AB899,,1121125.05 (7) Administrative meetings and conferences. The commission office of the secretary of state shall conduct regular information and training meetings at various locations in the state for county and municipal clerks and other election officials. Administrative meetings shall be designed to explain the election laws and the forms and rules of the commission office, to promote uniform procedures and to assure that clerks and other officials are made aware of the integrity and importance of the vote of each citizen. The commission office may conduct conferences relating to election laws, practice, and procedure. The commission office may charge persons attending the administrative meetings and conferences for its costs incurred in conducting the meetings and conferences at a rate not exceeding the per capita cost incurred by the commission office. AB899,46113Section 46. 5.05 (9) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1141145.05 (9) Standing. The commission secretary of state has standing to commence or intervene in any civil action or proceeding for the purpose of enforcing the laws regulating the conduct of elections or election campaigns, other than laws regulating campaign financing, or ensuring their proper administration. AB899,47115Section 47. 5.05 (10) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1161165.05 (10) State election administration plan. With the approval of the joint committee on finance as provided in this subsection, the commission secretary of state shall adopt and modify as necessary a state plan that meets the requirements of P.L. 107-252 to enable participation by this state in federal financial assistance programs authorized under that law. The commission secretary shall adopt the plan and any modifications only after publishing a class 1 notice under ch. 985 or posting on the Internet a statement describing the proposed plan or modification and receiving public comment thereon. After approval of the proposed plan or any modification of the plan by the commission secretary, the commission secretary shall submit the proposed plan or modification to the joint committee on finance for the approval of the committee. The commission secretary may adopt the proposed plan or modification only if the committee approves the proposed plan or modification. AB899,48117Section 48. 5.05 (11) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1181185.05 (11) Aids to counties and municipalities. From the appropriations under s. 20.510 (1) 20.575 (2) (t) and (x), the commission secretary of state may provide financial assistance to eligible counties and municipalities for election administration costs in accordance with the plan adopted under sub. (10). As a condition precedent to receipt of assistance under this subsection, the commission secretary shall enter into an agreement, as prescribed by rule, with the county or municipality receiving the assistance specifying the intended use of the assistance and shall ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. Each agreement shall provide that if the federal government objects to the use of any assistance moneys provided to the county or municipality under the agreement, the county or municipality shall repay the amount of the assistance provided to the commission secretary. AB899,49119Section 49. 5.05 (12) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1201205.05 (12) Voter education. The commission secretary of state may conduct or prescribe requirements for educational programs to inform electors about voting procedures, voting rights, and voting technology. The commission secretary shall conduct an educational program for the purpose of educating electors who cast paper ballots, ballots that are counted at a central counting location, and absentee ballots of the effect of casting excess votes for a single office. AB899,50121Section 50. 5.05 (13) (a) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1221225.05 (13) (a) The commission secretary of state shall maintain one or more toll-free telephone lines for electors to report possible voting fraud and voting rights violations, to obtain general election information, and to access information concerning their registration status, current polling place locations, and other information relevant to voting in elections. AB899,51123Section 51. 5.05 (13) (b) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1241245.05 (13) (b) The commission secretary of state may maintain a free access system under which an elector who votes under s. 6.96 or 6.97 may ascertain current information concerning whether the elector’s vote has been counted, and, if the vote will not be counted, the reason that it will not be counted. AB899,52125Section 52. 5.05 (13) (c) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1261265.05 (13) (c) The commission secretary of state shall maintain a freely accessible system under which a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), or an overseas elector who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has been received by the appropriate municipal clerk. AB899,53127Section 53. 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1281285.05 (13) (d) (intro.) The commission secretary of state shall designate and maintain at least one freely accessible means of electronic communication which shall be used for the following purposes: AB899,54129Section 54. 5.05 (14) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1301305.05 (14) Information from county and municipal clerks. (a) The commission secretary of state may request information from county and municipal clerks relating to election administration, performance of electronic voting systems and voting machines, and use of paper ballots in elections. AB899,,131131(b) The commission office of the secretary of state shall establish a subscription service whereby a person may electronically access the absentee ballot information provided under s. 6.33 (5) (a), including semiweekly updates of such information. AB899,,132132(c) On election night the commission office of the secretary of state shall provide a link on its Internet site website to the posting of each county’s election returns on each county’s Internet site website. AB899,55133Section 55. 5.05 (15) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1341345.05 (15) Registration list. The commission office of the secretary of state is responsible for the design and maintenance of the official registration list under s. 6.36. The commission secretary of state shall require all municipalities to use the list in every election and may require any municipality to adhere to procedures established by the commission office of the secretary of state for proper maintenance of the list. AB899,56135Section 56. 5.05 (16) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1361365.05 (16) Policies and procedures. (a) Annually, the commission office of the secretary of state shall adopt written policies and procedures in order to govern its internal operations and management and shall annually report such policies and procedures to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). AB899,,137137(b) Notwithstanding par. (a), the commission office of the secretary of state may reconsider at any time any policy or procedure adopted as provided under par. (a). If, upon reconsideration, the commission office revises a previously reported policy or procedure, the commission office shall report the revision to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). AB899,,138138(c) The commission secretary of state may reconsider at any time any written directives or written guidance provided to the general public or to any person subject to the provisions of chs. 5 to 10 and 12 with regard to the enforcement and administration of those provisions. AB899,57139Section 57. 5.05 (17) of the statutes is amended to read: AB899,,1401405.05 (17) Payments. The commission office of the secretary of state may accept payment by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment mechanism for any amounts owed pursuant to the administration of chs. 5 to 10 or 12, and may charge a surcharge to the payer to recover charges associated with the acceptance of that electronic payment.