Wisconsin Legislature: 300,7

(Seal, if any)

Signature of notary ....

My commission expires: ....

This document prepared by: ....

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AGENT

AGENT'S DUTIES

WHEN YOU ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY GRANTED UNDER THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY, A SPECIAL LEGAL RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED BETWEEN YOU AND THE PRINCIPAL. THIS RELATIONSHIP IMPOSES UPON YOU LEGAL DUTIES THAT CONTINUE UNTIL YOU RESIGN OR THE POWER OF ATTORNEY IS TERMINATED OR REVOKED. YOU MUST DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1) DO WHAT YOU KNOW THE PRINCIPAL REASONABLY EXPECTS YOU TO DO WITH THE PRINCIPAL'S PROPERTY OR, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PRINCIPAL'S EXPECTATIONS, ACT IN THE PRINCIPAL'S BEST INTEREST.

(2) ACT IN GOOD FAITH.

(3) DO NOTHING BEYOND THE AUTHORITY GRANTED IN THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY.

(4) DISCLOSE YOUR IDENTITY AS AN AGENT WHENEVER YOU ACT FOR THE PRINCIPAL BY WRITING OR PRINTING THE NAME OF THE PRINCIPAL AND SIGNING YOUR OWN NAME AS "AGENT" IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:

.... (principal's name) by .... (your signature) as agent

UNLESS THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY STATE OTHERWISE, YOU MUST ALSO DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1) ACT LOYALLY FOR THE PRINCIPAL'S BENEFIT.

(2) AVOID CONFLICTS THAT WOULD IMPAIR YOUR ABILITY TO ACT IN THE PRINCIPAL'S BEST INTEREST.

(3) ACT WITH CARE, COMPETENCE, AND DILIGENCE.

(4) KEEP A RECORD OF ALL RECEIPTS, DISBURSEMENTS, AND TRANSACTIONS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE PRINCIPAL.

(5) COOPERATE WITH ANY PERSON THAT HAS AUTHORITY TO MAKE HEALTH-CARE DECISIONS FOR THE PRINCIPAL TO DO WHAT YOU KNOW THE PRINCIPAL REASONABLY EXPECTS OR, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PRINCIPAL'S EXPECTATIONS, TO ACT IN THE PRINCIPAL'S BEST INTEREST.

(6) ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE THE PRINCIPAL'S ESTATE PLAN IF YOU KNOW THE PLAN AND PRESERVING THE PLAN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PRINCIPAL'S BEST INTEREST.

TERMINATION OF AGENT'S AUTHORITY

YOU MUST STOP ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE PRINCIPAL IF YOU LEARN OF ANY EVENT THAT TERMINATES THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY OR YOUR AUTHORITY UNDER THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY. EVENTS THAT TERMINATE A POWER OF ATTORNEY OR YOUR AUTHORITY TO ACT UNDER A POWER OF ATTORNEY INCLUDE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

(1) DEATH OF THE PRINCIPAL.

(2) THE PRINCIPAL'S REVOCATION OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY OR YOUR AUTHORITY.

(3) THE OCCURRENCE OF A TERMINATION EVENT STATED IN THE POWER OF ATTORNEY.

(4) THE PURPOSE OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY IS FULLY ACCOMPLISHED.

(5) IF YOU ARE MARRIED TO THE PRINCIPAL, A LEGAL ACTION IS FILED WITH A COURT TO END YOUR MARRIAGE, OR FOR YOUR LEGAL SEPARATION, UNLESS THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY STATE THAT SUCH AN ACTION WILL NOT TERMINATE YOUR AUTHORITY.

(6) IF YOU ARE THE PRINCIPAL'S DOMESTIC PARTNER AND YOUR DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP IS TERMINATED, UNLESS THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY STATE THAT SUCH AN ACTION WILL NOT TERMINATE YOUR AUTHORITY.

LIABILITY OF AGENT

THE MEANING OF THE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO YOU IS DEFINED IN THE UNIFORM POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR FINANCES AND PROPERTY ACT IN CHAPTER 244 OF THE WISCONSIN STATUTES. IF YOU VIOLATE THE UNIFORM POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR FINANCES AND PROPERTY ACT IN CHAPTER 244 OF THE WISCONSIN STATUTES OR ACT OUTSIDE THE AUTHORITY GRANTED, YOU MAY BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY YOUR VIOLATION.

IF THERE IS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT OR YOUR DUTIES THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, YOU SHOULD SEEK LEGAL ADVICE.

OPTIONAL SIGNATURE OF AGENT

I HAVE READ AND ACCEPT THE DUTIES AND LIABILITIES OF THE AGENT AS SPECIFIED IN THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY.

Agent's signature .... Date ....

(APPENDIX FOLLOWS)

300,8 Section 8. 701.0103 (20) of the statutes is amended to read:

701.0103 (20) "Property" means anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal or , legal or equitable, or digital property, as defined in s. 711.03 (10), or any interest therein.

300,9 Section 9. 701.0419 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

701.0419 (2) Governing terms. Property transferred or appointed by a will or by a beneficiary designation under an employee benefit plan, life insurance policy, or online tool, as defined in s. 711.03 (18), or other instrument permitting designation of a beneficiary to a trust, shall be administered in accordance with the terms of the trust as the terms of the trust may have been modified prior to the testator's or designator's death, even though the will, beneficiary designation, online tool, or other instrument was not reexecuted or republished after exercise of the power to modify, unless the will, beneficiary designation, online tool, or other instrument expressly provides otherwise.

300,10 Section 10. 701.0816 (28) of the statutes is created to read:

701.0816 (28) Obtain digital property, as provided under s. 711.07.

300,11 Section 11. 705.10 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

705.10 (1) (intro.) A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in an insurance policy, contract of employment, bond, mortgage, promissory note, certificated or uncertificated security, account agreement, custodial agreement, deposit agreement, compensation plan, pension plan, individual retirement plan, employee benefit plan, trust, conveyance, online tool, as defined in s. 711.03 (18), deed of gift, marital property agreement, or other written instrument of a similar nature is nontestamentary. This subsection governs a written provision that:

300,12 Section 12. Chapter 711 of the statutes is created to read:

Chapter 711

Digital Property

711.01 Short title. This chapter may be cited as the Wisconsin Digital Property Act.

711.02 Liberal construction. This chapter is remedial in nature and shall be liberally construed, consistent with s. 711.14.

711.03 Definitions. In this chapter:

(1) "Account" means an arrangement under a terms of service agreement in which a custodian carries, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a user's digital property or provides goods or services to the user.

(2) "Agent" means a person granted authority to act under a durable or nondurable power of attorney.

(3) "Carries" means engages in the transmission of an electronic communication.

(4) "Catalogue of electronic communications" means information that identifies each person with which a user has had an electronic communication, the time and date of the communication, and the electronic address of the person.

(5) "Conservator" means a person appointed under s. 54.76 to manage the estate of a living individual.

(6) "Content of an electronic communication" means information concerning the substance or meaning of a communication that satisfies all of the following:

(a) The information was sent or received by a user.

(b) The information is electronically stored by a custodian that provides an electronic communication service to the public or is carried or maintained by a custodian that provides a remote computing service to the public.

(7) "Court" means the circuit court having jurisdiction over a matter related to this chapter.

(8) "Custodian" means a person that carries, maintains, processes, receives, or stores a user's digital property.

(9) "Designated recipient" means a person chosen by the user using an online tool to administer the user's digital property.

(10) "Digital property" means an electronic record in which a person has a right or interest. "Digital property" does not include underlying property or an underlying liability unless the property or liability is itself an electronic record.

(11) "Electronic" means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.

(12) "Electronic communication" has the meaning given in 18 USC 2510 (12).

(13) "Electronic communication service" means a custodian that provides to a user the ability to send or receive an electronic communication.

(14) "Fiduciary" means an original, additional, or successor personal representative, conservator, guardian, agent, or trustee.

(15) "Governing instrument" has the meaning given in s. 854.01 (2).

(16) "Guardian" means a person appointed under s. 54.10.

(17) "Information" means data, text, images, videos, sounds, codes, computer programs, software, databases, or the like.

(18) "Online tool" means a setting provided by a custodian that allows the user, by an agreement between the custodian and user that is distinct from the user's assent to the terms of service, to provide directions for disclosure or nondisclosure of digital property to a designated recipient.

(19) "Person" means an individual, estate, business or nonprofit entity, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or other legal entity.

(20) "Personal representative" has the meaning given in s. 851.23, but also includes a special administrator and any person who, under the laws of this state other than this chapter, performs functions substantially similar to a personal representative, as defined in s. 851.23.

(21) "Power of attorney" means an instrument that grants an agent authority to act in the place of a principal.

(22) "Principal" means an individual who grants authority to an agent in a power of attorney.

(23) "Protected person" means all of the following:

1. An individual for whom a guardian is appointed.

2. An individual for whom a conservator is appointed.

(24) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

(25) "Remote computing service" means a custodian that provides to a user computer processing services or the storage of digital property by means of an electronic communications system, as defined in 18 USC 2510 (14).

(26) "Terms of service agreement" means an agreement that controls the relationship between a user and a custodian.

(27) "Trustee" means a person with legal title to an asset under an agreement or declaration that creates a beneficial interest in another. "Trustee" includes an original, additional, and successor trustee, and a cotrustee.

(28) "User" means a person that has an account with a custodian.

(29) "Will" includes a codicil and any document incorporated by reference in a testamentary document under s. 853.32 (1) or (2).

711.04 Priorities; user directions for disclosure of digital property.. (1) A user may use an online tool to direct the custodian to disclose to a designated recipient or not to disclose some or all of the user's digital property, including the content of electronic communications. If the online tool allows the user to modify or delete a direction at all times, a direction regarding disclosure using an online tool overrides a contrary direction by the user in a will, trust, power of attorney, or any other governing instrument.

(2) If a user has not used an online tool to give direction under sub. (1), or if the custodian has not provided an online tool, the user may allow or prohibit disclosure to a fiduciary of some or all of the user's digital property, including the content of electronic communications sent or received by the user, in a will, trust, power of attorney, or any other governing instrument.

(3) A user's direction under sub. (1) or (2) overrides a contrary provision in a terms of service agreement that does not require the user to act affirmatively and distinctly from the user's assent to the terms of service.

711.05 Disclosure of digital property; personal representative of a deceased user. (1) Digital property other than content of electronic communications. Unless a user prohibited disclosure of digital property or the court directs otherwise, a custodian shall disclose to the personal representative of the deceased user's estate a catalogue of electronic communications sent or received by the deceased user and digital property, other than the content of electronic communications sent or received by the deceased user, in which the deceased user's estate has a right or interest, if the personal representative gives the custodian all of the following:

(a) A written request for disclosure in physical or electronic form.

(b) A certified copy of the death certificate of the user.