AB981,23,10 5. Except as authorized or required under sub. (5s) (f), no member or employee of the commission office of the secretary of state may make public the identity of the individual requesting a formal or informal advisory opinion or of individuals or organizations mentioned in the opinion.

AB981,23,16 (b) 1. The commission may authorize the commission administrator or his or her designee to issue an informal written advisory opinion or transmit an informal advisory opinion electronically on behalf of the commission, subject to such limitations as the commission deems appropriate. Every informal advisory opinion shall be consistent with applicable formal advisory opinions issued by the commission secretary of state, statute or other law, and case law.

AB981,23,22 2. Any individual may request in writing, electronically, or by telephone an informal advisory opinion from the commission secretary of state under this paragraph. The commission's designee secretary shall provide a written response, a written reference to an applicable statute or law, or a written reference to a formal advisory opinion of the commission secretary to the individual, or shall refer the request to the commission for review and the issuance of a formal advisory opinion.

AB981,23,25 3. Any person receiving an informal advisory opinion under this paragraph may, at any time, request a formal advisory opinion from the commission secretary of state on the same matter.

AB981,24,9 (c) 1. Any individual may request in writing, electronically, or by telephone a formal advisory opinion from the commission secretary of state or the review or modification of a formal advisory opinion issued by the commission secretary under this paragraph. The individual making the request shall include all pertinent facts relevant to the matter. The commission secretary shall review a request for a formal advisory opinion and may issue a formal advisory opinion to the individual making the request. Except as authorized or required for opinions specified in sub. (5s) (f), the commission's deliberations and actions of the secretary and the office of the secretary of state upon such requests shall be in meetings not open to the public.

AB981,24,13 2. Any person requesting a formal advisory opinion under this paragraph may request a public or private hearing before the commission secretary of state to discuss the opinion. The commission secretary shall grant a request for a public or private hearing under this paragraph.

AB981,24,17 3. Promptly upon issuance of each formal advisory opinion, the commission secretary of state shall publish the opinion together with the information specified under sub. (5s) (f) on the commission's Internet site of the office of the secretary of state.

AB981,24,20 4. If the commission secretary of state declines to issue a formal advisory opinion, it the secretary may refer the matter to the attorney general or to the standing legislative oversight committees.

AB981,44 Section 44. 5.05 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,25,7 5.05 (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, opinions, and guidance issued by the 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.

AB981,45 Section 45. 5.05 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,25,12 5.05 (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.

AB981,46 Section 46. 5.05 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,25,25 5.05 (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.

AB981,47 Section 47. 5.05 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,26,12 5.05 (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 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.

AB981,48 Section 48. 5.05 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,26,19 5.05 (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.

AB981,49 Section 49. 5.05 (13) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,26,25 5.05 (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.

AB981,50 Section 50. 5.05 (13) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,27,5 5.05 (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.

AB981,51 Section 51. 5.05 (13) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,27,10 5.05 (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.

AB981,52 Section 52. 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,27,14 5.05 (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:

AB981,53 Section 53. 5.05 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB981,27,19 5.05 (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.

AB981,27,22 (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.