Chapter 15

15.435(1)(e)2. 2. One municipal official member shall be recommended by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

15.435(1)(e)3. 3. One municipal official member shall be recommended by the Wisconsin Towns Association.

15.435(1)(e)4. 4. The school board member shall be recommended by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.

15.435(1)(e)5. 5. The county official members shall be recommended by the Wisconsin Counties Association.

15.435(1)(e)6. 6. The Native American member shall be recommended by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. Preference should be given to the appointment of a Native American who resides in a town in which the development of a metalliferous mineral ore body is occurring.

15.435(1)(g) (g) Assistance; advice. The board may request of any state agency such assistance as may be necessary for the board to fulfill its duties.

15.435 History History: 1977 c. 31, 423; 1979 c. 63; 1979 c. 361 s. 112; 1981 c. 86, 391; 1983 a. 36 s. 96 (4); 1983 a. 192 ss. 20, 303 (7); 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1995 a. 27 ss. 188, 189 and 9116 (5); 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 103; 2005 a. 149; 2011 a. 32.

15.44 15.44 Department of tourism. There is created a department of tourism under the direction and supervision of the secretary of tourism.

15.44 History History: 1995 a. 27.

15.445 15.445 Same; attached boards.

15.445(1) (1) Arts board. There is created an arts board in the department of tourism. The arts board shall consist of 15 members appointed for 3-year terms who are residents of this state and who are known for their concern for the arts. At least 2 members shall be from the northwest portion of this state, at least 2 members shall be from the northeast portion of this state, at least 2 members shall be from the southwest portion of this state, and at least 2 members shall be from the southeast portion of this state.

15.445(2) (2) Kickapoo reserve management board.

15.445(2)(a) (a) Creation. There is created a Kickapoo reserve management board which is attached to the department of tourism under s. 15.03.

15.445(2)(b) (b) Membership. The board consists of the following members appointed to serve for 3-year terms:

15.445(2)(b)1. 1. Four members who are residents of the area composed of the villages of La Farge and Ontario, the towns of Stark and Whitestown and the school districts encompassing the villages of La Farge and Ontario.

15.445(2)(b)2. 2. Two members who are residents of that portion of the Kickapoo River watershed, as determined by the department of natural resources, that lies outside of the area specified in subd. 1.

15.445(2)(b)3. 3. Three members who are not residents of the watershed specified in subd. 2., one of whom shall be an advocate for the environment, one of whom shall have a demonstrated interest in education and one of whom shall represent recreation and tourism interests.

15.445(2)(b)5. 5. Two members who have an interest in and knowledge of the cultural resources within the Kickapoo River watershed.

15.445(2)(c) (c) Vacancies. If any member ceases to retain the status required for his or her appointment under par. (b), the member vacates his or her office.

15.445(2)(d) (d) Recommendations for membership.

15.445(2)(d)1. 1. The governor shall appoint the members specified in par. (b) 1. from a list of individuals recommended by the governing bodies of the municipalities and school boards of the school districts specified in par. (b) 1.

15.445(2)(d)2. 2. The governor shall appoint the members specified in par. (b) 2. from a list of individuals recommended by the governing bodies of each town, village and city which includes territory located within the area specified in par. (b) 2.

15.445(2)(d)2m. 2m. The governor shall appoint the members specified in par. (b) 5. from a list of individuals recommended by the Ho-Chunk Nation.

15.445(2)(d)3. 3. Each municipality or school district specified in this paragraph may recommend no more than 3 members. The Ho-Chunk Nation may recommend no more than 6 individuals for the membership positions under par. (b) 5. At the request of the governor, a municipality, a school district, or the Ho-Chunk Nation shall recommend additional members if an individual who is recommended declines to serve.

15.445(2)(e) (e) Liaison representatives. The secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the secretary of natural resources, the secretary of transportation, the secretary of administration, the director of the state historical society and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, or their designees, shall serve as liaison representatives to the board. The board may request any federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state, other than the Ho-Chunk Nation, that expresses an interest in the governance of the Kickapoo valley reserve to appoint a liaison representative to the board. The liaison representatives are not board members and have no voting power.

15.445(4) (4) State fair park board.

15.445(4)(a) (a) There is created a state fair park board attached to the department of tourism under s. 15.03, consisting of the following members:

15.445(4)(a)1. 1. Two representatives to the assembly, one recommended by the speaker of the assembly and one recommended by the minority leader of the assembly.

15.445(4)(a)2. 2. Two senators, one recommended by the majority leader of the senate and one recommended by the minority leader of the senate.

15.445(4)(a)3. 3. Five members representing business, 3 of whom have general business experience, one of whom has experience in agriculture and one of whom has experience with technology.

15.445(4)(a)4. 4. One resident of the city of West Allis.

15.445(4)(a)5. 5. One other member who is a resident of this state.

15.445(4)(a)6. 6. The secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and the secretary of tourism or their designees.

15.445(4)(am) (am) A secretary may designate a person under par. (a) 6. only if the person is an employee of the department of which the secretary is head.

15.445(4)(b) (b) The members of the state fair park board under par. (a) 3. to 5. shall be appointed for 5-year terms.

15.445 History History: 1995 a. 27 ss. 104, 114, 166m, 192, 193, 218e, 9116 (5); 1995 a. 216, 225; 1997 a. 36, 194; 1999 a. 197; 2003 a. 27; 2005 a. 396; 2009 a. 69; 2011 a. 32; 2015 a. 55.

15.447 15.447 Same; councils.

15.447(1) (1) Council on tourism. There is created in the department of tourism a council on tourism consisting of 14 members serving 3-year terms, and the secretary of tourism or the secretary’s designee, one member of the majority party in each house and one member of the minority party in each house appointed as are members of standing committees in their respective houses, the executive secretary of the arts board and the director of the historical society. Nominations for appointments to the council of members, other than ex officio members, shall be sought from but not limited to multicounty regional associations engaged in promoting tourism, statewide associations of businesses related to tourism, area visitor and convention bureaus, arts organizations, chambers of commerce, the Great Lakes inter-tribal council and other agencies or organizations with knowledge of American Indian tourism activities, and persons engaged in the lodging, restaurant, campground, amusement establishment, recreation establishment or retail liquor or fermented malt beverages business. Nominations shall be sought from throughout this state, to ensure that council members live in different geographical areas of the state and that they reflect the tourism industry’s diversity and its distribution throughout both urban and rural areas of the state. Each council member, other than ex officio members, shall have experience in marketing and promotion strategy.

15.447 History History: 1995 a. 27, ss. 128, 193; 1997 a. 36.

15.46 15.46 Department of transportation; creation. There is created a department of transportation under the direction and supervision of the secretary of transportation.

15.46 Annotation The Department of Transportation is entitled to sovereign immunity. It is not an independent going concern. Canadian National Railroad v. Noel, 2007 WI App 179, 304 Wis. 2d 218, 736 N.W.2d 900, 06-2617.

15.465 15.465 Same; attached board.

15.465(2) (2) Rustic roads board. There is created a rustic roads board in the department of transportation. The rustic roads board shall consist of the following members: the chairpersons of the senate and assembly standing committees having jurisdiction over transportation matters as determined by the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate and 8 members appointed by the secretary of transportation for staggered 4-year terms of whom at least 4 members shall be selected from a list of nominees submitted by the Wisconsin Counties Association.

15.465 History History: 1973 c. 142; 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 347; 1983 a. 192 s. 303 (7); 1993 a. 16.

15.467 15.467 Same; councils.

15.467(3) (3) Council on highway safety. There is created in the department of transportation a council on highway safety. The council shall consist of 15 members, as follows:

15.467(3)(a) (a) Five citizen members appointed for staggered 3-year terms.

15.467(3)(b) (b) Five state officers, part of whose duties shall be related to transportation and highway safety, appointed for staggered 3-year terms.

15.467(3)(c) (c) Three representatives to the assembly, appointed as are the members of assembly standing committees, at least one of whom serves on any assembly standing committee dealing with transportation matters.

15.467(3)(d) (d) Two senators, appointed as are the members of senate standing committees, at least one of whom serves on any senate standing committee dealing with transportation matters.

15.467(4) (4) Council on uniformity of traffic citations and complaints. There is created in the department of transportation a council on uniformity of traffic citations and complaints. Notwithstanding s. 15.09 (6), members of the council shall not be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the council. The council shall consist of the following members:

15.467(4)(a) (a) The secretary, or his or her designee, as chairperson.

15.467(4)(b) (b) A member of the department of transportation responsible for law enforcement.

15.467(4)(c) (c) A member of the Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(d) (d) A member of the County Traffic Patrol Association, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(e) (e) A member of the Chiefs of Police Association, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(f) (f) A member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(g) (g) A member of the Wisconsin council of safety, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(h) (h) A member of the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association, designated by the president thereof.

15.467(4)(i) (i) A member of the judicial conference, designated by the chairperson of the conference.

15.467(4)(j) (j) A member designated by the director of state courts.

15.467 History History: 1977 c. 325; 1979 c. 34 s. 16; 1979 c. 361 s. 112; 1985 a. 145 ss. 1, 4; 1987 a. 27; 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 103; 2011 a. 245.

15.49 15.49 Department of veterans affairs; creation.

15.49(1) (1) In this section, “veteran” means a veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f), who has served on active duty, as defined in s. 45.01 (1).

15.49(2) (2) There is created a department of veterans affairs and a board of veterans affairs. Except as otherwise provided by law, the department shall be under the direction and supervision of the secretary of veterans affairs, who shall be a veteran. The board shall consist of 9 members all of whom shall be veterans. The members shall be appointed for staggered 4-year terms. The board shall be composed so that for each congressional district in the state there is at least one member of the board who is a resident of that district. If a member ceases to reside within the boundaries of the congressional district where he or she resided as that district existed at the time that member’s current term began, the member vacates his or her office.

15.49 History History: 1975 c. 77; 1981 c. 199; 1991 a. 165; 2011 a. 36.

15.495 15.495 Same; attached commission.

15.495(1) (1) Wisconsin commission for the United States semiquincentennial commission. There is created a Wisconsin commission for the U.S. semiquincentennial commission, which is attached to the department of veterans affairs. A commission member, once installed, is a permanent member of the commission, and shall retain his or her role even if the commission member no longer retains his or her status that qualified him or her for membership, unless the commission member voluntarily steps down from the commission. Notwithstanding s. 15.01 (2), the commission shall be composed of the following members:

15.495(1)(a) (a) The speaker of the assembly, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(b) (b) The senate president, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(c) (c) The senate majority leader, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(d) (d) The senate minority leader, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(e) (e) The assembly majority leader, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(f) (f) The assembly minority leader, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(g) (g) The governor, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(h) (h) The chief justice of the supreme court, or his or her designee.

15.495(1)(i) (i) The director of the state historical society.

15.495(1)(j) (j) The director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

15.495(1)(k) (k) The director of the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin.

15.495(1)(L) (L) A member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

15.495(1)(m) (m) A member of the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

15.495(1)(n) (n) A member of the Wisconsin Society Sons of the American Revolution.

15.495 History History: 2021 a. 95.

15.497 15.497 Same; councils.

15.497(2) (2) Council on veterans programs. There is created in the department of veterans affairs a council on veterans programs consisting of all of the following:

15.497(2)(ag) (ag) The following representatives appointed for staggered 3-year terms by the organization that each member represents:

15.497(2)(ag)1. 1. One representative each of the state departments of the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Marine Corps League, the Veterans of World War II (AMVETS), the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc., the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., the Polish Legion of American Veterans, the National Association for Black Veterans, Inc., the Wisconsin Association of Concerned Veteran Organizations, the United Women Veterans, Inc., the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans, Inc., and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

15.497(2)(ag)2. 2. One representative of the American Red Cross.

15.497(2)(ag)3. 3. One representative of the Wisconsin county veterans service officers.