SB42: Bill Text

LRB-1451/1

JTK:kmg:rs

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Senate BILL 42

February 26, 2003 - Introduced by Senators Darling, Reynolds, Kanavas, Lazich, A. Lasee, Welch, Carpenter, Stepp and Brown, cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Stone, Vukmir, Krawczyk, Jeskewitz, Bies, Krusick, Staskunas, J. Lehman, Hines, Nischke, Nass, Gunderson, Ott, Townsend, Albers, Plale, Freese, Van Roy, Vrakas, Lothian and Jensen. Referred to Committee on Homeland Security, Veterans and Military Affairs and Government Reform.

SB42,1,2 An Act to create 59.10 (2) (d) of the statutes; relating to: the size of the county board of supervisors in populous counties.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires each county board to redistrict its supervisory districts once every ten years based on the results of the decennial federal census. This bill permits the board of supervisors of any county with a population of at least 500,000 (currently, only Milwaukee County) to decrease the number of supervisors on the board and adopt a new redistricting plan during the ten-year period between the adoption of decennial redistricting plans. Under the bill, the board may make such a change only once every four years. The bill requires the redistricting plan to satisfy certain criteria that also apply to decennial redistricting plans. For example, the bill requires the districts created under the redistricting plan to be substantially equal in population and in as compact a form as possible, and requires each district to contain whole contiguous municipalities or contiguous parts of the same municipality. The bill further requires the districts to consist of contiguous whole wards in existence at the time at which the redistricting plan is adopted and requires the original numbers of the districts in their geographic outlines, to the extent possible, to be retained. Under the bill, supervisors are elected from the districts created under the redistricting plan at the next spring election when supervisors would normally be elected.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB42, s. 1 Section 1. 59.10 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

SB42,2,17 59.10 (2) (d) Changes during decade. 1. `Number of supervisors; redistricting.' The board may, not more frequently than once every 4 years, decrease the number of supervisors at any time after the enactment of a supervisory district plan under par. (a). In that case, the board shall redistrict, readjust, and change the boundaries of supervisory districts, so that the number of districts equals the number of supervisors, the districts are substantially equal in population according to the most recent countywide federal census, the districts are in as compact a form as possible, and the districts consist of contiguous whole wards in existence at the time at which the redistricting plan is adopted. In the redistricting plan, the board shall adhere to the requirements under sub. (3) (b) 2. and 3. with regard to contiguity and shall, to the extent possible, place whole contiguous municipalities or contiguous parts of the same municipality within the same district. In redistricting under this subdivision, the original numbers of the districts in their geographic outlines, to the extent possible, shall be retained. The chairperson of the board shall file a certified copy of any redistricting plan adopted under this subdivision with the secretary of state.

SB42,3,3 2. `Election; term.' Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, any redistricting plan enacted under subd. 1. that becomes effective before November 15 preceding the expiration of the term of office of supervisors in the county first applies to the spring election following the plan's effective date; otherwise, the plan first applies to the 2nd succeeding spring election following the plan's effective date at which supervisors are regularly elected in the county. Any redistricting plan enacted under subd. 1. shall remain in effect until the effective date of a subsequent redistricting plan enacted under subd. 1. or until the effective date of a redistricting plan subsequently enacted under par. (a). Supervisors elected from the districts created under subd. 1. shall serve for 4-year terms and shall take office on the 3rd Monday in April following their election.

SB42,3,4 (End)