Chapter 100

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.

100.60(2)(a)5. 5. “Federal diesel-replacement renewable fuel volume” means the volume calculated as follows:

100.60(2)(a)5.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)5.b. b. Multiply the federal diesel-replacement renewable fuel percentage by the amount determined under subd. 5. a.

100.60(2)(a)5.c. c. Add the federal biomass-based diesel volume to the amount determined under subd. 5. b.

100.60(2)(a)6. 6. “Federal gasoline-replacement renewable fuel volume” means the volume calculated by subtracting the federal diesel-replacement renewable fuel volume from the federal renewable fuel volume.

100.60(2)(a)7. 7. “Federal renewable fuel volume” means the volume for the year listed in 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (i) (I) or determined by the federal environmental protection agency under 42 USC 7545 (o) (2) (B) (ii) for renewable fuel, except as provided under par. (d).

100.60(2)(a)8. 8. “State percentage of motor vehicle fuel sold nationally” for a year means the number calculated as follows:

100.60(2)(a)8.a. a. For each of the 3 years that preceded the year, divide the total volume of motor vehicle fuel sold in this state by the total volume of motor vehicle fuel sold nationally. If complete information for the most recent year is unavailable, the department may estimate sales for that year.

100.60(2)(a)8.b. b. Add the quotients calculated in subd. 8. a. and divide by 3.

100.60(2)(a)9. 9. “Year” means the year for which the gasoline-replacement renewable fuel goal or diesel-replacement renewable fuel goal is being determined.

100.60(2)(b) (b) Gasoline-replacement renewable fuels sales volume. The state goal for the minimum annual volume of gasoline-replacement renewable fuels sold in motor vehicle fuel in the state for a year is an amount calculated as follows:

100.60(2)(b)1. 1. Multiply the federal gasoline-replacement renewable fuel volume for the year by 1.1.

100.60(2)(b)2. 2. Multiply the amount determined under subd. 1. by the state percentage of motor vehicle fuel sold nationally for the year.

100.60(2)(c) (c) Diesel-replacement renewable fuels sales volume. The state goal for the minimum annual volume of diesel-replacement renewable fuels sold in motor vehicle fuel in the state for a year is an amount calculated as follows:

100.60(2)(c)1. 1. Multiply the federal diesel-replacement renewable fuel volume for the year by 1.1.

100.60(2)(c)2. 2. Multiply the amount determined under subd. 1. by the state percentage of motor vehicle fuel sold nationally for the year.

100.60(2)(d) (d) Federal volume adjustments.

100.60(2)(d)1. 1. The department shall adjust a volume specified in par. (a) 1., 2., 3., or 7., in accordance with any waiver to the volume granted by the federal environmental protection agency under 42 USC 7545 (o) (7).

100.60(2)(d)2. 2. The department shall adjust a volume specified in par. (a) 1., 2., 3., or 7., by rule if the department determines that the regulations of the federal environmental protection agency adopted under 42 USC 7545 (o), other than 42 USC 7545 (o) (7), result in the actual volume of one of these types of fuel that is required to be sold under 42 USC 7545 (o) differing from the corresponding volume specified under par. (a) 1., 2., 3., or 7.

100.60(3) (3) Annual sales determination.

100.60(3)(a) (a) Annually, beginning in 2011, the department, in cooperation with and with assistance from the department of revenue, shall determine whether the annual goals for sales of renewable fuels in sub. (2) (b) and (c), for the previous year, were met in the state in that year.

100.60(3)(b) (b) The department may not include sales of gasoline-replacement renewable fuel or diesel-replacement renewable fuel in making the determination under par. (a) unless the fuel meets or exceeds applicable requirements for greenhouse gas emissions reduction under 42 USC 7545 (o) (1) (B) (i), (D), (E) or (2) (A) (i) or under 42 USC 7545 (o) (4).

100.60(4) (4) Assessment.

100.60(4)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), if the department determines under sub. (3) (a) that an annual goal for sales of renewable fuels in sub. (2) (b) or (c), was not met, the department shall assess the cause and report its findings to the governor and, under s. 13.172 (3), to the standing committees of the legislature that oversee issues related to renewable fuel. The department shall include all of the following in the assessment:

100.60(4)(a)1. 1. A determination of whether renewable fuels are available in sufficient quantities and at prices comparable to the type of fuel that they replace, and if so, whether fluctuations in demand for renewable fuels are a cause of sales below the goal.

100.60(4)(a)2. 2. A determination of whether state or federal laws prevent or impede the sale of the renewable fuels in volumes that meet the goals in sub. (2).

100.60(4)(a)3. 3. An assessment of the motor vehicle fuel production, distribution, and marketing systems in this state to determine how practices could be changed to increase the volume of renewable fuel sold in this state.

100.60(4)(a)4. 4. A determination of whether requirements for renewable fuel sales by individual refiners, wholesalers, suppliers, distributors, retailers, or any other persons involved in the production, distribution, or marketing of motor vehicle fuel, would likely result in sales of volumes of renewable fuels that meet the goals in sub. (2).

100.60(4)(b) (b) If the department determines under sub. (3) (a) that an annual goal for sales of gasoline-replacement renewable fuels or diesel-replacement renewable fuels in sub. (2) (b) or (c), was not met in a year, the department has conducted an assessment under par. (a) for a previous year for the same category of renewable fuels, and the department determines that another assessment for the same category of renewable fuels will not further the purposes of this section, an assessment and report to the governor and the legislature under par. (a) are not required.

100.60(6) (6) Reporting.