AB43,,4395439585.09 (2) (a) The department of transportation shall have the first right to acquire, for present or future transportational or recreational purposes, any property used in operating a railroad or railway, including land and rails, ties, switches, trestles, bridges, and the like located on that property, that has been abandoned. The department of transportation may, in connection with abandoned rail property, assign this right to a state agency, the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System, any county or municipality, or any transit commission. Acquisition by the department of transportation may be by gift, purchase, or condemnation in accordance with the procedure under s. 32.05, except that the power of condemnation may not be used to acquire property for the purpose of establishing or extending a recreational trail; a bicycle way, as defined in s. 340.01 (5s); a bicycle lane, as defined in s. 340.01 (5e); or a pedestrian way, as defined in s. 346.02 (8) (a). In addition to its property management authority under s. 85.15, the department of transportation may, subject to any prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), lease and collect rents and fees for any use of rail property pending discharge of the department’s duty to convey property that is not necessary for a public purpose. No person owning abandoned rail property, including any person to whom ownership reverts upon abandonment, may convey or dispose of any abandoned rail property without first obtaining a written release from the department of transportation indicating that the first right of acquisition under this subsection will not be exercised or assigned. No railroad or railway may convey any rail property prior to abandonment if the rail property is part of a rail line shown on the railroad’s system map as in the process of abandonment, expected to be abandoned, or under study for possible abandonment unless the conveyance or disposal is for the purpose of providing continued rail service under another company or agency. Any conveyance made without obtaining such release is void. The first right of acquisition of the department of transportation under this subsection does not apply to any rail property declared by the department to be abandoned before January 1, 1977. The department of transportation may acquire any abandoned rail property under this section regardless of the date of its abandonment.

AB43,,4397439785.20 (4m) (a) 6. cm. From the appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (ht), the department shall pay $65,477,800 for aid payable for calendar years 2020 and 2021, $32,738,900 for calendar year 2022, and $65,477,800 for aid payable for calendar year 2023, $68,096,900 for calendar year 2024, and $70,820,800 for calendar year 2025 and thereafter, to the eligible applicant that pays the local contribution required under par. (b) 1. for an urban mass transit system that has annual operating expenses of $80,000,000 or more. If the eligible applicant that receives aid under this subd. 6. cm. is served by more than one urban mass transit system, the eligible applicant may allocate the aid between the urban mass transit systems in any manner the eligible applicant considers desirable.

AB43,,4399439985.20 (4m) (a) 6. d. From the appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (hu), the department shall pay $17,205,400 for aid payable for calendar years 2020 and 2021, $8,602,700 for calendar year 2022, and $17,205,400 for aid payable for calendar year 2023, $17,893,600 for calendar year 2024, and $18,609,400 for calendar year 2025 and thereafter, to the eligible applicant that pays the local contribution required under par. (b) 1. for an urban mass transit system that has annual operating expenses in excess of $20,000,000 but less than $80,000,000. If the eligible applicant that receives aid under this subd. 6. d. is served by more than one urban mass transit system, the eligible applicant may allocate the aid between the urban mass transit systems in any manner the eligible applicant considers desirable.

AB43,,4401440185.203 Transit capital assistance grants. (1) In this section:

AB43,,44024402(a) “Eligible applicant” has the meaning given in s. 85.20 (1) (b).

AB43,,44034403(b) “Public transit vehicle” means any vehicle used for providing transportation service to the general public that is eligible for replacement under settlement guidelines, as defined in s. 16.047 (1) (b).

AB43,,44044404(2) The department shall administer a transit capital assistance grant program. From the appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (bt), the department shall award grants to eligible applicants for the replacement of public transit vehicles. The department shall establish criteria for awarding grants under this section.

AB43,,4406440685.25 (2) (c) 2m. A disabled veteran-owned business, as defined in s. 84.075 (1c) (a) (f).

AB43,,4408440885.25 (2) (c) 3. A lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-owned business certified by the department of administration under s. 16.288 (3).

AB43,,4410441085.25 (2) (c) 4. A disability-owned business certified by the department of administration under s. 16.289 (3).

AB43,,4412441285.53 Electric vehicle infrastructure program. The department may establish and administer an electric vehicle infrastructure program. Under the program, the department may provide funding for electric vehicle infrastructure projects eligible for funding under state or federal law, including under the National Electric Vehicle Formula Program as provided in Division J, Title VIII, of P.L. 117-58. All funding under this section shall be from the appropriations under s. 20.395 (4) (fq), (fv), and (fx).

AB43,,4414441485.61 (1) The secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections commission shall enter into an agreement to match personally identifiable information on the official registration list maintained by the commission under s. 6.36 (1) and the information specified in s. ss. 6.256 (2) and 6.34 (2m) with personally identifiable information in the operating record file database under ch. 343 and vehicle registration records under ch. 341 to the extent required to enable the secretary of transportation and the administrator of the elections commission to verify the accuracy of the information provided for the purpose of voter registration. Notwithstanding ss. 110.09 (2), 342.06 (1) (eg), and 343.14 (2j), but subject to s. 343.14 (2p) (b), the agreement shall provide for the transfer of electronic information under s. 6.256 (2) to the commission on a continuous basis, no less often than weekly.

AB43,,4416441686.16 (6) If the department consents under sub. (1) to the construction of broadband infrastructure in underserved unserved areas, as designated under s. 196.504 (2) (d) (e), the department may not charge any fee for the initial issuance of any permit necessary to construct broadband infrastructure along, across, or within the limits of a highway.

AB43,,4418441886.19 (1) Except as provided in sub. (1m), (1n), or (1o), or (1p) or s. 84.01 (30) (g), no sign shall be placed within the limits of any street or highway except such as are necessary for the guidance or warning of traffic or as provided by ss. 60.23 (17m) and 66.0429. The authorities charged with the maintenance of streets or highways shall cause the removal therefrom and the disposal of all other signs.

AB43,,4420442086.19 (1p) (a) In this subsection, “tribal nation welcome sign” means an official sign erected and maintained by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state that the tribe or band determines is necessary to inform motorists of the territorial boundaries of the Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band.

AB43,,44214421(b) A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state may erect and maintain within the right-of-way of any highway within the boundaries of an Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band a tribal nation welcome sign. No sign under this subsection may be placed within the right-of-way of a highway designated as part of the national system of interstate and defense highways. A sign placed under this subsection is not a traffic control device and is not subject to the provisions of the Wisconsin manual on traffic control devices adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e).