Emergency rules now in effect
Under s. 227.24, Stats., state agencies may promulgate rules without complying with the usual rule-making procedures. Using this special procedure to issue emergency rules, an agency must find that either the preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates its action in bypassing normal rule-making procedures.
Emergency rules are published in the official state newspaper, which is currently the Wisconsin State Journal. Emergency rules are in effect for 150 days and can be extended up to an additional 120 days with no single extension to exceed 60 days.
Extension of the effective period of an emergency rule is granted at the discretion of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules under s. 227.24 (2), Stats.
Notice of all emergency rules which are in effect must be printed in the Wisconsin Administrative Register. This notice will contain a brief description of the emergency rule, the agency finding of emergency, date of publication, the effective and expiration dates, any extension of the effective period of the emergency rule and information regarding public hearings on the emergency rule.
Copies of emergency rule orders can be obtained from the promulgating agency. The text of current emergency rules can be viewed at www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code.
Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection - (3)
1. Rule adopted repealing s. ATCP 134.06 (3) (c) note and creating s. ATCP 134.06 (3) (d), relating to residential rental practices.
Exemption from finding of emergency
On June 21, 2000, the Legislature's Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) found that the “note" to s. ATCP 134.06 (3) (c) is actually a rule and directed DATCP to adopt the “note" as an emergency rule. According to s. 227.26 (2) (b), Stats., DATCP must promulgate the emergency rule under s. 227.24 (1) (a), Stats., within 30 days after the JCRAR directs DATCP to do so. Because the JCRAR has directed DATCP to adopt this emergency rule, DATCP is not required to make any other finding of emergency.
Analysis prepared by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) administers state landlord-tenant rules contained in ch. ATCP 134, Wis. Adm. Code. These rules affect over 1.5 million Wisconsin residents.
This emergency rule modifies current residential rental practices rules related to security deposit withholding. Under current rules, a landlord may not withhold a security deposit for normal wear and tear, or for other damages or losses for which the tenant cannot reasonably be held responsible. A “note" to s. ATCP 134.06 (3) (c) also states that a landlord may not withhold from a tenant's security deposit for routine painting or carpet cleaning, where there is no unusual damage caused by tenant neglect.
Publication Date:
July 20, 2000
Effective Date:
July 20, 2000
Expiration Date:
December 18, 2000
Extension Through:
April 16, 2001
2. Rules adopted creating
ch. ATCP 16, relating to importing bovine animals, goats or cervids from a state designated by USDA as a tuberculosis “non-modified accredited" state.
Finding of Emergency
(1) Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious, infectious and communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). It affects cattle, bison, deer, elk, goats and other species, including humans. Bovine tuberculosis in infected animals and humans manifests itself in lesions of the lung, bone, and other body parts. Bovine tuberculosis causes weight loss and general debilitation, and can be fatal.
(2) Wisconsin is currently classified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as “accredited-free" for tuberculosis.
(3) The USDA recently reclassified Michigan from “accredited-free" to “non-modified accredited," reflecting a higher risk of bovine tuberculosis.
(4) A significant number of bovine animals, goats and cervids are imported to Wisconsin from Michigan each year.
(5) The last known case of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in Wisconsin was confirmed in an animal imported from Michigan.
(6) If bovine tuberculosis becomes established in Wisconsin, it will pose a significant threat to the health of domestic animals and humans in this state.
(7) An emergency rule is needed to protect the public peace, health, safety and welfare. This emergency rule will help to control a serious disease in cattle, goats and cervids and will help protect the marketability of Wisconsin-raised animals.
Publication Date:
August 11, 2000
Effective Date:
August 11, 2000
Expiration Date:
January 8, 2001
Hearing Date:
September 19, 2000
Extension Through:
March 8, 2001
3. Rules adopted creating s. ATCP 10.21 (10) (c) and (15) relating to reimbursement of Johne's disease testing costs.
Finding of Emergency
The state of Wisconsin department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection (“department") finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
1. 1999 Wisconsin Act 9 was published on October 28, 1999. It appropriates $100,000 for financial assistance to owners of livestock herds for conducting testing for Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) for FY 2000-01. It requires the department to provide the financial assistance.
2. 1999 Wisconsin Act 9 requires the department to promulgate rules for implementing the financial assistance program.
3. Permanent rules establishing the program will not take effect before June 1, 2001. This emergency rule establishes an interim procedure which will allow owners of livestock herds to apply for grants under this program. Without this rule, no person would be able to apply for a grant in FY 2000-01 until at least June 1, 2001, and the department would have insufficient time to review and process the grant requests before the end of the fiscal year.
Publication Date:
January 1, 2001
Effective Date:
January 1, 2001
Expiration Date:
May 31, 2001
Hearing Date:
February 13, 2002
Commerce
(Flammable and Combustible Liquids - Ch. Comm 10)
Rules adopted revising s. Comm 10.345
, relating to the effective date of required upgrades to aboveground bulk tanks that were in existence on May 1, 1991.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Commerce finds that an emergency exists and that the adoption of a rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of public health, safety and welfare. The facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
Wisconsin Administrative Code ch. Comm 10, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, became effective on 5/1/91. Section Comm 10.345 (2) contains requirements for bulk tanks in existence on that date to be provided with specific containment or leak detection upgrades within 10 years of that date. Some concerns have been expressed on the impact that compliance date could have on heating oil supplies and prices this winter. Construction requirements could result in a substantial number of tanks storing heating oil to be closed during the winter heating season in preparation for the required upgrades.
Based on these concerns, the department has agreed to extend the compliance deadline for 3 months until 8/1/01 if approvable tank system upgrade plans have been submitted to the department by 2/1/01.
Publication Date:
January 6, 2001
Effective Date:
January 6, 2001
Expiration Date:
June 4, 2001
Hearing Date:
February 27, 2001
[See Notice this Register]
Commerce
(Ch. Comm 46)
Rules adopted creating ch. Comm 46, relating to “Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Interagency Responsibilities," and relating to site contaminated with petroleum products from petroleum storage tanks.
Exemption from finding of emergency
(See section 9110 (3yu) 1999 Wis. Act 9)
Analysis prepared by the Department of Commerce
Statutory authority: ss. 227.11 (2) (a) and 227.24 and s. 9110 (3yu) (b) of 1999 Wis. Act 9.
Statutes interpreted: ss. 101.143, 101.144, 292.11, and 292.31 and ch. 160
The proposed ch. Comm 46 is identical to ch. NR 746 that is being promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources.
Chapter Comm 46 provides that the Department of Natural Resources has authority for “high-risk sites" and that the Department of Commerce has authority for “low and medium risk sites." The rule requires the Department of Natural Resources to transfer authority for sites with petroleum contamination from petroleum storage tanks to the Department of Commerce once the site is classified, unless the site is classified as a “high-risk site" or the site is contaminated by one or more hazardous substances other than petroleum products discharged from a petroleum storage tank. The rule also establishes procedures for transferring sites from one agency to the other whenever new information relevant to the site classification becomes available.
Chapter Comm 46 also provides jointly developed requirements for:
1. Selecting remedial bids and the setting of remediation targets for sites that are competitively bid or bundled with another site or sites.
2. Determining when sites may close.
3. Determining when remediation by natural attenuation may be approved as the final remedial action for a petroleum-contaminated site.
4.Tracking the achievement of remediation progress and success.
5. Reporting of program activities.
Publication Date:
May 17, 2000
Effective Date:
May 18, 2000
Expiration Date:
October 15, 2000
Hearing Dates:
June 15, July 10 & 12, 2000
Extension Through:
February 11, 2001
Employment Relations Commission
Rules were adopted amending ch. ERC 3, Appendices A, B and C relating to the calculation of a qualified economic offer in collective bargaining with professional school district employees.
Finding of Emergency
As required by s. 227.24 (1), Stats., we find that it is necessary to promulgate the amendment to ch. ERC 33, Appendices A, B, and C as an emergency rule to preserve the public peace, health, safety and welfare. Absent promulgation of this emergency rule, the timely and peaceful resolution of collective bargaining disputes in Wisconsin will be endangered.
The amendment of ch. ERC 33, Appendices A, B and C is required by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9's amendment of the statutory definition of a qualified economic offer in s. 111.70(1)(nc)1.c., Stats., and the ruling of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in Racine Education Ass'n v. WERC, 238, Wis.2d 33 (2000). The amended statutory definition of qualified economic offer first applies to school district professional employee bargaining agreements covering the period of July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2003.
As amended, ch. ERC 33, Appendices A, B and C allow a school district to accurately calculate the level of salary increase, if any, which the district must offer to the labor organization representing the district's professional employees as part of a qualified economic offer. As amended, ch. ERC 33, Appendices A, B and C implement (1) the statutory requirement that salary increases due to a promotion or the attainment of increased professional qualifications are not part of a qualified economic offer; and (2) the ruling of the Court in Racine Education Ass'n v. WERC that a qualified economic offer cannot exceed a 3.8% increase in salary and fringe benefit costs.
Publication Date:
January 22, 2001
Effective Date:
January 22, 2001
Expiration Date:
June 20, 2001
Financial Institutions - Division of Securities
Rules adopted revising ch. DFI-Sec 5, relating to adopting for use in Wisconsin the Investment Adviser Registration Depository.
