199.10(1)(d)(d) An enclosure or statement furnished by the corporation under this section shall be limited to informing the reader of the purpose, nature and activities of the corporation and informing the reader that the utility consumer billed and others in his or her household may contribute money to the corporation directly. The enclosure or statement shall have the character of a circular and may not have the character of a bill, statement of account or personal correspondence. 199.10(1)(e)(e) The corporation may not furnish any enclosure or statement to a public utility under this section unless the enclosure or statement has been approved by the public service commission under sub. (2m). 199.10(2)(a)(a) Except as provided under pars. (b) and (c), any public utility furnished with a statement or enclosure under sub. (1) shall print or otherwise include or enclose such statement or enclosure within, upon or attached to the periodic customer billing which the public utility mails or delivers to any residential consumer. 199.10(2)(b)(b) No public utility may be required to include a statement or enclosure under sub. (1) in its periodic billing more than 2 times per year. 199.10(2)(c)(c) No public utility whose normal periodic customer billing method is by postcard may be required to mail an enclosure of the corporation under par. (a). 199.10(2m)(2m) Prior to furnishing a statement or enclosure to a utility under sub. (1), the corporation shall submit the statement or enclosure to the public service commission. The public service commission shall approve the statement or enclosure if it determines that the statement or enclosure is not false or misleading and that the statement or enclosure satisfies the requirements of this section. 199.10(3)(3) If the weight of a public utility’s periodic customer billing, when combined with the corporation’s statements or other enclosures under sub. (1), exceeds one ounce avoir, the corporation shall reimburse the public utility for the proportion of the total postage cost of the billing which is equal to the corporation’s proportion of the total weight of the billing. The corporation shall promptly reimburse with interest at the current prime rate each public utility for all other reasonable costs incurred by the public utility, above the utility’s normal billing costs, in complying with this section. The corporation may postpone for 3 months after the date of the first election of directors under s. 199.12 reimbursement of the public utilities for all costs incurred through the date of such election. If any public utility is unable to collect any amount due from the corporation under this section within 3 months after the date the amount is due, the public utility may refuse further requests to mail an enclosure until the amount is paid. 199.10(4)(4) A dispute arising from the operation of this section shall be resolved by negotiations between the corporation and the public utility if possible, or by a civil proceeding in circuit court. Neither the public utility nor the corporation may fail to comply with this chapter by reason of the existence of such a dispute. 199.105(1)(1) No person may interfere or threaten to interfere with or cause any interference with the utility service of or penalize or threaten to penalize or cause to be penalized any person who contributes to the corporation or participates in any of its activities, in retribution for such contribution or participation. 199.105(2)(2) No person may act with intent to prevent, interfere with or hinder the activities permitted under s. 199.10. 199.105(3)(3) A person who violates this section may be fined not more than $1,000. Each such violation shall constitute a separate and continuing violation of this chapter. A person who knowingly and willfully violates this section may be imprisoned not more than 6 months. 199.105 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.11199.11 Appointment of interim directors. 199.11(1)(1) Within 90 days after November 29, 1979 an interim board of directors shall be nominated by the governor, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed to serve until the board is first elected under s. 199.12 as follows: one director shall be nominated by the governor; 2 directors each shall be nominated by the governor from each list of not more than 5 names per director position submitted individually by the president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly; one director each shall be nominated from each list of not more than 5 names submitted individually by the majority leader of the senate and the majority leader of the assembly and by the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly. No person who is a director, employee or agent of any public utility is eligible to be a director appointed under this section. No interim director appointed under this section may hold an elective position, be a candidate for any elective position, or be a state public official as defined in s. 19.42 (14). No interim director may be a candidate in the first election under s. 199.12. 199.11(2)(2) The interim board appointed under this section shall: 199.11(2)(a)(a) As soon as possible after appointment, organize for the transaction of business. 199.11(2)(b)(b) Inform the residential utility consumers of this state of the existence, nature and purposes of the corporation, and encourage residential utility consumers to join the corporation, to participate in the corporation’s activities and to contribute to the corporation. 199.11(2)(d)(d) Employ such staff as the directors deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The interim board appointed under this section shall follow the procedures required under s. 199.075 if it hires an executive director of the corporation. 199.11(2)(e)(e) Make all necessary preparations for the first election of directors, oversee the election campaign and tally the votes under s. 199.12. 199.11(2)(g)(g) Designate by a random method in accordance with the requirements of s. 199.06 (1) (b) the length of the term of office of each director position to be filled in the first election of directors and include the designation with notice of the date of the first election of directors under s. 199.12 (1) (a). 199.11(2)(h)(h) Carry out all other duties and exercise all other powers accorded to the board under this chapter. 199.11 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.12199.12 Election of directors. 199.12(1)(a)(a) Not more than 60 days after the membership of the corporation reaches 1,000 persons with at least 50 members in each district and the corporation has received $10,000, the interim directors appointed under s. 199.11 shall set a date for the first election of directors and shall so notify every member. The notice shall include the length of term of each director position as designated by the interim directors under s. 199.11 (2) (g). The date set shall be not less than 4 months and not more than 6 months after such notification. 199.12(1)(b)(b) The 2nd election of directors shall be held not less than 6 months nor more than 12 months after the election held under par. (a) and every election of directors thereafter shall be held annually within the same month as the 2nd election except as provided under s. 199.06 (6). The board shall notify every member of an election at least 4 months prior to the election. 199.12(2)(2) Eligibility. To be eligible for election to the board, a candidate must: 199.12(2)(b)(b) Have his or her nomination certified by the board under sub. (3). 199.12(2)(c)(c) Submit to the board a statement of financial interests under sub. (4) and a statement of personal background and positions under sub. (5). 199.12(3)(3) Nomination. A candidate for election to the board shall circulate a petition for nomination not sooner than 120 days preceding the election and shall file the petition with the corporation not later than 60 days prior to the election. The petition for nomination shall be signed by at least 5 percent or 30, whichever is less, of the members residing in his or her district. The board shall verify the validity of the signatures. Within 14 days after the petition is due, the board shall determine whether a sufficient number of signatures are valid. If the board determines a sufficient number are valid, it shall certify the nomination of the candidate. 199.12(4)(4) Statement of financial interests. A candidate for election to the board whose nomination is certified under sub. (3) shall submit to the board, not later than 60 days prior to the election, a statement of financial interests upon a form provided by the board. The statement of financial interests shall include the following information: 199.12(4)(a)(a) The occupation, employer and position at place of employment of the candidate and of his or her immediate family members. 199.12(4)(b)(b) A list of all corporate and organizational directorships or other offices, and of all fiduciary relationships, held in the past 3 years by the candidate and by his or her immediate family members. 199.12(4)(c)(c) The name of any creditor to whom the candidate or a member of the candidate’s immediate family owes $3,000 or more, and the amount owed. 199.12(4)(d)(d) The name of any corporation in which the candidate holds a security, the current market value of which is $3,000 or more and the dollar value of such security. In this paragraph, “security” includes any share of stock, bond, debenture, note or other security issued by a corporation which is registered as to ownership on the books of the corporation. 199.12(4)(e)(e) An affirmation, subject to penalty of false swearing under s. 946.32, that the information contained in the statement of financial interests is true and complete. 199.12(5)(5) Statement of personal background and positions. A candidate for election to the board whose nomination is certified under sub. (3) shall submit to the board, not later than 60 days prior to the election, on a form to be provided by the board, a statement concerning his or her personal background and positions on issues relating to public utilities or the operations of the corporation. The statement shall contain an affirmation, subject to penalty of false swearing under s. 946.32, that the candidate meets the qualifications prescribed for directors in s. 199.06 (2). 199.12(6)(6) Restrictions on and reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures. 199.12(6)(a)(a) No candidate may accept more than $50 in campaign contributions from any person or political committee from one year before the date of an election through the date of the election. 199.12(6)(b)(b) Each candidate for election to the board shall keep complete records of all contributions to his or her campaign of $15 or more made from one year before the date of an election through the date of the election, and, at the board’s request, shall make such records available for inspection by the board. 199.12(6)(c)(c) As a condition for receiving the benefits of the board’s mailing under sub. (7) (a) 2., a candidate for election to the board shall agree in writing to incur no more than $500 in campaign expenditures from the time he or she commences circulation of petitions for nomination or from 4 months prior to the election, whichever is earlier, through the date of the election. 199.12(6)(d)(d) Each candidate for election to the board shall keep complete records of his or her campaign expenditures, and, at the board’s request, shall make such records available for inspection by the board. 199.12(6)(e)(e) No earlier than 14 days and no later than 8 days preceding the election and no earlier than 21 days and no later than 30 days after the election, each candidate for election to the board shall submit to the board, on a form provided by the board, an accurate statement of his or her campaign contributions accepted and campaign expenditures incurred, and shall affirm to the board, subject to penalty of false swearing under s. 946.32, that he or she has fully complied with the requirements of this subsection. 199.12(6)(f)(f) No candidate for election to the board may use any campaign contribution for any purpose except for campaign expenditures. Any campaign contribution not expended shall be donated no later than 90 days after the election to the corporation or to any charitable organization at the option of the candidate. 199.12(7)(a)(a) The board shall mail or distribute to each member’s address on file with the corporation, not sooner than 21 and not later than 14 days before the date fixed for the election: 199.12(7)(a)1.1. An official ballot listing all candidates for director from the member’s district whose nominations the board has certified and who satisfy the requirements of sub. (2). The board shall include with the ballot each candidate’s statement of financial interests submitted under sub. (4). 199.12(7)(a)2.2. The statement by each candidate for election to the board of personal background and positions as required under sub. (5), if the candidate has agreed in writing to limit his or her campaign expenditures under sub. (6) (c). 199.12(7)(b)(b) Each member may vote in the election by returning his or her official ballot in person or by 1st class mail, properly marked, to the head office of the corporation. The ballot must be received by the corporation by 8 p.m. of the date fixed for the election. 199.12(7)(d)(d) The board shall tally votes with all reasonable speed and shall inform the membership promptly of the names of the candidates elected. 199.12(7)(e)(e) For each district the board within 30 days of the election shall certify a candidate elected to the board if the candidate has the most votes in the district and if the candidate has complied with this section. 199.12(7)(f)(f) In the first election of directors the board within 30 days of the election shall certify as elected the 2 candidates with the most votes in each district who have complied with this section. The candidate with the most votes in each district shall have the longer term as designated by the interim board of directors under s. 199.11 (2) (g). 199.12(7)(g)(g) If the candidate with the most votes dies, declines or resigns from candidacy prior to being certified under par. (e), the office for which the candidate ran shall be vacant and shall be filled by the board under s. 199.06 (6) (b). 199.12(8)(8) Election rules. The board may prescribe rules for the conduct of elections and election campaigns not inconsistent with this chapter. 199.12 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72; 1997 a. 297. 199.125199.125 Public records. Statements filed with the corporation under ss. 199.07 (2) (g), 199.074 and 199.12 (4), (5) and (6) (e) shall be available for public inspection at the office of the corporation during reasonable hours of the day. Such records may be copied. The corporation may charge a reasonable fee for the cost of such copies. 199.125 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.13(1)(1) Election. The interim board of directors and the board of directors, at the first regular meeting of each at which a quorum is present, shall elect by a majority vote of the directors present and voting a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. The board may elect such other officers as it deems necessary. 199.13(2)(a)(a) Board officers shall begin serving immediately upon their election and their term of office shall be one year. An officer may resign or may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of all the directors. After his or her term of office has expired, a board officer shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected. 199.13(2)(b)(b) If a board office is vacant, the board shall elect a successor to serve out the term of the office. 199.13(3)(3) Powers and duties. Board officers shall exercise powers and perform duties as prescribed by this chapter or as delegated to them by the board. 199.13 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.14199.14 Corrupt practices and conflicts of interest. 199.14(1)(1) No person may offer or give anything of monetary value to any director, employee or agent of the corporation if the offer or gift influences, or is intended to influence, the action or judgment of the director, employee or agent of the corporation in his or her capacity as director, employee or agent of the corporation. 199.14(2)(2) No director, employee or agent of the corporation may solicit or accept anything of monetary value from any person if the solicitation or acceptance influences, or is intended to influence, the official action or judgment of the director, employee or agent in his or her capacity as director, employee or agent of the corporation. 199.14(3)(3) Any person who knowingly and willfully violates this section may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 6 months or both. 199.14(4)(4) The board shall remove from office any director convicted under this section and shall fill such office under s. 199.06 (6) (b). 199.14 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72, 177. 199.15199.15 Corporation to be nonpartisan. The corporation may not sponsor, endorse or otherwise support, nor may it oppose, any political party or the candidacy of any person for public office. 199.15 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.16199.16 Expenses. All expenses of the corporation incurred in carrying out this chapter shall be payable solely from the funding as provided under this chapter, and no liability may be incurred by the corporation beyond the extent to which moneys have been provided under this chapter except that, for the purposes of meeting the necessary expenses of initial organization and operation of the corporation for the period commencing on November 29, 1979 and continuing until the first election of the board of directors under s. 199.12, the corporation may borrow such moneys as it requires. Such moneys borrowed by the corporation shall subsequently be repaid with appropriate interest over a reasonable period of time. 199.16 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72. 199.17 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72; 1997 a. 79. 199.18(1)(1) This chapter, being necessary for the welfare of the state and its inhabitants, shall be liberally construed to effect its purposes. 199.18(2)(2) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the right of any person to initiate, intervene in, or otherwise participate in any regulatory agency proceeding or court action, nor to require any petition or notification to the corporation as a condition precedent to the exercise of such right, nor to relieve any regulatory agency or court of any obligation, or to affect its discretion, to permit intervention or participation by any person in any proceeding or action. 199.18 HistoryHistory: 1979 c. 72.
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Chs. 178-226, Partnerships and Corporations; Transportation; Utilities; Banks; Savings Associations
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statutes/199.12(1)(a)
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