AB304,,167167125.12 (6) (b) Within 30 days of receiving a copy of the complaint under par. (a), any wholesaler against whom allegations are made may file a sworn written response or a written request for an evidentiary hearing before the department division under s. 227.44.

AB304,,169169125.12 (6) (c) Subject to pars. (d) 1. and (dm), if no request for an evidentiary hearing is made under par. (b), within 60 days of receiving any response under par. (b) or, if no response is made, within 60 days of the date on which a response or request for hearing is due under par. (b), the department division shall make a written decision as to whether a violation has occurred and either dismiss the complaint or take action under par. (e). Any decision under this paragraph shall include findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall state all reasons for the decision. The department division shall provide a copy of the decision to the complainant and to any wholesaler against whom allegations are made.

AB304,,171171125.12 (6) (cm) Subject to pars. (d) 2. and (dm), if a request for an evidentiary hearing is made under par. (b), the hearing shall be conducted in the manner specified for a contested case under ss. 227.44 to 227.50, except that the hearing shall be conducted within 45 days of receiving the request for hearing under par. (b) and the department division shall make its written decision, including whether a violation has occurred and whether the complaint is dismissed or action is taken under par. (e), within 15 days after the hearing. In addition to service of the decision as provided under s. 227.48, the department division shall provide a copy of the decision to the complainant.

AB304,,173173125.12 (6) (d) 1. If no request for an evidentiary hearing is made under par. (b), within 60 days of receiving any response under par. (b) or, if no response is made, within 60 days of the date on which a response or request for hearing is due under par. (b), the department division may extend the time period for making a decision under par. (c) by an additional 60 days if the department division provides notice within the time period specified in par. (c) that an additional 60 days is necessary for investigation.

AB304,,1741742. If a request for an evidentiary hearing is made under par. (b), within 45 days of receiving the request for hearing under par. (b), the department division may extend the time period for conducting the hearing by an additional 45 days if the department division provides notice within 45 days of receiving the request for hearing under par. (b) that an additional 45 days is necessary for investigation.

AB304,,176176125.12 (6) (dm) Within 45 days of receiving any response or request for hearing under par. (b) or, if no response or request for hearing is made, within 45 days of the date on which a response or request for hearing is due under par. (b), the department division may elect to file a complaint in circuit court under sub. (4) that includes all allegations of the complaint under par. (a) for which the department division determines there is cause to find that a violation of s. 125.54 (7) (a) has occurred. If the department division files a complaint in circuit court as provided under this paragraph, the department division shall not conduct a hearing under par. (cm) or make a written decision under par. (c), but shall proceed with the matter as provided under sub. (4).

AB304,,178178125.12 (6) (e) If the department division finds the allegations under par. (a) true and sufficient, the department division shall either suspend for not less than 10 days nor more than 90 days or revoke the wholesaler’s permit, and give notice of the suspension or revocation to the wholesaler.

AB304,,180180125.13 Report of suspension, revocation, or imposition of penalty. Whenever a municipal governing body or court revokes or suspends a license or permit or imposes a penalty on a licensee or permittee for the violation of this chapter, the clerk of the municipality or court revoking or suspending the license or imposing the penalty shall, within 10 days after the revocation, suspension, or imposition of penalty, mail a report to the department division at Madison, Wisconsin, giving the name of the licensee, the address of the licensed premises, and a full description of the penalty imposed.

AB304,,182182125.14 (2) (c) Identification. Any person seizing alcohol beverages or personal property and electing to dispose of it under this subsection shall exercise reasonable diligence to ascertain the name and address of the owner of the alcohol beverages or property and of all persons holding a security interest in the property seized. The person shall report his or her findings in writing to the department division.

AB304,,184184125.14 (2) (d) Order. Upon conviction of any person for owning, possessing, keeping, storing, manufacturing, selling, distributing, or transporting alcohol beverages in violation of this chapter or ch. 139, the court shall order part or all of the alcohol beverages or personal property seized to be destroyed if it is unfit for sale. Alcohol beverages and other personal property fit for sale shall be turned over to the department division for disposition. Upon receipt of the confiscated property, the department division shall exercise reasonable diligence to ascertain the names and addresses of all owners of the property and of all persons holding a security interest in the property. If a motor vehicle is confiscated, the department division shall obtain the written advice of the department of transportation as to the ownership of the motor vehicle and shall make a reasonable search for perfected security interests in the vehicle.

AB304,,186186125.14 (2) (e) Disposal. The department division shall dispose of the alcohol beverages turned over to it by the court by either giving it to law enforcement agencies free of charge for use in criminal investigations, selling it to the highest bidder if the bidder is a person holding a license or permit issued under this chapter, or destroying it, at the discretion of the department division. If the department division elects to sell the alcohol beverages, it shall publish a class 2 notice under ch. 985 asking for sealed bids from qualified bidders. Any items or groups of items in the inventory subject to a security interest, the existence of which was established in the proceedings for conviction as being bona fide and as having been created without the secured party having notice that the items were being used or were to be used in connection with the violation, shall be sold separately. The net proceeds from the sale, less all costs of seizure, storage, and sale, shall be turned over to the secretary of administration and credited to the common school fund.

AB304,,188188125.14 (2) (f) Sale. Any personal property, other than alcohol beverages, seized under par. (a) and fit for sale, shall be turned over by the department division to the department of administration for disposal at public auction to the highest bidder, at a time and place stated in a notice of sale which describes the property to be sold. The sale shall be held in a conveniently accessible place in the county where the property was confiscated. A copy of the notice shall be published as a class 2 notice under ch. 985. The last insertion shall be at least 10 days before the sale. The department of revenue division shall serve a copy of the notice of sale at least 2 weeks before the date thereof on all persons who are or may be owners or holders of security interests in the property. Any confiscated property worth more than $100 shall be sold separately, and the balance of the confiscated property shall be sold in bulk or separately at the discretion of the department of administration. The net proceeds from the sale, less all costs of seizure, storage, and sale, shall be turned over to the secretary of administration. No motor vehicle or motorboat confiscated under this section may be sold within 30 days after the date of seizure.

AB304,,190190125.14 (3) (b) Deadline. The application shall be made within one year after the sale of the property. A copy of the application and the order setting a hearing on it shall be served on the department division at least 20 days before the date set for hearing.

AB304,,192192125.145 Prosecutions by attorney general or department division. Upon request by the secretary of revenue division, the attorney general may represent this state or assist a district attorney in prosecuting any case arising under this chapter. The department division may represent this state in prosecuting any violation of s. 125.54 (7) (a) or (b) and shall bring any such action in the circuit court for Dane County.

AB304,,194194125.15 (1) An intoxicating liquor wholesaler, intoxicating liquor retail licensee or permittee, or intoxicating liquor trade association that makes a written complaint to the department division under s. 125.12 (6) of a violation of s. 125.54 (7) (a) may bring an action to enforce the provisions of s. 125.54 (7) if any of the following apply: