Chapter 13

13.83(1)(c)4. 4. Consider minor substantive remedial measures proposed by state agencies to improve the administration of their agencies or proposed by the committee, a standing committee of the legislature or a legislative service agency to improve the language or organization of the statutes or session laws.

13.83(1)(c)5. 5. Introduce legislation prepared under this paragraph directly into the legislature. Each such proposal shall include a note or series of notes providing an explanation of the proposed changes and an analysis by the legislative reference bureau.

13.83(1)(d) (d) The committee may submit to the joint legislative council recommendations for major law revision projects. In developing the recommendations, the committee shall consider changes in the law suggested by the American law institute, the council of state governments, the U.S. advisory commission on intergovernmental relations, the commission on uniform state laws created under s. 13.55, legislative committees and service agencies, state agencies, local governments and interested persons. The committee may specify in its recommendations which of the committees or agencies under par. (e) should undertake the proposed law revision project.

13.83(1)(e) (e) If the joint legislative council approves a major law revision project recommended under par. (d), it shall specify which of the following should conduct the project:

13.83(1)(e)1. 1. The law revision committee or a subcommittee thereof established by the committee for this purpose.

13.83(1)(e)2. 2. A special or permanent committee appointed by the joint legislative council.

13.83(1)(e)3. 3. A legislative service agency.

13.83(1)(e)4. 4. A standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature.

13.83(1)(f) (f)

13.83(1)(f)1. 1. If the joint legislative council approves a project under par. (e) 1., it may appoint one or more public members to a subcommittee established for this purpose by the committee to assist in completing the revision project.

13.83(1)(f)2. 2. If the joint legislative council approves a project under par. (e) 1. or 2., it may contract for a consultant or project staff director having expertise in the subject matter of the project and it shall specify the date for the final report of the project to the joint legislative council.

13.83(1)(f)3. 3. If the joint legislative council approves a project under par. (e) 1., 2. or 3., it may introduce legislation developed as a result of the project as provided in s. 13.82 (1) (c).

13.83(1)(f)4. 4. If the joint legislative council approves a project under par. (e) 3. or 4., it may request the appropriate standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature or legislative service agency to undertake the project.

13.83(1)(f)5. 5. Legislation developed as a result of a request under this paragraph to a standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature may be introduced by that committee.

13.83(1)(g) (g) The committee shall:

13.83(1)(g)1. 1. Serve as a repository for interstate agreements to which this state is or may become a party.

13.83(1)(g)2. 2. Compile and keep current a list of all interstate agreements having the force of law to which this state or any agency thereof is a party. The list shall cite laws or official documents of this state containing the text of any interstate agreement together with a listing of all other parties to each agreement; the date on which each party entered into the agreement with this state or any agency thereof; the status of each agreement in respect to withdrawals therefrom; and citations to any act or resolution of the congress of the United States consenting to any agreement. In addition, the list shall include the names, addresses and terms of office of the interstate agreement administrators, officials or members of the governing body who represent this state in the administration of each agreement. The list required to be kept under this paragraph also shall include any interstate agreements adopted by this state or any agency thereof but not in effect by reason of the absence of such other parties thereto as may be necessary to make the agreement effective and binding, and all other interstate agreements which are no longer in active operation due to the completion of the purpose for which they were intended but which must be retained in force as a permanent record thereof. Any amendment, supplementary agreement or administrative rule having the force of law which implements or modifies any agreement to which this state or any agency thereof is a party shall be listed in the same manner as the agreement itself.

13.83(1)(g)3. 3. Supply the legislative reference bureau with the texts of and information relating to the parties to interstate agreements to which this state is a party.

13.83(1)(g)4. 4. Review existing or proposed interstate agreements and compacts and modifications thereof and make recommendations to the legislature concerning the agreements and compacts and modifications.

13.83(3) (3) Special committee on state-tribal relations.

13.83(3)(a) (a) The joint legislative council shall, in each biennium, create a special committee on state-tribal relations. The special committee shall study issues related to American Indians and the American Indian tribes and bands in this state and develop specific recommendations and legislative proposals relating to these issues. The special committee shall, from time to time, report its findings and its legislative and other recommendations to the joint legislative council.

13.83(3)(b) (b) The special committee shall be composed of the following:

13.83(3)(b)1. 1. Not fewer than 6 nor more than 11 members appointed by the joint legislative council from names submitted by the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands in this state or the Great Lakes inter-tribal council. The joint legislative council may not appoint more than one member under this subdivision based on the recommendation of any one American Indian tribe or band or of the Great Lakes inter-tribal council.

13.83(3)(b)2. 2. Not fewer than 6 nor more than 12 legislator members of the senate and assembly, including at least one member of the majority party and at least one member of the minority party from each house, appointed by the joint legislative council.

13.83(3)(c) (c) The actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the special committee shall be paid as follows:

13.83(3)(c)1. 1. The joint legislative council shall pay the expenses incurred by the members appointed under par. (b) 1., in performing their functions on the special committee, from the appropriation under s. 20.765 (3) (e).

13.83(3)(c)2. 2. The state departments shall pay the expenses of their representatives in connection with the work of the technical advisory committee under par. (f).

13.83(3)(f) (f) The special committee shall be assisted by a technical advisory committee composed of 8 members representing the following:

13.83(3)(f)1. 1. The department of health services.

13.83(3)(f)2. 2. The department of workforce development.

13.83(3)(f)2m. 2m. The department of children and families.

13.83(3)(f)3. 3. The department of justice.

13.83(3)(f)4. 4. The department of natural resources.

13.83(3)(f)5. 5. The department of public instruction.

13.83(3)(f)6. 6. The department of revenue.

13.83(3)(f)7. 7. The department of transportation.

13.83 History History: 1971 c. 211; 1973 c. 333; 1975 c. 39; 1977 c. 31, 187, 325, 418; Sup. Ct. Order, 88 Wis. 2d xiii (1979); 1979 c. 8; 1979 c. 34 ss. 6r, 2100; 1979 c. 204, 221; 1981 c. 86 s. 71; 1981 c. 173; 1983 a. 27 ss. 14p, 2202 (45); 1983 a. 308; 1985 a. 29; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 52, 490; 1995 a. 27 ss. 9126 (19), 9130 (4), 9145 (1); 1995 a. 417; 1997 a. 3, 27; 1999 a. 60; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25, 467; 2007 a. 20 ss. 14d to 17a, 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 185.

13.83 Note NOTE: 1979 Assembly Bill 657 contains a prefatory note explaining the duties of the law revision committee.

13.90 13.90 Duties and powers of the joint committee on legislative organization.

13.90(1) (1) 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:

13.90(1)(a) (a) Determine the types of tasks to be assigned to each legislative service bureau or staff within statutory limitations, and the quantity and quality thereof.

13.90(1)(b) (b) Consider and approve the budget of each bureau or staff.

13.90(1)(c) (c) Meet at such times as it may determine to carry out its policy-making duties, and for the purposes of this paragraph the committee may provide a method of procuring decisions by mail.

13.90(1)(d) (d) Promulgate rules under ch. 227 required for the proper operation of each legislative service bureau or staff.

13.90(1)(f) (f) Employ an outside staff of professional consultants for the purpose of studying ways to improve legislative staff services and organization. Without limitation because of enumeration, this study shall cover legislative service agencies, the management of legislative business, legislative compensation, legislative office space, and the increasing amounts of time required by legislative duties.

13.90(1)(g) (g) Supervise the development of programs for computer use and approve and monitor computer operations in the legislative process. All contracts for legislative computer equipment and services shall be signed by the cochairpersons.

13.90(1)(h) (h) Determine the officer who has operational responsibility for legislative document sales and distribution under s. 35.87.

13.90(1)(i) (i) Determine and approve a parking plan for the state capitol park consistent with s. 16.843.

13.90(1)(j) (j) Recommend to the legislature a newspaper to serve as the official state newspaper as provided in s. 985.04.

13.90(1)(k) (k) Designate the individuals authorized to sign joint purchasing contracts for the senate and assembly and the legislative service agencies under s. 16.74 (2).

13.90(1)(L) (L) Determine the method of sale and prices for subscriptions to legislative documents and the operational responsibility for any legislative document subscription services provided under s. 35.87.

13.90(1m) (1m) 

13.90(1m)(a) (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.

13.90(1m)(b) (b) The joint committee on legislative organization shall select the head of each legislative service agency. The appointment of each legislative service agency head shall be made without regard to political affiliation in order to safeguard the nonpartisan character of each legislative service agency. In the case of the state auditor, the joint legislative audit committee shall make recommendations for the approval of the joint committee on legislative organization. The committee shall designate an employee of each legislative service agency to exercise the powers and authority of each legislative service agency head in case of absence or disability.

13.90(2) (2) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization or their designated agent shall accept service made under ss. 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 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. 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).

13.90(3) (3) 

13.90(3)(a) (a) In this subsection, “legislative service agency” has the meaning given in sub. (1m).

13.90(3)(b) (b) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization shall lease or acquire office space for legislative offices or legislative service agencies under par. (c).

13.90(3)(c) (c) The joint committee on legislative organization shall assign office space for legislative offices and the offices of the legislative service agencies. The joint committee may assign any space in the capitol not reserved for other uses under s. 16.835. Except as provided in ss. 13.09 (6) and 13.45 (4) (c), the joint committee may locate any legislative office or the office of any legislative service agency outside the capitol at another suitable building in the city of Madison.

13.90(4) (4) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization shall authorize payment of fees entitling the legislature to membership in national organizations from the appropriation under s. 20.765 (3) (fa).

13.90(5) (5) The joint committee on legislative organization may contract for the services of persons to advise those building commission members who also are legislators on matters related to the state’s issuance of state debt, revenue obligations and operating notes under ch. 18.

13.90(6) (6) The joint committee on legislative organization shall adopt, revise biennially and submit to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on information policy and technology, the governor and the secretary of administration, no later than September 15 of each even-numbered year, a strategic plan for the utilization of information technology to carry out the functions of the legislature and legislative service agencies, as defined in s. 16.70 (6). The plan shall address the business needs of the legislature and legislative service agencies and shall identify all resources relating to information technology which the legislature and legislative service agencies desire to acquire, contingent upon funding availability, the priority for such acquisitions and the justification for such acquisitions. The plan shall also identify any changes in the functioning of the legislature and legislative service agencies under the plan.

13.90(8) (8) The joint committee on legislative organization may designate a joint committee or another body within the legislative branch to oversee the provision of information technology support and services by the legislative technology services bureau.

13.90(9) (9) The joint committee on legislative organization may direct the department of administration to take possession of any furnishing to which the department has title under s. 16.838 (2), to restore any furnishing in the department’s possession, if necessary, and to locate any such furnishing at the place in the capitol building specified by the committee.

13.90 History History: 1971 c. 215; 1973 c. 90; 1975 c. 224, 421; 1977 c. 449; 1979 c. 34 ss. 7d to 7s, 2102 (32) (b); 1981 c. 372 s. 18; 1983 a. 27, 308; 1985 a. 29, 332; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 31, 359, 366; 1993 a. 52; 1995 a. 27, 162, 417; 1997 a. 27, 237; 1999 a. 4, 29, 81; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2017 a. 369; 2023 a. 19.

13.905 13.905 Legislative conduct. The joint committee on legislative organization may inquire into alleged misconduct by members or employees of the legislature.

13.91 13.91 Legislative council staff. There is created a bureau known as the “Legislative Council Staff”, headed by a director. The legislative council staff shall be strictly nonpartisan and shall at all times observe the confidential nature of the research and drafting requests received by it. The legislative council staff may call upon any state department, agency or officer, or any agency of any political subdivision, for such facilities and data as are available and such departments and agencies shall cooperate with the legislative council staff to the fullest possible extent.

13.91(1) (1) Duties of the staff. The legislative council staff shall:

13.91(1)(a) (a) Provide staff services to the joint legislative council under s. 13.81 and to any of the committees appointed under ss. 13.82 and 13.83.

13.91(1)(b) (b) As directed by the joint legislative council, gather information and prepare written studies on topics referred to the council by the legislature or which seem desirable to the council.

13.91(1)(c) (c) Perform the functions prescribed in ch. 227 relating to administrative rules and guidance documents.

13.91(1)(d) (d) Provide staff services to assist the legislature in identifying and responding to issues relating to the Wisconsin Retirement System. In the performance of these duties, the legislative council staff shall:

13.91(1)(d)1. 1. Provide legal and research staff services to the joint survey committee on retirement systems under s. 13.50.

13.91(1)(d)2. 2. Prepare fiscal estimates on bills referred to the joint survey committee on retirement systems.

13.91(1)(d)3. 3. Facilitate communication between the legislature and participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System on issues relating to public employee retirement systems.

13.91(1)(d)4. 4. Every 2 years, prepare a comparative study of major public employee retirement systems in the United States.

13.91(1)(d)5. 5. In consultation with groups representing participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System, suggest to the cochairpersons of the joint legislative council any feasible subjects for study or investigation of public employee retirement issues with respect to which committees may be appointed under s. 13.82.

13.91(2) (2) Duties of the director. The director of the legislative council staff shall:

13.91(2)(a) (a) Supervise and train the personnel assigned to him or her.

13.91(2)(b) (b) Supervise all expenditures of the legislative council staff.

13.91(2)(c) (c) Attend all scheduled meetings of the joint legislative council under s. 13.81, and may attend meetings of any of its committees under ss. 13.82 and 13.83.

13.91(2)(d) (d) Attend, personally or through a professional employee of the legislative council staff designated by him or her, all meetings of the commission on uniform state laws under s. 13.55.

13.91(2)(e) (e) Attend and participate in, personally or through a designated employee of the legislative council staff, midwest and national meetings in which the commission on uniform state laws participates and that will benefit the operations of the legislative council staff.

13.91 History History: 1971 c. 215; 1973 c. 243; 1979 c. 34 ss. 8 to 9b, 2100; 1979 c. 109, 121; 1979 c. 154 s. 45; 1979 c. 204; 1979 c. 221 s. 2202 (33); 1979 c. 328, 355; 1981 c. 335; 1983 a. 308; 1985 a. 182 s. 57; 1989 a. 31; 1989 a. 56 s. 259; 1993 a. 52, 490; 2003 a. 172; 2005 a. 316; 2017 a. 369.

13.92 13.92 Legislative reference bureau. There is created a bureau to be known as the “Legislative Reference Bureau,” headed by the chief of legislative reference bureau. The legislative reference bureau shall be strictly nonpartisan and shall at all times observe the confidential nature of the reference or drafting requests received by it.

13.92(1) (1) Duties of the bureau.

13.92(1)(a) (a) Reference section. The legislative reference bureau shall perform reference services for all members of the legislature equally and impartially and to the limits of its facilities and staff. Such reference services shall be available also to public officials, students of government and citizens generally. In the performance of its reference services, the bureau shall:

13.92(1)(a)1. 1. Collect, index and make available in the most suitable form to legislators, other public officials, students of government and citizens generally, information relative to governmental subjects which will aid the legislature, other public officials and the citizens generally, to perform their duties in the most efficient and economical manner.

13.92(1)(a)2. 2. Maintain an adequate collection of public documents of Wisconsin and other states and carry out loan arrangements with libraries.