AB265,9,107 (b) No later than the 15th or the last day of the month which immediately
8follows the date of receipt of a qualifying contribution, whichever comes first, file a
9copy of the receipt under par. (a) with the board, except that during July, August, and
10September a copy need only be filed by the last day of the month.
AB265,9,12 11(5) A qualifying contribution may be used only for the purpose of making a
12disbursement authorized by law.
AB265,9,20 1311.503 Time of application. (1) Before a candidate may be certified as
14eligible for receipt of a public financing benefit for the spring election, the candidate
15shall apply to the board and file a sworn statement that the candidate has fulfilled
16all the requirements of ss. 11.502 to 11.522 during the primary election campaign
17period and will comply with such requirements during the election campaign period.
18Except as authorized in s. 8.35 (4) (b), the application shall be filed no later than the
197th day after the date of the spring primary or the date that the primary election
20would be held if a primary were required.
AB265,9,24 21(2) The board shall certify a candidate as an eligible candidate for receipt of a
22public financing benefit for the spring election if the candidate complies with sub. (1)
23and the candidate was an eligible candidate during the primary election campaign
24period.
AB265,10,8
111.505 Agreement by candidate. An eligible candidate who accepts a public
2financing benefit under ss. 11.502 to 11.522 during the primary election campaign
3period shall agree to comply with all requirements of ss. 11.502 to 11.522 throughout
4the election campaign period during the same campaign as a precondition to receipt
5of a public financing benefit. An eligible candidate who accepts a public financing
6benefit during a primary election campaign period may not elect to accept private
7contributions in violation of ss. 11.502 to 11.522 during the corresponding election
8campaign period.
AB265,10,12 911.506 Requirements imposed upon candidates. (1) An eligible
10candidate shall not accept private contributions other than seed money
11contributions and qualifying contributions that the candidate accepts during the
12exploratory period and the public financing qualifying period.
AB265,10,20 13(2) In addition to reports required to be filed under ss. 11.12 (5) and 11.20, a
14candidate who receives a public financing benefit shall furnish complete financial
15records, including records of seed money contributions, qualifying contributions, and
16disbursements, to the board on the 15th or the last day of the month that
17immediately follows the receipt of the contribution or the making of the
18disbursement, whichever comes first, except that during July, August, and
19September records need only be furnished by the last day of the month. Each such
20candidate shall cooperate with any audit or examination by the board.
AB265,11,4 21(3) In addition to adhering to requirements imposed under ss. 11.06 (5) and
2211.12 (3), a candidate who receives a public financing benefit shall maintain records
23of all contributions received by the candidate of more than $5 but less than $50,
24including seed money contributions and qualifying contributions, which shall
25contain the full name of the contributor and the contributor's full home address. In

1addition, if a contributor's aggregate contributions to any candidate exceed $50 for
2any campaign, the candidate shall also maintain a record of the contributor's
3principal occupation and the name and business address of the contributor's place
4of employment.
AB265,11,7 5(4) The failure to record or provide the information specified in sub. (3)
6disqualifies a contribution from being used by a candidate as a qualifying
7contribution.
AB265,11,10 8(5) No eligible candidate and no person acting on a candidate's behalf may
9deposit any contribution that is not recorded in accordance with sub. (3) in a
10candidate's campaign depository account.
AB265,11,14 11(6) No eligible candidate may accept more than $25 in cash from any
12contributor. No eligible candidate may accept cash from all sources in a total amount
13greater than one-tenth of 1 percent of the public financing benefit for the office that
14the candidate seeks or $500, whichever is greater.
AB265,11,17 1511.507 Personal funds of candidates. (1) The personal funds of a candidate
16contributed as seed money contributions may not exceed an aggregate amount of
17$5,000.
AB265,11,19 18(2) No eligible candidate may make any disbursement derived from personal
19funds after the close of the public financing qualifying period.
AB265,12,2 2011.508 Seed money contributions. (1) An eligible candidate may accept
21seed money contributions from any individual or committee prior to the end of the
22public financing qualifying period, provided the total contributions received from one
23contributor, except personal funds and qualifying contributions otherwise permitted
24under ss. 11.502 to 11.522, do not exceed $100, and the aggregate contributions,

1including personal funds, but not including qualifying contributions, do not exceed
2$5,000.
AB265,12,5 3(2) An eligible candidate may make disbursements derived from seed money
4contributions only during the exploratory period and the public financing qualifying
5period.
AB265,12,12 611.509 Excess contributions. If an eligible candidate receives and accepts
7excess seed money contributions or qualifying contributions in an aggregate amount
8greater than the limits prescribed in s. 11.502 (2) or 11.508 (1), the candidate shall
9transfer to the board all seed money and qualifying contributions that exceed the
10limits prescribed in this section within 48 hours after the end of the public financing
11qualifying period. The board shall deposit all contributions transferred under this
12section in the democracy trust fund.
AB265,12,19 1311.51 Certification by candidate. (1) To apply for a public financing benefit,
14a candidate shall certify to the board that the candidate has complied and will
15comply, throughout the applicable campaign, with all requirements of ss. 11.502 to
1611.522 and that all disclosures required as of the time of application have been made,
17and shall present evidence of the requisite number of qualifying contributions
18received by the candidate. The candidate's request for certification shall be signed
19by the candidate and the candidate's campaign treasurer.
AB265,13,2 20(2) The board shall certify to the state treasurer the name of each eligible
21candidate at the spring primary together with the amount of the public financing
22benefit payable to the candidate promptly after the candidate demonstrates his or
23her eligibility and, in any event, not later than 5 days after the end of the public
24financing qualifying period. The state treasurer shall immediately credit that
25candidate's account with a line of credit for the amount certified. No candidate may

1utilize a line of credit received under this subsection until the beginning of the
2primary election campaign period.
AB265,13,11 3(3) The board shall certify to the state treasurer the name of each eligible
4candidate at the spring election together with the amount of the public financing
5benefit payable to the candidate not later than 48 hours after the date of the spring
6primary election for the office of justice, or the date that the primary election would
7be held if a primary were required. The state treasurer shall immediately credit that
8candidate's account with a line of credit for the amount certified. However, no
9candidate for a particular office shall receive a line of credit until all candidates for
10the office of justice who apply and qualify for a public financing benefit have been
11certified as eligible candidates.
AB265,13,17 12(4) If any candidate who receives a public financing benefit violates the
13requirements of ss. 11.502 to 11.522, the board shall require the candidate to repay
14the amount obligated by the candidate from the democracy trust fund for the primary
15or election campaign period for which the candidate received the benefit. The board
16shall deposit all repayments received under this subsection in the democracy trust
17fund.
AB265,14,2 1811.511 Public financing benefits. (1) The state treasurer shall provide to
19each eligible candidate who qualifies to receive a public financing benefit for the
20primary or election campaign period separate lines of credit for the public financing
21benefits payable to the candidate for the primary and election campaign periods in
22the amounts specified in this section. An eligible candidate may use this public
23financing benefit to finance any lawful disbursements during the primary and
24election campaign periods to further the election of the candidate in that primary or

1election. An eligible candidate shall not use this public financing benefit to repay any
2loan, or in violation of ss. 11.502 to 11.522 or any other applicable law.
AB265,14,4 3(2) The public financing benefit for a primary election campaign period is
4$100,000.
AB265,14,5 5(3) The public financing benefit for an election campaign period is $300,000.
AB265,14,7 6(4) If there is no spring primary for the office of justice, no eligible candidate
7may receive a public financing benefit for the primary election campaign period.
AB265,14,12 8(5g) An eligible candidate who receives a public financing benefit in the
9primary election campaign period and whose name is certified to appear on the ballot
10at the election following that primary may utilize any unencumbered balance of the
11public financing benefit received by the candidate in the primary election campaign
12period for the election campaign period.
AB265,14,17 13(5r) Except as permitted in sub. (5g), an eligible candidate who receives a
14public financing benefit and who does not encumber or expend some portion of the
15benefit for a purpose described in sub. (1) shall return any unencumbered portion of
16the benefit to the board within 30 days after the primary or election in which the
17candidate participates.
AB265,14,22 18(6) Notwithstanding subs. (2) and (3), beginning on July 1, 2018, and every 2
19years thereafter, the board shall modify the public financing benefits provided for in
20subs. (2) and (3) to adjust for the change in the consumer price index, all items, U.S.
21city average, published by the U.S. department of labor for the preceding 2-year
22period ending on December 31.
AB265,15,5 23(7) No candidate for the office of justice who files an application for a public
24financing benefit and certification under s. 11.51 (1) and who accepts a public
25financing benefit may make or authorize total disbursements in a campaign,

1beginning with the first day of the exploratory period and ending on the date of the
2spring election, to the extent of more than the maximum amounts specified in ss.
311.502 (2) and 11.508 (1), plus the amount specified in s. 11.511 (3), as adjusted under
4s. 11.511 (6), and, if there is a primary for the office of justice, the amount specified
5in s. 11.511 (2), as adjusted under s. 11.511 (6).
AB265,15,8 611.515 Democracy trust fund. The democracy trust fund shall be
7administered by the state treasurer. The state treasurer shall establish an account
8within the fund for each eligible candidate.
AB265,15,11 911.516 Administration. Except as otherwise specifically provided in ss.
1011.501 to 11.522, the duties of and authority for administering and enforcing ss.
1111.501 to 11.522 are vested in the board.
AB265,15,17 1211.517 Penalties; enforcement. (1) Notwithstanding s. 11.60 (1), if an
13eligible candidate makes disbursements that exceed the total amount of the public
14financing benefit allocated to the candidate for any campaign and the total
15qualifying and seed money contributions lawfully accepted by the candidate, the
16candidate may be required to forfeit not more than 10 times the amount by which the
17disbursements exceed the allocation.
AB265,15,21 18(2) Notwithstanding s. 11.60 (1), any eligible candidate who accepts
19contributions in excess of any limitation imposed under ss. 11.502 to 11.522 may be
20required to forfeit not more than 10 times the amount by which the contributions
21exceed the applicable limitation.
AB265,16,4 22(3) If the board finds that there is probable cause to believe that an eligible
23candidate has made excess disbursements or has accepted excess contributions
24contrary to sub. (1) or (2), the board shall attempt for a period of not more than 14
25days after its finding to correct the matter by informal methods of conference and

1conciliation and to enter into a settlement and conciliation agreement under s. 5.05
2(1) (c) with the person involved. A settlement and conciliation agreement made
3pursuant to this subsection shall be a matter of public record. Unless violated, a
4settlement and conciliation agreement is a bar to any civil action under sub. (4).
AB265,16,10 5(4) If the board has probable cause to believe that an eligible candidate has
6made excess disbursements or has accepted excess contributions and the board is
7unable to correct the matter by informal methods within the time prescribed in sub.
8(3), the board shall make a public finding of probable cause in the matter. After
9making a public finding, the board may bring a civil action against the eligible
10candidate as provided in s. 5.05 (1) (c).
AB265,16,18 11(5) If an elector believes that an eligible candidate has violated ss. 11.502 to
1211.522 and the elector is entitled to vote for or against the eligible candidate in the
13election in connection with which the violation is alleged to occur, the elector may file
14a complaint with the board requesting it to take remedial action. If the board refuses
15to take remedial action or, within 30 days after the filing of such a complaint, fails
16to take remedial action, the elector may commence a civil action requesting the court
17to impose a forfeiture under sub. (1) or (2) in circuit court for the county where the
18board is authorized to bring an action under s. 5.05 (1) (c).
AB265,16,21 19(6) The board and courts shall expedite all proceedings under ss. 11.502 to
2011.522 so that all complaints brought prior to an election are resolved, to the extent
21possible, before the election is held.
AB265,16,25 22(7) If a complaint brought under ss. 11.502 to 11.522 is resolved against the
23complainant and is found to have been brought in bad faith and without reasonable
24basis therefor, the board or court may assess costs, including reasonable attorney
25fees, against the complainant.
AB265,17,6
111.518 Prohibited acts. (1) Notwithstanding s. 11.61 (1) (c), if an eligible
2candidate or agent of a candidate knowingly accepts more contributions than the
3candidate is entitled to receive, or makes disbursements exceeding the total amount
4of the public financing benefit received by the candidate and the qualifying and seed
5money contributions lawfully received by the candidate, the candidate or agent is
6guilty of a Class G felony.
AB265,17,10 7(2) Notwithstanding s. 11.61 (1) (c), if in connection with the receipt or
8disbursement of a public financing benefit for an election campaign, any person
9knowingly provides false information to the board, or knowingly conceals or
10withholds information from the board, that person is guilty of a Class G felony.
AB265,17,14 1111.522 Contributions to nonparticipating candidates. A
12nonparticipating candidate may accept contributions from private sources without
13limitation, except that no person may make any contribution or contributions to a
14nonparticipating candidate exceeding a total of $1,000 during any campaign.
AB265,13 15Section 13. 11.60 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB265,17,2216 11.60 (4) Except as otherwise provided in ss. 5.05 (2m) (c) 15. and 16. and (h),
175.08, and 5.081, actions under this section or 11.517 may be brought by the board or
18by the district attorney for the county where the defendant resides or, if the
19defendant is a nonresident, by the district attorney for the county where the violation
20is alleged to have occurred. For purposes of this subsection, a person other than a
21natural person resides within a county if the person's principal place of operation is
22located within that county.
AB265,14 23Section 14. 11.61 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB265,18,524 11.61 (2) Except as otherwise provided in ss. 5.05 (2m) (c) 15. and 16. and (i),
255.08, and 5.081, all prosecutions under this section or s. 11.518 shall be conducted

1by the district attorney for the county where the defendant resides or, if the
2defendant is a nonresident, by the district attorney for the county where the violation
3is alleged to have occurred. For purposes of this subsection, a person other than a
4natural person resides within a county if the person's principal place of operation is
5located within that county.
AB265,15 6Section 15. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place,
7insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF
AB265,16
1Section 16. 20.511 (1) (r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,32 20.511 (1) (r) Democracy trust fund administration. From the democracy trust
3fund, the amounts in the schedule for the administration of ss. 11.501 to 11.522.
AB265,17 4Section 17. 20.585 (1) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,75 20.585 (1) (q) Public financing benefits; candidates for justice. From the
6democracy trust fund, a sum sufficient to provide for payment of public financing
7benefits to eligible candidates under ss. 11.501 to 11.522.
AB265,18 8Section 18. 20.585 (1) (r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,109 20.585 (1) (r) Democracy trust fund administration. From the democracy trust
10fund, the amounts in the schedule for the administration of ss. 11.501 to 11.522.
AB265,19 11Section 19. 20.855 (4) (ba) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,1412 20.855 (4) (ba) Democracy trust fund payments. A sum sufficient equal to the
13amounts determined under s. 71.10 (3) to be paid into the democracy trust fund
14annually on August 15.
AB265,20 15Section 20. 20.855 (4) (bb) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,2116 20.855 (4) (bb) Democracy trust fund transfer. A sum sufficient equal to the
17difference between the unencumbered balance in the democracy trust fund and the
18amounts required to provide public financing benefits that candidates qualify to
19receive from the democracy trust fund, to be transferred from the general fund to the
20democracy trust fund no later than the time required to make payments of grants
21under s. 11.51 (2) and (3).
AB265,21 22Section 21. 25.17 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,19,2323 25.17 (1) (cm) Democracy trust fund (s. 25.421);
AB265,22 24Section 22. 25.421 of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,20,4
125.421 Democracy trust fund. All moneys appropriated under s. 20.855 (4)
2(ba) and (bb) and all moneys deposited in the state treasury under ss. 11.509, 11.51
3(4), and 11.511 (5r) constitute the democracy trust fund, to be expended for the
4purposes of ss. 11.501 to 11.522.
AB265,23 5Section 23. 71.10 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,20,106 71.10 (3) Campaign fund. (a) Every individual filing an income tax return who
7has a tax liability or is entitled to a tax refund may designate $2 for the democracy
8trust fund for the use of eligible candidates under s. 11.51. If the individuals filing
9a joint return have a tax liability or are entitled to a tax refund, each individual may
10make a designation of $2 under this subsection.
AB265,20,1811 (b) The secretary of revenue shall provide a place for those designations on the
12face of the individual income tax return and shall provide next to that place a
13statement that a designation will not increase tax liability. Annually on August 15,
14the secretary of revenue shall certify to the government accountability board, the
15department of administration and the state treasurer the total amount of
16designations made during the preceding fiscal year. If any individual attempts to
17place any condition or restriction upon a designation, that individual is deemed not
18to have made a designation on his or her tax return.
AB265,20,2019 (c) The names of persons making designations under this subsection shall be
20strictly confidential.
AB265,24 21Section 24. Initial applicability.
AB265,21,222 (1) The treatment of section 71.10 (3) of the statutes first applies to taxable
23years beginning on January 1 of the year in which this subsection takes effect, except
24that if this subsection takes effect after July 31 the treatment first applies to taxable

1years beginning on January 1 of the year following the year in which this subsection
2takes effect.
AB265,25 3Section 25. Effective date.
AB265,21,44 (1) This act takes effect on December 1 following the date of publication.
AB265,21,55 (End)
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