LRB-1236/1

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 25

January 28, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Testin, Ringhand, Cowles, Ballweg, Bernier, Bewley, Erpenbach, Felzkowski, Jacque, Marklein, Nass, Petrowski, Pfaff, Roys, Smith and L. Taylor, cosponsored by Representatives Summerfield, Oldenburg, Armstrong, Billings, Doyle, Edming, Gundrum, James, Kitchens, Krug, Kuglitsch, Kurtz, Loudenbeck, B. Meyers, Milroy, Moses, Mursau, Novak, Petryk, Plumer, Rozar, Skowronski, Snyder, Spreitzer, Tauchen, Thiesfeldt, Tranel, VanderMeer and Vruwink. Referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues.

SB25,1,3 An Act to amend 185.07 (1), 185.13 (1) and 185.13 (4); and to create 185.03 (13), 185.07 (4) and 185.13 (7) of the statutes; relating to: member meetings, bylaws, and emergency powers of a cooperative.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill allows a cooperative to hold member meetings remotely, allows a cooperative to adopt emergency bylaws, and grants a cooperative certain emergency powers.

Under current law, a cooperative may be formed by filing articles of incorporation with the Department of Financial Institutions. A cooperative is organized and owned by its members and managed by a board of directors. Generally the members may adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws that govern the operations of the cooperative. Unless the bylaws provide otherwise, member meetings must be held at the cooperative's principal office or another place chosen by the board of directors. An annual member meeting must be held at the time established by the bylaws or, in the absence of a bylaw provision, within six months after the close of the cooperative's fiscal year. Special member meetings may also be called. Under certain circumstances, a member who is absent from a member meeting may vote on a meeting motion or the election or removal of directors, including voting by electronic means if certain requirements are met.