November 15, 2023 - Introduced by Senator Ballweg, cosponsored by Representative Oldenburg. Referred to Committee on Government Operations.
SB687,,22An Act to amend 187.11 of the statutes; relating to: specifying Crossroads College as the entity in which the Church of Christ’s property vests if the Church of Christ becomes defunct or is dissolved. SB687,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill updates an entity name in statutory provisions related to the incorporation of religious organizations.
Current law provides a process for the members of a church or society of any religious sect or denomination to organize a corporation for religious, charitable, or educational purposes, and this corporation has the powers and privileges of a nonstock (nonprofit) corporation. The corporation may purchase and hold real property and personal property, and its secular business and temporal affairs are managed by a board of trustees selected as provided in the bylaws.
Current law also specifies that if the Church of Christ accepts the Wisconsin Christian Missionary Association as its missionary organization and the Church of Christ becomes defunct or is dissolved, the Church of Christ’s property vests in the Wisconsin Christian Missionary Association. However, if within three years from the date the Church of Christ becomes defunct or is dissolved it is reincorporated, its property at the time of dissolution vests in the new corporation.
The bill replaces the Wisconsin Christian Missionary Association with Crossroads College, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, or its successor, as the entity in which the Church of Christ’s property vests in the circumstances described above.
SB687,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SB687,15Section 1. 187.11 of the statutes is amended to read: SB687,,66187.11 Property of Church of Christ or Christian Church. Whenever any local religious society of the denomination known as the Church of Christ or the Christian Church, which that accepts the Wisconsin Christian Missionary Association Crossroads College, or any predecessor or successor organization of Crossroads College, as its missionary organization becomes defunct or is dissolved, the property thereof shall vest in the Wisconsin Christian Missionary Association, the state institution of said denomination Crossroads College, or any successor organization of Crossroads College, and if within 3 years from the date when such local society becomes defunct or is dissolved it is reincorporated in the manner prescribed in s. 187.01, the said property so belonging to such defunct or dissolved local corporation at the time of its dissolution shall vest in such new corporation. Any local religious society shall be deemed defunct within the meaning of this section when it shall have ceased to maintain at least one regular service per month for a period of 2 years. Section 187.03 shall not apply to or affect religious societies of the denomination known as the Church of Christ or the Christian Church.
