Chapter 100

100.545(7)(a) (a) A person who violates this section may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for each violation.

100.545(7)(b) (b) The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or the department of justice, after consulting with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, may bring an action for temporary or permanent injunctive or other relief for any violation of this section or an action for the penalty authorized in par. (a).

100.545 History History: 2013 a. 78; 2017 a. 334.

100.55 100.55 Furnishing or using certain consumer loan information to make solicitations.

100.55(1) (1) In this section:

100.55(1)(a) (a) “Consumer” has the meaning given in 15 USC 1681a (c).

100.55(1)(b) (b) “Consumer report” has the meaning given in 15 USC 1681a (d).

100.55(1)(c) (c) “Consumer reporting agency” has the meaning given in 15 USC 1681a (f).

100.55(1)(d) (d) “Lender” means any of the following:

100.55(1)(d)1. 1. A financial institution, as defined in s. 214.01 (1) (jn).

100.55(1)(d)2. 2. A finance company licensed under ss. 138.09 or 218.0101 to 218.0163.

100.55(1)(d)3. 3. A mortgage banker or mortgage broker licensed under s. 224.72 or a mortgage loan originator licensed under s. 224.725.

100.55(1)(d)4. 4. Any other person, not identified in subds. 1. to 3., the primary business of which is to make loans or engage in lending activities in this state.

100.55(1)(e) (e) “Nonaffiliated 3rd party” means a person that is not related by common ownership or affiliated by common corporate control.

100.55(1)(f) (f) “Person” has the meaning given in 15 USC 1681a (b).

100.55(1)(g) (g) “Personal financial data provider” means any person, other than a consumer reporting agency, that regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling and furnishing to 3rd parties, for a fee or payment of dues, the identity of particular consumers and financial information relating to such consumers that is not generally available to the public, including information derived from any application by these consumers for an extension of credit or other nonpublic personal information, as defined in 15 USC 6809 (4), relating to these consumers.

100.55(1)(h) (h) “Prescreened consumer report” means a consumer report furnished by a consumer reporting agency under authority of 15 USC 1681b (a) (3) (A) and (c) (1) (B) to a person that the consumer reporting agency has reason to believe intends to use the information in connection with any credit transaction that involves the consumer on whom the information is to be furnished and that is not initiated by this consumer.

100.55(1)(i) (i) “Trigger lead” means information relating to a consumer that is furnished by a consumer reporting agency or personal financial data provider to a nonaffiliated 3rd party if all of the following apply:

100.55(1)(i)1. 1. The consumer has applied to a lender, other than the 3rd party to whom the information is furnished, for an extension of credit and the lender has provided the consumer’s credit application, or information derived from or related to the consumer’s credit application, to a consumer reporting agency or personal financial data provider for purposes of obtaining a consumer report or otherwise evaluating or rating the consumer’s creditworthiness.

100.55(1)(i)2. 2. The information furnished to the 3rd party includes the consumer’s name and address or telephone number, or other information that allows the 3rd party to identify the consumer.

100.55(1)(i)3. 3. The information furnished to the 3rd party contains, with respect to the extension of credit for which the consumer has applied under subd. 1., any identification of the amount of credit for which the consumer has applied or any other information that is related to the terms and conditions of credit for which the consumer has applied and that is not generally available to the public.

100.55(1)(i)4. 4. The consumer has not authorized the consumer reporting agency or personal financial data provider to provide the information to 3rd parties and has not initiated any credit transaction with the 3rd party.

100.55(1)(i)5. 5. The 3rd party to whom the information is furnished has not extended credit to the consumer on which an unpaid balance remains.

100.55(1)(j) (j) “Solicit” means the initiation of a communication to a consumer for the purpose of encouraging the consumer to purchase property, goods, or services or apply for an extension of credit. “Solicit” does not include communications initiated by the consumer or directed to the general public.

100.55(2) (2) 

100.55(2)(a) (a) If any trigger lead is not a prescreened consumer report, no person may furnish the trigger lead to a nonaffiliated 3rd party unless the person reasonably believes that the 3rd party will not use the trigger lead to solicit any consumer identified in the trigger lead.

100.55(2)(b) (b) Any person that furnishes a trigger lead described in par. (a) to a nonaffiliated 3rd party shall establish and maintain procedures to reasonably ensure that the trigger lead will not be used to solicit any consumer identified in the trigger lead. These procedures shall include requiring any person that obtains a trigger lead described in par. (a) to identify the user of the trigger lead and to certify, in a manner similar to that required under 15 USC 1681e (a), the purpose for which the trigger lead is obtained and that the person will not use the trigger lead to solicit any consumer identified in the trigger lead.

100.55(2)(c) (c) No person that obtains a trigger lead described in par. (a) may use the trigger lead to solicit any consumer identified in the trigger lead.

100.55(3) (3) 

100.55(3)(a) (a) If any trigger lead is a prescreened consumer report, a person that obtains a trigger lead and uses the trigger lead to solicit any consumer identified in the trigger lead may not utilize unfair or deceptive practices in soliciting the consumer.

100.55(3)(b) (b) For purposes of this subsection, unfair or deceptive practices include all of the following:

100.55(3)(b)1. 1. Failure to state in the initial phase of the solicitation that the person soliciting is not the lender, and is not affiliated with the lender, to which the consumer has applied for an extension of credit.

100.55(3)(b)2. 2. Failure in the initial solicitation to comply with any applicable requirement under 15 USC 1681b (a), (c), (e), and (f), 1681e (a), and 1681m (d).

100.55(3)(b)3. 3. Knowingly or negligently utilizing information regarding consumers who have made an election under 15 USC 1681b (e) to be excluded from prescreened consumer reports or who have registered their telephone numbers on the national do-not-call registry as provided in 47 CFR 64.1200.

100.55(3)(b)4. 4. Soliciting consumers with offers of certain rates, terms, and costs, with intent to subsequently raise the rates or change the terms to the consumers’ detriment.

100.55(3)(b)5. 5. Making false or misleading statements in connection with a credit transaction that is not initiated by the consumer.

100.55(4) (4) 

100.55(4)(a) (a) Any person who violates sub. (2) or (3) may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each violation.

100.55(4)(b) (b) The department shall investigate violations of this section. The department or the department of justice, after consulting with the department, or any district attorney, upon informing the department, may on behalf of the state:

100.55(4)(b)1. 1. Bring an action for temporary or permanent injunctive or other relief for any violation of this section. In such an action for injunctive relief, irreparable harm is presumed. The court may, upon entry of final judgment, award restitution when appropriate to any person suffering loss because of a violation of this section if proof of such loss is submitted to the satisfaction of the court.

100.55(4)(b)2. 2. Bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction for the penalties authorized under par. (a).

100.55(4)(c) (c) In addition to any other remedies, any person aggrieved by a violation of sub. (2) or (3) may bring a civil action for damages. In such an action, any person who violates sub. (2) or (3) shall be liable for twice the amount of actual damages caused by the violation or $500, whichever is greater, and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney fees. In such an action, the court may also award any equitable relief that the court determines is appropriate.

100.55 History History: 2007 a. 76; 2009 a. 2; 2013 a. 234.

100.57 100.57 Tax preparers; privacy of client information.

100.57(1) (1) In this section:

100.57(1)(a) (a) “Client” means a person whose tax return is prepared by a tax preparer.

100.57(1)(b) (b) “Tax preparer” means a person who, in exchange for compensation or expectation of compensation, prepares an income tax return of another person, but does not include any of the following:

100.57(1)(b)1. 1. An individual who or firm that is licensed under s. 442.08.

100.57(1)(b)2. 2. An individual who is licensed to practice law in this state.

100.57(1)(b)3. 3. An individual who is employed by a corporate trustee, bank, or trust company and who is authorized to provide fiduciary services under state or federal law.

100.57(2) (2) A tax preparer or entity that employs tax preparers may not disclose to another person information obtained in the course of preparing a client’s tax return, unless all of the following apply:

100.57(2)(a) (a) The tax preparer or entity provides to the client a separate document that identifies all of the following:

100.57(2)(a)1. 1. The persons to whom the tax preparer or entity intends to disclose the information.

100.57(2)(a)2. 2. The specific information that the tax preparer or entity intends to disclose.

100.57(2)(a)3. 3. The purpose of the disclosure.

100.57(2)(b) (b) The document provided under par. (a) informs the client that the client may at any time revoke consent to the disclosure of information obtained in the course of preparing the client’s tax return for a tax year by giving notice to the tax preparer or entity that prepared the client’s tax return for the tax year.

100.57(2)(c) (c) The client signs the document provided by the tax preparer or entity under par. (a).

100.57(2)(d) (d) Within 30 days after the date on which the tax preparer or entity completes work on the client’s tax return or the date on which the client signs the document provided by the tax preparer or entity under par. (a), whichever occurs first, the tax preparer or entity provides to the client a copy of the document signed by the client.

100.57(3) (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to the disclosure of information to any of the following:

100.57(3)(a) (a) A federal, state, or local governmental entity that is authorized to collect a tax.

100.57(3)(b) (b) A federal, state, or local law enforcement agency.

100.57(3)(c) (c) A court.

100.57(4) (4) A document provided by a tax preparer or entity under sub. (2) (a) shall remain valid for one year from the date on which it is signed by a client or until the client revokes consent to the disclosure of information obtained in the course of preparing the client’s tax return, whichever occurs first.

100.57(5) (5) A tax preparer or entity shall retain a copy of the document provided to a client under sub. (2) (a) for as long as the tax preparer or entity retains the client’s tax records for the tax year for which the client has consented to disclosure under sub. (2).

100.57(6) (6) 

100.57(6)(a) (a) Any person suffering pecuniary loss because of a violation of this section may commence an action to recover the pecuniary loss. If the person prevails, the person shall recover twice the amount of the pecuniary loss, or $200 for each violation, whichever is greater, together with costs, including reasonable attorney fees, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1).

100.57(6)(b) (b) The department may commence an action in the name of the state to restrain by temporary or permanent injunction a violation of this section. Before entry of final judgment, the court may make any necessary orders to restore to a person any pecuniary loss suffered by the person because of the violation.

100.57(6)(c) (c) The department or a district attorney may commence an action in the name of the state to recover a forfeiture to the state of not less than $100 nor more than $10,000 for each violation of this section.

100.57 History History: 2007 a. 176 s. 1; 2009 a. 180 s. 98; Stats. 2009 s. 100.57.

100.60 100.60 State renewable fuels goal.

100.60(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

100.60(1)(a) (a) “Biodiesel” means a fuel that is comprised of monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats and that meets all of the applicable requirements of ASTM International.

100.60(1)(b) (b) “Diesel-replacement renewable fuel” means any of the following:

100.60(1)(b)1. 1. Biodiesel.

100.60(1)(b)2. 2. Any other fuel that can substitute for petroleum-based diesel fuel, that is derived from a renewable resource, that meets all of the applicable requirements of ASTM International for that fuel, and that the department designates as a diesel-replacement renewable fuel under sub. (7) (a).

100.60(1)(c) (c) “Gasoline-replacement renewable fuel” means any of the following:

100.60(1)(c)1. 1. Ethanol.

100.60(1)(c)2. 2. Any other fuel that can substitute for gasoline, that is derived from a renewable resource, that meets all of the applicable requirements of ASTM International for that fuel, and that the department designates as a gasoline-replacement renewable fuel under sub. (7) (b).

100.60(1)(d) (d) “Motor vehicle fuel” means any substance used to fuel motor vehicles used for transportation on public roadways.

100.60(1)(e) (e) “Renewable fuel” means a gasoline-replacement renewable fuel or a diesel-replacement renewable fuel.

100.60(2) (2) Goals.

100.60(2)(a) (a) Definitions. In this subsection:

100.60(2)(a)1. 1. “Federal advanced biofuel volume” means the volume for the year listed in 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (i) (II) or determined by the federal environmental protection agency under 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (ii) for advanced biofuel, except as provided under par. (d).

100.60(2)(a)2. 2. “Federal biomass-based diesel volume” means the volume for the year listed in 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (b) (i) (IV) or determined by the federal environmental protection agency under 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (ii) for biomass-based diesel, except as provided under par. (d).

100.60(2)(a)3. 3. “Federal cellulosic biofuel volume” means the volume for the year listed in 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (i) (III) or determined by the federal environmental protection agency under 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (ii) for cellulosic biofuel, except as provided under par. (d).

100.60(2)(a)4. 4. “Federal diesel-replacement renewable fuel percentage” means the number calculated as follows:

100.60(2)(a)4.a. a. Subtract the sum of the federal cellulosic biofuel volume and the federal biomass-based diesel volume from the federal advanced biofuel volume.

100.60(2)(a)4.b. b. Subtract the amount determined under subd. 4. a. from the federal renewable fuel volume.

100.60(2)(a)4.c. c. Divide the federal biomass-based diesel volume by the amount determined under subd. 4. b.