AB1181: Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 1181

March 10, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Bowen, Cabrera, Shelton and Sinicki. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AB1181,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 346.57 (4) (i); and to create 86.198, 346.57 (4) (i) 2. and 346.60 (2) (c) of the statutes; relating to: speed limits on highways adjacent to parks and playgrounds and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires a motorist to slow to 15 miles per hour on any street or town road, except a state trunk highway or connecting highway, abutting a public park or recreation area when children are going to or from or are playing within the area. The reduced speed limit applies only if the local authority in charge of the street or road has enacted an ordinance reflecting the reduced speed limit and has marked the area with official traffic control devices.

Under this bill, the reduced speed limit applies on any highway contiguous to or adjacent to a playground, public park, or recreation area in an urban area or any highway properly marked with a park or playground sign when children are present. Any person who violates these requirements may be required to forfeit not more than $100 for a first offense and not more than $200 for a second or subsequent offense.

The bill also requires the authority in charge of the maintenance of a highway that borders a playground, public park, or recreation area where children accessing or using the facility are likely to be at risk from traffic to erect signs warning motorists of the presence of the facility.

For further information see the state and local 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:

AB1181,1 Section 1. 86.198 of the statutes is created to read:

AB1181,2,8 86.198 Park or playground zones. The authority in charge of the maintenance of a highway that borders a playground, public park, or recreation area where children accessing or using the playground, park, or recreation area are likely to be at risk from traffic shall erect warning signs along the highway warning motorists of the presence of the playground, public park, or recreation area. The department shall establish standards for the design and installation of signs under this section.

AB1181,2 Section 2. 346.57 (4) (i) of the statutes is renumbered 346.57 (4) (i) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB1181,2,12 346.57 (4) (i) (intro.) Fifteen miles per hour on any street or town road, except a state trunk of the following when children are present:

AB1181,2,20 1. A highway or connecting highway, within, contiguous to or adjacent to a playground, public park, or recreation area when children are going to or from or are playing within such area, when the local authority has enacted an ordinance regulating such traffic and has properly marked such area with official traffic control devices erected at such points as said authority deems necessary and at those points on the streets or town roads concerned where persons traversing the same would enter such area from an area where a different speed limit is in effect in an urban area.

AB1181,3 Section 3. 346.57 (4) (i) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB1181,3,1 346.57 (4) (i) 2. A highway properly marked under s. 86.198.

AB1181,4 Section 4. 346.60 (2) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1181,3,5 346.60 (2) (c) Except as provided in sub. (3m) or (5), any person violating s. 346.57 (4) (i) may be required to forfeit not more than $100 for a first offense and not more than $200 for a 2nd or subsequent offense.

AB1181,5 Section 5. Initial applicability.

AB1181,3,9 (1) This act first applies to violations committed on the effective date of this subsection, but does not preclude the counting of other violations as prior violations for purposes of sentencing a person.

AB1181,3,10 (End)