AB43: Bill Text

AB43,,220 13.48 (30) (b) The legislature finds and determines that the provision of broadband Internet access is essential to the welfare of the citizens of this state and to economic development in this state, and therefore the provision of broadband Internet access is a government function and a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. The legislature further determines that sufficient private capital has been and continues to be unavailable to fulfill the need for the development of broadband Internet access in underserved and unserved areas in this state. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the public service commission in making broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504 (2) (a) for the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved and unserved areas of this state.

AB43,54 Section 54. 13.525 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,222 13.525 (5) (a) If any Any bill that is introduced in either house of the legislature that proposes to create a new crime or revise a penalty for an existing crime and the bill is referred to a standing committee of the house in which it is introduced, the chairperson may request shall be referred to the joint review committee to prepare a report on the bill under par. (b). If the bill is not referred to a standing committee, the speaker of the assembly, if the bill is introduced in the assembly, or the presiding officer of the senate, if the bill is introduced in the senate, may request the joint review committee to prepare a report on the bill under par. (b).

AB43,55 Section 55. 13.525 (5) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,224 13.525 (5) (b) (intro.) If the joint review committee receives a request under par. (a) for a report on is referred a bill that proposes to create a new crime or revise a penalty for an existing crime, under par. (a), neither house may further consider the bill until the committee shall prepare prepares a report concerning all of the following:

AB43,56 Section 56. 13.525 (5) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

AB43,57 Section 57. 13.56 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,227 13.56 (2) Participation in certain proceedings. The cochairpersons of the joint committee for review of administrative rules or their designated agents shall accept service made under ss. 227.40 (5) and 806.04 (11). If the committee determines that the legislature should be represented in the proceeding, it shall request the joint committee on legislative organization to intervene in designate the legislature’s representative for the proceeding as provided under s. 806.04 (11). The costs of participation in the proceeding shall be paid equally from the appropriations under s. 20.765 (1) (a) and (b), except that such costs incurred by the department of justice shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.455 (1) (d).

AB43,58 Section 58. 13.90 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,229 13.90 (1) (intro.) The joint committee on legislative organization shall be the policy-making board for the legislative reference bureau, the legislative fiscal bureau, the legislative audit bureau, the legislative human resources office, and the legislative technology services bureau. The committee shall:

AB43,59 Section 59. 13.90 (1m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,231 13.90 (1m) (a) In this subsection, “legislative service agency” means the legislative council staff, the legislative audit bureau, the legislative fiscal bureau, the legislative reference bureau, the legislative human resources office, and the legislative technology services bureau.

AB43,60 Section 60. 13.90 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,233 13.90 (2) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization or their designated agent shall accept service made under ss. s. 806.04 (11) and 893.825 (2). If the committee, the senate organization committee, or the assembly organization committee determines that the legislature should intervene be represented in the proceeding as provided under s. 803.09 (2m), the assembly shall represent the assembly, the senate shall represent the senate, and the joint committee on legislative organization shall represent the legislature, that committee shall designate the legislature’s representative for the proceeding. The costs of participation in the proceeding shall be paid equally from the appropriations under s. 20.765 (1) (a) and (b), except that such costs incurred by the department of justice shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.455 (1) (d).

AB43,61 Section 61. 13.97 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,235 13.97 Legislative human resources office. There is created a service agency known as the “Legislative Human Resources Office,” headed by a director. The legislative human resources office shall be strictly nonpartisan.

AB43,,236 (1) Duties of the office. The legislative human resources office shall:

AB43,,237 (a) Provide human resources services to the legislative branch, as directed by the joint committee on legislative organization.

AB43,,238 (b) Establish a formal complaint process to review and investigate allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, violence, or bullying by legislators, legislative employees, and legislative service agency employees. The office shall investigate all such allegations, unless the director designates another person or entity to review and investigate any specific allegation.

AB43,,239 (2) Duties of the director. The director of the legislative human resources office shall:

AB43,,240 (a) Report to the joint committee on legislative organization.

AB43,,241 (b) Direct the operations of the staff.

AB43,,242 (c) Employ, train, and supervise the personnel assigned to the director.

AB43,,243 (d) Supervise all expenditures of the legislative human resources office.

AB43,,244 (e) Manage reviews and investigations of the formal complaint process established under sub. (1) (b). Upon completion of an investigation, report the findings to the appropriate legislative leader or employee supervisor.

AB43,,245 (f) On a periodic basis, recommend to the joint committee on legislative organization improvements to human resources services and programs.

AB43,62 Section 62. 14.46 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,247 14.46 Assistant secretary of state. The secretary of state may appoint an assistant secretary of state who may perform and execute any duty or power of the secretary of state, except duties and powers the secretary of state performs as a member of the board of commissioners of public lands. The assistant secretary of state shall take and file the official oath and shall file an official bond in the sum and with the conditions as the secretary of state prescribes.

AB43,63 Section 63. 15.01 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,249 15.01 (6) “Division,” “bureau,” “section,” and “unit” means the subunits of a department or an independent agency, whether specifically created by law or created by the head of the department or the independent agency for the more economic and efficient administration and operation of the programs assigned to the department or independent agency. The office of credit unions in the department of financial institutions, the office of the inspector general in the department of children and families, the office of the inspector general in the department of health services, and the office of children’s mental health in the department of health services have the meaning of “division” under this subsection. The office of the long-term care ombudsman under the board on aging and long-term care, the office of homeland security under the department of military affairs, and the office of educational accountability in the department of public instruction have the meaning of “bureau” under this subsection.

AB43,64 Section 64. 15.07 (3) (bm) 7. of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,251 15.07 (3) (bm) 7. The prescription drug affordability review board shall meet at least 4 times each year.

AB43,65 Section 65. 15.105 (34) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,253 15.105 (34) Office of environmental justice. There is created in the department of administration an office of environmental justice. The office shall be under the direction and supervision of a director, who shall be appointed by the secretary of administration to serve at the pleasure of the secretary.

AB43,66 Section 66. 15.105 (35) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,255 15.105 (35) Office of sustainability and clean energy. There is created in the department of administration an office to be known as the office of sustainability and clean energy.

AB43,67 Section 67. 15.165 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,257 15.165 (title) Same; attached boards and offices.

AB43,68 Section 68. 15.165 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,259 15.165 (5) Office of internal audit. There is created an office of internal audit that is attached to the department of employee trust funds under s. 15.03. The office shall be under the direction and supervision of an internal auditor who shall be appointed by the employee trust funds board in the classified service. The internal auditor shall report directly to the employee trust funds board.

AB43,69 Section 69. 15.185 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,261 15.185 (6) Small business retirement savings board. (a) There is created a small business retirement savings board that is attached to the department of financial institutions under s. 15.03. The board shall consist of the following members:

AB43,,262 1. The secretary of financial institutions or his or her designee.

AB43,,263 2. One member who has a favorable reputation for skill, knowledge, and experience in the field of retirement saving and investments, appointed by the governor.

AB43,,264 3. One member who has a favorable reputation for skill, knowledge, and experience relating to small business, appointed by the governor.

AB43,,265 4. One member who is a representative of an association representing employees or who has a favorable reputation for skill, knowledge, and experience in the interests of employees in retirement saving, appointed by the speaker of the assembly.

AB43,,266 5. One member who has a favorable reputation for skill, knowledge, and experience in the interests of employers in retirement saving, appointed by the president of the senate.

AB43,,267 6. One member who has a favorable reputation for skill, knowledge, and experience in retirement investment products or retirement plan designs, appointed by the secretary of financial institutions.

AB43,,268 7. One member appointed by the investment board.

AB43,,269 (b) The members under par. (a) 2. to 7. shall be appointed for 4-year terms.

AB43,70 Section 70. 15.197 (20) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,271 15.197 (20) Spinal cord injury council. (a) There is created in the department of health services a spinal cord injury council that, except as provided in par. (b), consists of the following members appointed by the department for 2-year terms:

AB43,,272 1. One member representing the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

AB43,,273 2. One member representing the Medical College of Wisconsin.

AB43,,274 3. One member who has a spinal cord injury.

AB43,,275 4. One member who is a family member of a person with a spinal cord injury.

AB43,,276 5. One member who is a veteran who has a spinal cord injury.

AB43,,277 6. One member who is a physician specializing in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

AB43,,278 7. One member who is a researcher in the field of neurosurgery.

AB43,,279 8. One member who is a researcher employed by the veterans health administration of the U.S. department of veterans affairs.

AB43,,280 (b) If the department of health services is unable to appoint a member specified in par. (a) 1. to 8., the department of health services may appoint a member representing the general public in lieu of the member so specified.

AB43,71 Section 71. 15.253 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,282 15.253 (4) Office of missing and murdered indigenous women. There is created an office of missing and murdered indigenous women. The director of the office shall be appointed by the attorney general.

AB43,72 Section 72. 15.317 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,284 15.317 Same; offices. (1) Office of homeland security. There is created an office of homeland security in the department of military affairs. The director of the office shall be appointed by the adjutant general.

AB43,73 Section 73. 15.347 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

AB43,74 Section 74. 15.405 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,287 15.405 (6) (b) Three dental hygienists who are licensed under ch. 447. The governor shall, to the extent possible, appoint members under this paragraph so that at least one of the members under this paragraph is an individual who is also a dental therapist licensed under ch. 447. Notwithstanding s. 15.08 (1m) (a), the dental hygienist members under this paragraph may participate in the preparation and grading of licensing examinations for dental hygienists.

AB43,75 Section 75. 15.615 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,289 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 appointed in the classified service by the administrator or interim administrator of the elections commission.

AB43,76 Section 76. 15.735 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,291 15.735 Same; attached board. (1) There is created a prescription drug affordability review board attached to the office of the commissioner of insurance under s. 15.03. The board shall consist of the following members:

AB43,,292 (a) The commissioner of insurance or his or her designee.

AB43,,293 (b) Two members appointed for 4-year terms who represent the pharmaceutical drug industry, including pharmaceutical drug manufacturers and wholesalers. At least one of the members appointed under this paragraph shall be a licensed pharmacist.

AB43,,294 (c) Two members appointed for 4-year terms who represent the health insurance industry, including insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.

AB43,,295 (d) Two members appointed for 4-year terms who represent the health care industry, including hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, and pharmacists. At least one of the members appointed under this paragraph shall be a licensed practitioner.

AB43,,296 (e) Two members appointed for 4-year terms who represent the interests of the public.

AB43,,297 (2) A member appointed under sub. (1), except for a member appointed under sub. (1) (b), may not be an employee of, a board member of, or a consultant to a drug manufacturer or trade association for drug manufacturers.

AB43,,298 (3) Any conflict of interest, including any financial or personal association, that has the potential to bias or has the appearance of biasing an individual’s decision in matters related to the board or the conduct of the board’s activities shall be considered and disclosed when appointing that individual to the board under sub. (1).

AB43,77 Section 77. 16.004 (26) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,300 16.004 (26) Tribal relations. The secretary shall appoint a director of Native American affairs to manage relations between the state and American Indian tribes or bands in this state.

AB43,78 Section 78. 16.009 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,302 16.009 (2) (a) Appoint an executive director within the classified service who. The executive director shall serve as employ the state long-term care ombudsman as specified under sub. (4) (a) within the classified service, and who shall employ staff within the classified service.

AB43,79 Section 79. 16.009 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,304 16.009 (4) (a) The board shall operate the office in order to carry out the requirements of the long-term care ombudsman program, as defined in 42 USC 3058g (a) (2), under 42 USC 3027 (a) (12) (A) and 42 USC 3058f to 3058h and in compliance with 42 CFR 1321 and 1324. The executive director appointed by the board shall serve as employ the state long-term care ombudsman. The executive director state long-term care ombudsman may delegate operation of the office to the staff employed under sub. (2) (a), as designated representatives of the ombudsman.

AB43,80 Section 80. 16.035 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,306 16.035 Office of environmental justice. The office of environmental justice shall do all of the following:

AB43,,307 (1) Develop a statewide climate risk assessment and resiliency plan.

AB43,,308 (2) Assist state agencies, local governments, and federally recognized tribal governing bodies in this state with the development of climate risk assessment and resiliency plans.