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February 17, 2022 - Introduced by Law Revision Committee. Referred to
Committee on Rules.
AB1031,1,5 1An Act to amend 44.02 (5m), 44.02 (5s), 44.02 (13), (14), (15), (16), (17) and (18),
244.03 (3) and 44.04 (3) of the statutes; relating to: duties of the State Historical
3Society; reports by affiliates to the State Historical Society; and fees charged
4to support State Historical Society school and teacher services (suggested as
5remedial legislation by the State Historical Society).
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes changes related to the duties and powers of the State Historical
Society and requires additional information to be included in a report by a local
historical society or other affiliate in its annual report to SHS.
Under current law, with exceptions, SHS may charge state residents a fee and
must charge nonresidents a fee for admission to its historic sites or buildings, special
events, and special exhibits. Under one exception, SHS may not “charge a fee for
admission to the museum until construction of the museum is completed.” Fees
collected from admissions must be used to support public programming. Current law
also imposes on SHS “responsibility for security at the museum.”
The bill specifies that SHS may not charge a fee for admission to the Wisconsin
Historical Museum located at 30 N. Carroll Street in Madison until construction of
a new museum is completed. The bill also allows fees collected from admissions to
be used to support operations of the new museum, in addition to supporting public
programming. The bill further clarifies that the Wisconsin Historical Museum
located at 30 N. Carroll Street in Madison is the museum for which SHS is
responsible for security.

Under current law, SHS may make “charges” established by its Board of
Curators to partially defray the costs of the services that SHS offers to schools and
teachers in this state. The bill clarifies that SHS may charge “fees” to partially defray
those costs.
Under current law, local historical societies and other historical organizations
may be incorporated as affiliates of SHS for certain purposes, including gathering
and preserving materials and artifacts relating to local history. SHS must work with
affiliates in the encouragement, stimulation, and development of worthwhile
historical projects and undertakings at the local level. An affiliate, if approved by
the Board of Curators of SHS, may file with the Department of Financial Institutions
articles of incorporation as a nonstock corporation without paying a filing fee to DFI.
A nonstock corporation must file with DFI an annual report that includes 1) the
name of the corporation; 2) the mailing address of its registered office and the name
of its registered agent; 3) the mailing address of its current principal office; 4) the
name and business address of each director and principal officer; 5) a brief
description of the nature of its business; and 6) whether the corporation has
members. A “member” is defined as a person who has membership rights in a
nonstock corporation in accordance with the provisions of its articles of incorporation
or bylaws.
Current law requires an affiliate of SHS to annually report to SHS the
information specified in items 1 to 5, above. The bill requires the annual report to
SHS to also include item 6, above.
Finally, the bill specifies that SHS's directive to preserve the memory of early
pioneers and narratives of their exploits, perils, and adventures also applies to early
residents.
For further information, see the Notes provided by the Law Revision
Committee of the Joint Legislative Council.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
Law Revision Committee prefatory note: This bill is a remedial legislation
proposal, requested by the State Historical Society and introduced by the Law Revision
Committee under s. 13.83 (1) (c) 4. and 5., stats. After careful consideration of the various
provisions of the bill, the Law Revision Committee has determined that this bill makes
minor substantive changes in the statutes, and that these changes are desirable as a
matter of public policy.
AB1031,1 1Section 1 . 44.02 (5m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1031,2,52 44.02 (5m) Not charge a fee for admission to the museum Wisconsin Historical
3Museum located at 30 N. Carroll Street in Madison
until construction of the a new
4museum is completed. Fees collected from admissions shall be used to support public
5programming and operations of the new museum.
AB1031,2
1Section 2 . 44.02 (5s) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1031,3,42 44.02 (5s) Except as provided in s. 16.84 (2), have responsibility for security at
3the museum Wisconsin Historical Museum located at 30 N. Carroll Street in
4Madison
.
Note: Sections 1 and 2 clarify whether various references in current law to “the
museum” mean the existing museum located at 30 N. Carroll Street in Madison or a new
museum yet to be constructed. Section 1 also specifies that admission fees collected at
the new museum may be used to support its operations in addition to its public
programming.
AB1031,3 5Section 3. 44.02 (13), (14), (15), (16), (17) and (18) of the statutes are amended
6to read:
AB1031,3,87 44.02 (13) To faithfully Faithfully expend and apply all money received to the
8fulfillment of its duties and purposes as directed by law.
AB1031,3,9 9(14) To hold Hold all its present and future property for the state.
AB1031,3,12 10(15) To promote Promote a wider appreciation of the American heritage with
11particular emphasis on the collection, advancement, and dissemination of
12knowledge of the history of Wisconsin and of the West.
AB1031,3,15 13(16) To collect Collect, embody, arrange, and preserve in authentic form, a
14library of books, pamphlets, maps, charts, manuscripts, papers, paintings, statuary,
15and other materials illustrative of the history of the state.
AB1031,3,17 16(17) To preserve Preserve the memory of its early residents and pioneers, and
17to obtain and preserve narratives of their exploits, perils, and adventures.
AB1031,3,19 18(18) To exhibit Exhibit faithfully the antiquities, and the past and present
19condition, and resources of Wisconsin.
Note: This Section addresses grammatical issues and specifies that the duty of
the State Historical Society with regard to preserving the memory, exploits, perils, and
adventures of early pioneers also applies to early residents.
AB1031,4 20Section 4. 44.03 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1031,4,14
144.03 (3) Every affiliated society shall make a report of its work annually to the
2historical society that contains the information specified in s. 181.1622 (1) (a) to (e)
3(f), which, in its entirety or in part, may be included in the publications of the
4historical society, and upon application of any affiliated society the historical society
5may accept, in behalf of the state, custody of or title to the property, records and
6collections of the affiliated society or may assist in the disposal thereof. If any
7affiliated society becomes, in the opinion of the board of curators of the historical
8society, inactive or defunct, title to such property, records and collections not
9otherwise provided for in the grants of donors or in the articles of incorporation of the
10inactive and defunct society, shall vest in the historical society which shall take
11appropriate action in the public interest for the protection or disposal of such
12property, records and collections. Preference in disposition shall be given to
13historical or related organizations in the area or to whatever county or local
14governmental unit that has aided such affiliate financially.
Note: This Section updates a cross-reference in order to expand on the
information an affiliated society must include in its annual report to the State Historical
Society.
AB1031,5 15Section 5. 44.04 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1031,4,1816 44.04 (3) It may make such charges The historical society may charge such fees
17as its board of curators shall establish as just and proper to defray in part the costs
18of this program.
Note: This Section clarifies the authority of the State Historical Society to charge
fees to defray in part the cost of materials and services it furnishes to schools and
teachers.
AB1031,4,1919 (End)
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