Chapter 1

2023-24 WISCONSIN STATUTES & ANNOTATIONS

Published January 1, 2025. Certified under s. 35.18.

Updated through all Orders of the Controlled Substances Board
affecting Chapter 961 and Supreme Court Orders filed before and in effect on January 1, 2025.

Statutory changes effective after January 1, 2025, are designated by NOTES.

CHAPTER 1

SOVEREIGNTY AND JURISDICTION OF THE STATE

1.01   State sovereignty and jurisdiction.

1.02   United States sites and buildings.

1.025   United States jurisdiction in Adams County.

1.026   Apostle Islands land purchase.

1.03   Concurrent jurisdiction over United States sites; conveyances.

1.031   Retrocession of jurisdiction.

1.035   Wildlife and fish refuge by United States.

1.036   Bird reservations, acquisition by United States.

1.04   United States sites exempt from taxation.

1.05   United States sites for aids to navigation.

1.055   National forest.

1.056   State conservation areas.

1.06   Surveys by United States; adjustment of damages.

1.07   State coat of arms.

1.08   State flag.

1.09   Seat of government.

1.10   State song, state ballad, state waltz, state dance, and state symbols.

1.11   Governmental consideration of environmental impact.

1.12   State energy policy.

1.13   Land use planning activities.

1.14   Display of flag at public buildings, structures, and facilities.

1.01 1.01 State sovereignty and jurisdiction. The sovereignty and jurisdiction of this state extend to all places within the boundaries declared in article II of the constitution, subject only to such rights of jurisdiction as have been or shall be acquired by the United States over any places therein; and the governor, and all subordinate officers of the state, shall maintain and defend its sovereignty and jurisdiction. Such sovereignty and jurisdiction are asserted and exercised over the St. Croix River from the eastern shore thereof to the center or thread of the same, and the exclusive jurisdiction of the state of Minnesota to authorize any person to obstruct the navigation of said river east of the center or thread thereof, or to enter upon the same and build piers, booms or other fixtures, or to occupy any part of said river east of the center or thread thereof for the purpose of sorting or holding logs, is denied; such acts can only be authorized by the concurrent consent of the legislature of this state.

1.01 History History: 1983 a. 538.

1.01 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also article IX, of the Wisconsin Constitution. As to sky sovereignty, see s. 114.02.

1.01 Annotation Treaties between the federal government and Menominee tribe do not deprive the state of criminal subject matter jurisdiction over crimes committed by a Menominee tribal member outside of the reservation. Sturdevant v. State, 76 Wis. 2d 247, 251 N.W.2d 50 (1977).

1.01 Annotation Jurisdiction over crimes committed by tribal members on the Menominee reservation is vested in the federal and tribal governments. State v. LaTender, 86 Wis. 2d 410, 273 N.W.2d 260 (1979).

1.01 Annotation The state has no jurisdiction to prosecute a traffic offense committed by a Menominee tribal member on a highway within the boundaries of the Menominee reservation. State v. Webster, 114 Wis. 2d 418, 338 N.W.2d 474 (1983).

1.01 Annotation Property held in trust by the federal government for the Menominee tribe and tribal members is not subject to state taxation. The tribe and tribal members residing and working in Menominee County are not subject to the state income tax. 66 Atty. Gen. 290.

1.01 Annotation Discussing the jurisdictional relationship between the state and Menominee tribe. 70 Atty. Gen. 36.

1.01 Annotation Discussing state, county, and tribal jurisdiction to regulate traffic on streets in housing projects that have been built and are maintained by the Winnebago tribe on tribal lands. 78 Atty. Gen. 122.

1.01 Annotation As a general matter, Wisconsin is without power to tax Ojibwe lands owned by tribal members within the Bad River, Lac Courte Oreilles, Lac du Flambeau, and Red Cliff reservations created in an 1854 treaty. That is true even though the parcels in question are fully alienable, meaning their current owners can sell them at will. Under the facts of this case, the tribal lands were sold by past tribal owners to non-Indians before coming back into tribal ownership, but the one-time act of alienating reservation property to a non-Indian did not surrender the parcel’s tax immunity for all time. Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin v. Evers, 46 F.4th 552 (2022).

1.02 1.02 United States sites and buildings. Subject to the conditions mentioned in s. 1.03 the legislature consents to the acquisitions heretofore effected and hereafter to be effected by the United States, by gift, purchase or condemnation proceedings, of the title to places or tracts of land within the state; and, subject to said conditions, the state grants, cedes and confirms to the United States exclusive jurisdiction over all such places and tracts. Such acquisitions are limited to the following purposes:

1.02(1) (1) To sites for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, custom houses, courthouses, post offices, or other public buildings or for any purpose whatsoever contemplated by the 17th clause of section 8 of article one of the United States constitution.

1.02(2) (2) To all land now or hereafter included within the boundaries of Fort McCoy in townships 17, 18 and 19 north, ranges 2 and 3 west, near Sparta, in Monroe County, to be used for military purposes as a target and maneuvering range and such other purposes as the department of the army deems necessary and proper.

1.02(3) (3) To erect thereon dams, abutments, locks, lockkeepers’ dwellings, chutes, or other structures necessary or desirable in improving the navigation of the rivers or other waters within and on the borders of this state.

1.02(4) (4) To the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of section 6, township 19 north, range 2 west of the fourth principal meridian to be used for military purposes as a target and maneuvering range and such other purposes as the department of the army deems necessary and proper.

1.02 History History: 1985 a. 135.

1.025 1.025 United States jurisdiction in Adams County. The legislature consents to the conveyance by lease with option to purchase to the United States of the institution and the land on which it is located in the town of New Chester, Adams County, described as follows: The entire section 15, township 16 north, range 7 east of the fourth principal meridian, consisting of 640 acres, and upon the execution of said lease the state grants, cedes and confirms to the United States exclusive legislative jurisdiction over said place and tract, retaining concurrent jurisdiction solely to the extent that all legal process issued under the authority of the state may be served upon persons located on said place and tract. The authority granted in this section shall remain in effect for the duration of said lease and continue in effect in the event title passes to the United States at the termination of the lease.

1.025 History History: 1973 c. 90; 1977 c. 418.

1.026 1.026 Apostle Islands land purchase.

1.026(1) (1) Legislative statement of purpose and intent.

1.026(1)(a) (a) The legislature concurs with the stated purpose of Congress in authorizing the establishment of the Apostle Islands national lakeshore. It is therefor the purpose of this section to conserve and develop for the benefit, inspiration, education, recreational use, and enjoyment of the public certain significant islands and shorelands of this state and their related geographic, scenic and scientific values.

1.026(1)(b) (b) It is the policy of the legislature that the Apostle Islands be managed in a manner that will preserve their unique primitive and wilderness character. The department of natural resources is directed before taking any action or making a decision concerning the Apostle Islands to make a finding that such an action or decision will ensure that the citizens of this state will be assured the opportunity for wilderness, inspirational primitive and scenic experiences in the Apostle Islands into perpetuity.

1.026(2) (2) Jurisdiction ceded to the United States. The consent of the state is given to the acquisition by the United States, in any manner authorized under an act of Congress, of lands lying within the boundaries of Apostle Islands national lakeshore, and jurisdiction is hereby ceded to the United States to all territory which is now or may be included within the lakeshore, except that the state shall retain concurrent jurisdiction in all cases, and such criminal process as may issue under the authority of the state against any persons charged with the commission of any offense within or without such areas, including, but not limited to, state laws and regulations governing hunting, fishing and trapping on those areas open to such activities, may be executed thereon in like manner as if such jurisdiction had not been ceded to the United States.

1.026(3) (3) Lands to be conveyed. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the department of natural resources, with the approval of the governor, is directed to donate and convey, upon request of the United States for purposes of the development of the lakeshore, all state-owned lands within the lakeshore boundary, as hereafter described: The state-owned lands on Basswood, Oak, Michigan and Stockton Islands in township 50 north, range 3 west; township 51 north, range 1 west; township 51 north, range 3 west, township 52 north, range 3 west, all in the town of La Pointe, Ashland County, Wisconsin. Each conveyance shall contain a provision that such lands shall revert to the state when they are no longer used for national lakeshore purposes as defined by section 7 of the Apostle Islands national lakeshore act of 1970 (P.L. 91-424; 84 stat. 880), except that such reversion does not apply to lands upon which capital improvements have been placed by the United States.

1.026 History History: 1975 c. 51; 1975 c. 198 s. 62; 1979 c. 89.

1.03 1.03 Concurrent jurisdiction over United States sites; conveyances. The conditions mentioned in s. 1.02 are the following conditions precedent:

1.03(1) (1) That an application setting forth an exact description of the place or tract so acquired shall be made by an authorized officer of the United States to the governor, accompanied by a plat thereof, and by proof that all conveyances and a copy of the record of all judicial proceedings necessary to the acquisition of an unencumbered title by the United States have been recorded in the office of the register of deeds of each county in which such place or tract may be situated in whole or in part.

1.03(2) (2) That the ceded jurisdiction shall not vest in the United States until they shall have complied with all the requirements on their part of ss. 1.02 and 1.03, and shall continue so long only as the place or tract shall remain the property of the United States.

1.03(3) (3) That the state shall forever retain concurrent jurisdiction over every such place or tract to the extent that all legal and military process issued under the authority of the state may be served anywhere thereon, or in any building situated in whole or in part thereon.

1.031 1.031 Retrocession of jurisdiction. The governor may accept on behalf of the state, retrocession of full or partial jurisdiction over any roads, highways or other lands in federal enclaves within the state where such retrocession has been offered by appropriate federal authority. Documents concerning such action shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state and recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county wherein such lands are located.