determined within the context of
21an appropriate coordinate system developed by the federal government or another
22source that the legislative reference bureau determines is qualified and objective and
23is obtained for use in this state with prior approval of the joint committee on
24legislative organization.
AB897-AA2,9,4
12. “Population data unit" means a ward, census enumeration district, block, or
2other unit of territory having clearly identified geographic boundaries and for which
3a total population figure is included in or can be derived directly from certified
4federal census data.
AB897-AA2,9,105 3. “X-coordinate" means the relative location of a point along the east–west
6axis of the state. Unless otherwise measured within the context of an appropriate
7coordinate system obtained for use as permitted by subd. 1., the x-coordinate shall
8be measured along a line drawn due east from a due north and south line running
9through the point which is the western extremity of this state, to the point to be
10located.
AB897-AA2,9,1611 4. “Y-coordinate" means the relative location of a point along the north–south
12axis of the state. Unless otherwise measured within the context of an appropriate
13coordinate system obtained for use as permitted by subd. 1., the y-coordinate shall
14be measured along a line drawn due south from a due east and west line running
15through the point which is the northern extremity of this state, to the point to be
16located.
AB897-AA2,9,2317 (b) To the extent consistent with subs. (1) to (3), districts shall be compact in
18form. Compact districts are those which are square, rectangular, or hexagonal in
19shape to the extent permitted by natural or political boundaries. When it is
20necessary to compare the relative compactness of 2 or more districts, or of 2 or more
21alternative redistricting plans, the tests prescribed by pars. (c) and (d) shall be used.
22Should the results of these 2 tests be contradictory, the standard under par. (c) shall
23be given greater weight than the standard under par. (d).
AB897-AA2,10,3
1(c) 1. The compactness of a district is greatest when the length of the district
2and the width of the district are equal. The measure of a district's compactness is
3the absolute value of the difference between the length and the width of the district.
AB897-AA2,10,84 2. In measuring the compactness of a district by means of electronic data
5processing, the difference between the x-coordinates of the easternmost and the
6westernmost geographic unit centers included in the district shall be compared to the
7difference between the y-coordinates of the northernmost and southernmost
8geographic unit centers included in the district.
AB897-AA2,10,229 3. To determine the length and width of a district by manual measurement, the
10distance from the northernmost point or portion of the boundary of a district to the
11southernmost point or portion of the boundary of the same district and the distance
12from the westernmost point or portion of the boundary of the district to the
13easternmost point or portion of the boundary of the same district shall each be
14measured. If the northernmost or southernmost portion of the boundary, or each of
15these points, is a part of the boundary running due east and west, the line used to
16make the measurement required by this subdivision shall be drawn either due north
17and south or as nearly so as the configuration of the district permits. If the
18easternmost or westernmost portion of the boundary, or each of these points, is a part
19of the boundary running due north and south, a similar procedure shall be followed.
20The lines to be measured for the purpose of this subdivision shall each be drawn as
21required by this subdivision, even if some part of either or both lines lies outside the
22boundaries of the district which is being tested for compactness.
AB897-AA2,11,323 4. The absolute values computed for individual districts under this paragraph
24may be cumulated for all districts in a plan in order to compare the overall
25compactness of 2 or more alternative redistricting plans for the state or for a portion

1of the state. However, it is not valid to cumulate or compare absolute values
2computed using the measurements under subd. 2. with those computed using the
3measurements under subd. 3.
AB897-AA2,11,64 (d) 1. The compactness of a district is greatest when the ratio of the dispersion
5of population about the population center of the district to the dispersion of
6population about the geographic center of the district is one to one.
AB897-AA2,11,177 2. The population dispersion about the population center of a district or about
8the geographic center of a district is computed as the sum of the products of the
9population of each population data unit included in the district multiplied by the
10square of the distance from the geographic unit center of that population data unit
11to the population center or the geographic center of the district, as the case may be.
12The geographic center of the district is defined by averaging the locations of all
13geographic unit centers which are included in the district. The population center of
14the district is defined by computing the population–weighted average of the
15x-coordinates and y-coordinates of each geographic unit center assigned to the
16district, it being assumed for the purpose of this calculation that each population
17data unit possesses uniform density of population.
AB897-AA2,11,2018 3. The ratios computed for individual districts under this paragraph may be
19averaged for all districts in a plan in order to compare the overall compactness of 2
20or more alternative redistricting plans for the state or for a portion of the state.
AB897-AA2,12,2 21(8) In preparing any redistricting plan, the legislative reference bureau shall
22be strictly nonpartisan. No district may be drawn for the purpose of favoring a
23political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or other person or group
24or, except to the extent required under sub. (1), for the purpose of augmenting or
25diluting the voting strength of a language or racial minority group. Except as

1provided in sub. (10), in establishing districts, no use shall be made of any of the
2following data:
AB897-AA2,12,33 (a) The residence addresses of incumbent legislators or members of Congress.
AB897-AA2,12,44 (b) Political affiliations of registered voters.
AB897-AA2,12,55 (c) Previous election results.
AB897-AA2,12,76 (d) Demographic information except as necessary to meet the requirements of
7subs. (1) and (10).
AB897-AA2,12,16 8(9) The number of assembly districts in any redistricting plan may not be less
9than 54 nor more than 100. The number of senate districts in any redistricting plan
10may not be more than one-third nor less than one-fourth of the number of assembly
11districts. Each senate district shall contain only whole assembly districts. Except
12as otherwise provided in this subsection, to the extent possible, each congressional
13district shall contain only whole senate districts. The other standards specified in
14this section shall take precedence where a conflict arises between those standards
15and the requirement of including only whole senate districts within a congressional
16district.
AB897-AA2,12,22 17(10) In preparing any redistricting plan, the legislative reference bureau shall
18test the efficiency gap and competitiveness of each district and make the test results
19available to the public, including publishing the results on its Internet site, no later
20than 72 hours prior to the first public hearing on the proposed plan. The legislative
21reference bureau may use the data described under sub. (8) (b) to (d) to perform the
22tests under this subsection.
AB897-AA2,12,24 234.008 Required provisions in redistricting bills. Each bill delivered under
24s. 4.006 shall provide all of the following:
AB897-AA2,13,2
1(1) That, wherever territory is described in the bill by geographic boundaries,
2the following conventions are used:
AB897-AA2,13,43 (a) Each bound continues to the intersection with the bound next named, or to
4the intersection with a straight-line extension of such bound.
AB897-AA2,13,65 (b) If the bound is a street, it follows the center line of the street or the center
6line of the street extended.
AB897-AA2,13,87 (c) If the bound is a railroad right-of-way, it follows the center line of the
8railroad right-of-way.
AB897-AA2,13,109 (d) If the bound is a river or stream, it follows the center of the main channel
10of such river or stream.
AB897-AA2,13,1111 (e) If the bound follows a municipal boundary, it coincides with such boundary.
AB897-AA2,13,15 12(2) That the bill first applies, with respect to regular elections, to offices filled
13at the next occurring general election after the bill takes effect and, with respect to
14special or recall elections, to offices filled or contested on or after the date of that
15general election.
AB897-AA2,14,2 164.0085 Challenge based on population inequality; burden of proof. If
17an action is brought challenging a legislative redistricting plan under this
18subchapter on the basis of an excessive population variance among senate or
19assembly districts established in the plan, the legislature has the burden of
20justifying any variance in excess of 10 percent between the population of a senate or
21assembly district and the applicable ideal district population. If an action is brought
22challenging a congressional redistricting plan under this subchapter on the basis of
23an excessive population variance among congressional districts established in the
24plan, the legislature has the burden of justifying any variance in excess of 1 percent

1between the population of a congressional district and the applicable ideal district
2population.”.
AB897-AA2,14,3 33. Page 4, line 2: after that line insert:
AB897-AA2,14,4 4 Section 2m. 5.15 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB897-AA2,14,235 5.15 (4) (a) Except as provided in par. (c), the division ordinance or resolution
6shall number all wards in the municipality with unique whole numbers in
7consecutive order, beginning with the number one, shall designate the polling place
8for each ward, and shall describe the boundaries of each ward consistent with the
9conventions set forth in s. 4.003 4.008 (1). The ordinance or resolution shall be
10accompanied by a list of the block numbers used by the U.S. bureau of the census that
11are wholly or partly contained within each ward, with any block numbers partly
12contained within a ward identified, and a map of the municipality which illustrates
13the revised ward boundaries. If the legislature, in an act redistricting legislative
14districts under article IV, section 3, of the constitution, or in redistricting
15congressional districts, establishes a district boundary within a municipality that
16does not coincide with the boundary of a ward established under the ordinance or
17resolution of the municipality, the municipal governing body shall, no later than
18April 10 of the 2nd year following the year of the federal decennial census on which
19the act is based, amend the ordinance or resolution to the extent required to effect
20the act. The amended ordinance or resolution shall designate the polling place for
21any ward that is created to effect the legislative act. Nothing in this paragraph shall
22be construed to compel a county or city to alter or redraw supervisory or aldermanic
23districts.”.
AB897-AA2,14,24 244. Page 5, line 3: after that line insert:
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