AB37-engrossed,1,5 1An Act to repeal 11.26 (9) (c); to renumber and amend 11.50 (9); to amend
211.06 (1) (a), 11.12 (6), 11.19 (1), 11.26 (9) (a), 11.26 (9) (b), 11.26 (13), 11.30 (5)
3and 25.42; and to create 11.05 (3) (m), 11.05 (3) (q), 11.095, 11.26 (8m), 11.26
4(9) (am), 11.30 (6), 11.31 (3n) and 11.385 of the statutes; relating to: various
5changes in the campaign finance law.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Engrossment information:
The text of 1995 Engrossed Assembly Bill 37 consists of the following
documents adopted in the assembly on February 17, 1995: Assembly Substitute
Amendment 2, as affected by the following Assembly Amendments: Assembly
Amendment 17, Assembly Amendment 20 and Assembly Amendment 21.
Content of 1995 Engrossed Assembly Bill 37:
This bill makes numerous changes in the campaign finance law. Significant
changes include:
1. Under current law, disbursement (expenditure) levels are specified for
candidates for various state and local offices. These levels become a binding
limitation upon any candidate for state office who accepts a state grant from the
Wisconsin election campaign fund or who agrees to be bound by the limitation, unless
the candidate is opposed by a major opponent who could have qualified for a grant
but declines to accept one. Current law also requires a committee or individual
making disbursements independently of a candidate in support of or in opposition
to a candidate for a state or local office to inform the appropriate filing officer within
24 hours of making such a disbursement, if the cumulative amount of such
disbursements made by the committee or individual later than 15 days prior to a
primary or election exceeds $20. The filing officer must mail a copy of the report to

each candidate for the affected office. The bill authorizes a candidate to make
disbursements exceeding statutory disbursement limits to the extent of independent
obligations incurred or disbursements made in opposition to his or her candidacy or
in support of his or her opponent, if the obligations and disbursements exceed $250
cumulatively. The bill also replaces the provision requiring reports of cumulative
independent disbursements exceeding $20 made later than 15 days prior to a
primary or election with a provision that requires reports of cumulative independent
disbursements made or obligations incurred exceeding $250 later than 21 days prior
to a primary or election. In addition, the bill requires that a report be received by the
appropriate filing officer no later than 24 hours after the independent disbursement
is made or obligation is incurred. Under the bill, the filing officer must attempt to
contact each candidate for the affected office by direct means of communication to
inform the candidates of the content of the report.
2. Current law limits the total contributions that a candidate for state or local
office may accept from all political committees, including political party and
legislative campaign committees, and from the Wisconsin election campaign fund to
65% of the value of the statutory disbursement level specified for the office which the
candidate seeks. The total amount that a candidate may accept from committees
other than political party and legislative campaign committees and from the
Wisconsin election campaign fund is limited to 45% of that disbursement level. The
bill:
a. Authorizes a candidate to accept contributions exceeding 65% of his or her
disbursement level from political party or legislative campaign committees to the
extent of independent obligations incurred or disbursements made in opposition to
his or her candidacy or in support of his or her opponent, if the obligations or
disbursements exceed $250 cumulatively.
b. Decreases the limitation on total contributions that a candidate may accept
from committees other than political party and legislative campaign committees
from 45% of the disbursement level for the office which the candidate seeks to 33%
of the disbursement level for that office. However, the bill does not change the
limitation on the total grant that a candidate for state office may receive from the
Wisconsin election campaign fund. Under the bill, grants from the Wisconsin
election campaign fund are not subject to the 33% limitation.
3. The bill prohibits a special interest ("political action") committee from
making any contribution or contributions to another such committee. The
prohibition does not apply to any contribution or contributions made by a committee
to another committee with which it is affiliated, not exceeding a total of $5,000 within
any biennial period starting on January 1 of an odd-numbered year and ending on
December 31 of the following even-numbered year. The prohibition also does not
apply to a nonresident committee to the extent that the committee receives
contributions from a resident committee in a corresponding amount in the same
biennium, if both committees are affiliated.
Violations are punishable by a forfeiture (civil penalty) of up to treble the
amount of the contribution. Intentional violations constitute a misdemeanor and are

punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than
6 months or both.
4. Under current law, a "conduit" is an individual or organization that receives
a contribution and transfers the contribution to another individual or organization
without exercising discretion as to the amount that is transferred and the individual
to whom or the organization to which the transfer is made. The campaign financing
reports filed by the candidate identify only the original contributor, not the conduit.
The bill requires the campaign financing reports filed by candidates to identify any
conduit from whom a contribution is received, as well as the original contributor.
5. Under current law, residual funds remaining when a person who is required
to register under the campaign financing law disbands or ceases incurring
obligations, making disbursements or accepting contributions may be used for any
lawful political purpose, returned to the original contributors or donated to a
charitable organization or the common school fund. The bill allows residual funds
remaining when a registrant disbands or ceases incurring obligations, making
disbursements or accepting contributions to be transferred to the Wisconsin election
campaign fund.
6. The bill requires any individual, committee or group who or which is subject
to a registration requirement under the campaign finance law and who or which
retains a telephone bank operator to contact, or who requests or suggests that any
other person contact, by telephone, more than one potential voter for the purpose of
asking questions concerning the preferences of the potential voters with respect to
any candidate, political party or issue of public concern in relation to an election, or
to present any information or viewpoint with respect to any candidate, political party
or issue of public concern in relation to an election, to file a report with the elections
board containing the text of any substantially identical question asked or statement
made by the operator or any such question or statement requested or suggested to
be asked or made to more than one potential voter, in such manner that the board
receives the report within 24 hours of the time that the operator or other person
makes an initial contact with more than one potential voter. The report must include
the names and addresses of the operator and the person who retained the operator
or who requested or suggested that the contacts be made, the election with respect
to which the telephoning is conducted, and if the telephoning is not conducted on a
statewide basis, the name of each jurisdiction or district within which the
telephoning is conducted. Currently, there is no such requirement.
7. The bill requires any individual, committee or group who or which is subject
to a registration requirement under the campaign finance law and who or which
publishes, distributes or broadcasts, or causes to be published, distributed or
broadcast, any communication which advocates the election or defeat of a candidate
for state or local office independently of any candidate who is supported or whose
opponent is opposed to file with the state elections board a copy of the text of the
communication within 24 hours of the time that the communication is first
published, distributed or broadcast. Currently, there is no such requirement.
8. The bill prohibits any deduction from being made by an employer, or from
being received by an employer or an employe organization, from the wages or

reimbursements or allowances for expenses payable to an employe for the purpose
of making or transferring a political contribution to any individual, committee or
group in connection with a state or local election, unless the employe specifically
authorizes the deduction in writing and the authorization is revocable by similar
means. No authorization may be effective for a period of more than one year.
Currently, there is no such restriction. The bill also prohibits any person from
soliciting or obtaining an authorization for such a deduction by means of coercion,
physical force, employment discrimination or financial reprisals, or by threat of any
such action, or as a condition of employment.
9. Under current law, whenever a person receives payment from another
person, in cash or in-kind, for the direct or indirect cost of conducting a poll
concerning support or opposition to a candidate, political party or referendum, the
person conducting the poll must, upon request of the person who is polled, disclose
the name and address of the person making payment for the poll and, in the case of
a registrant under the campaign finance law, the name of the treasurer of the person
making payment. The bill provides that whenever a person is authorized to conduct
by another person, committee or group who or which is subject to a registration
requirement under the campaign finance law, and contracts to receive or receives
payment from such a person, committee or group for the direct or indirect cost of
conducting, a poll concerning such a matter, the person conducting the poll must, no
later than the conclusion of each polling communication and at any time upon
request of any person who is polled, disclose the name of the person, committee or
group authorizing the poll to be conducted, and the name of the person, committee
or group making payment for the poll, if different from the person, committee or
group authorizing the poll to be conducted.
10. The bill requires a nonresident committee, upon registration with the
appropriate filing officer under the Wisconsin campaign finance law, to report the
financial information that it would have been required to report for the previous
2-year period if it had been registered during that period, except information
relating to disbursements made or obligations incurred to make disbursements
outside this state. Currently, reporting requirements begin at the time that such a
committee becomes subject to a registration requirement.
With the exception of unlawful contributions, violations of the prohibitions or
requirements created by the bill are punishable by a forfeiture (civil penalty) of not
more than $500 for each offense. Intentional violations constitute a misdemeanor
and are punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more
than 6 months, or both, for each offense.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB37-engrossed, s. 1 1Section 1. 11.05 (3) (m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,5,3
111.05 (3) (m) In the case of a personal campaign committee, the name of the
2candidate on whose behalf the committee was formed or intends to operate and the
3office or offices that the candidate seeks.
AB37-engrossed, s. 2 4Section 2. 11.05 (3) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,5,95 11.05 (3) (q) In the case of a committee which does not maintain a street address
6within this state, a report providing the information required under s. 11.06 (1) for
7the 2-year period ending with the month in which the committee registers, except
8that the committee need not report any disbursement made or obligation incurred
9to make a disbursement outside this state.
AB37-engrossed, s. 3 10Section 3. 11.06 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,5,1611 11.06 (1) (a) An itemized statement giving the date, full name and street
12address of each contributor who has made a contribution in excess of $20, or whose
13contribution if $20 or less aggregates more than $20 for the calendar year, together
14with the amount of the contribution and the cumulative total contributions made by
15that contributor for the calendar year and, if the contributor made the contribution
16through a conduit, the identity of the conduit
.
AB37-engrossed, s. 4 17Section 4. 11.095 of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,5,20 1811.095 Regulation of certain telephoning activities. (1) In this section,
19"telephone bank operator" means any person who, for remuneration, places or
20directs the placement of telephone calls to individuals.
AB37-engrossed,6,17 21(2) Every individual, committee or group who or which is subject to a
22registration requirement under s. 11.05 and who or which retains a telephone bank
23operator to contact, or who requests or suggests that any other person contact, by
24telephone, more than one potential voter for the purpose of asking questions
25concerning the preferences of the potential voters with respect to any candidate,

1political party or issue of public concern in relation to an election or to present any
2information or viewpoint with respect to any candidate, political party or issue of
3public concern in relation to an election shall file a report with the board containing
4the text of any substantially identical question asked or statement made by the
5operator or any such question or statement requested or suggested to be asked or
6made to more than one potential voter, in such a manner that the board receives the
7report within 24 hours of the time that the operator or other person makes an initial
8contact with more than one potential voter during which the question is asked or the
9statement is made. The report shall include the name and address of the individual,
10committee or group who or which retained the telephone bank operator or who or
11which requested or suggested that the contacts be made; the name and address of the
12telephone bank operator, if any; the name and date of the election with respect to
13which the telephoning is conducted; and if the telephoning is not conducted on a
14statewide basis, the name of each jurisdiction or district within which the
15telephoning is conducted. The report shall be certified in the manner provided in s.
1611.06 (5). No person is required to file a report required under this section containing
17any information that has been previously filed by that person or another person.
AB37-engrossed, s. 5 18Section 5. 11.12 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,7,1819 11.12 (6) If any disbursement of more than $20 $250 cumulatively is made or
20obligation to make a disbursement of more than $250 cumulatively is incurred
to
21advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate by an individual or
22committee later than 15 21 days prior to a primary or election in which the
23candidate's name appears on the ballot without cooperation or consultation with a
24candidate or agent or authorized committee of a candidate who is supported or whose
25opponent is
opposed, and not in concert with or at the request or suggestion of such

1a candidate, agent or committee, the individual or treasurer of the committee shall,
2within 24 hours of
making the disbursement, inform or incurring the obligation shall
3report to
the appropriate filing officer of the information required under s. 11.06 (1)
4in the form prescribed by the board, in such manner as the board may prescribe that
5the report or a reasonable facsimile is received by the filing officer no later than 24
6hours after the disbursement is made or the obligation is incurred
. The information
7shall also be included in the next regular report of the individual or committee under
8s. 11.20. For purposes of this subsection, disbursements and obligations cumulate
9beginning with the day after the last date covered on the preprimary or preelection
10report and ending with the day before the primary or election. Upon receipt of a
11report by the board under this subsection, the board shall immediately attempt, by
12direct means of communication, such as by telephone or facsimile transmission, to
13inform all candidates for any office in support of or in opposition to one of whom a
14disbursement or obligation identified in the report is made or incurred of the content
15of the report.
Upon receipt of a report under this subsection, the board and every
16other
filing officer shall, within 24 hours of receipt, mail a copy of the report to all
17candidates for any office in support of or opposition to one of whom a disbursement
18or incurred obligation identified in the report is made or incurred.
AB37-engrossed, s. 6 19Section 6. 11.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,8,920 11.19 (1) Whenever any registrant disbands or determines that obligations will
21no longer be incurred, and contributions will no longer be received nor disbursements
22made during a calendar year, and the registrant has no outstanding incurred
23obligations, the registrant shall file a termination report with the appropriate filing
24officer. Such report shall indicate a cash balance on hand of zero at the end of the
25reporting period and shall indicate the disposition of residual funds. Residual funds

1may be used for any political purpose not prohibited by law, returned to the donors
2in an amount not exceeding the original contribution, transferred to the board for
3deposit in the Wisconsin election campaign fund,
or donated to a charitable
4organization or the common school fund. The report shall be filed and certified as
5were previous reports, and shall contain the information required by s. 11.06 (1). If
6a termination report or suspension report under sub. (2) is not filed, the registrant
7shall continue to file periodic reports with the appropriate filing officer, no later than
8the dates specified in s. 11.20. This subsection does not apply to any registrant
9making an indication under s. 11.05 (2r).
AB37-engrossed, s. 7 10Section 7. 11.26 (8m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,8,1511 11.26 (8m) (a) No committee, other than a personal campaign committee,
12support committee under s. 11.18, political party committee or legislative campaign
13committee, may make any contribution or contributions, directly or indirectly, to
14another committee, other than a personal campaign committee, support committee
15under s. 11.18, political party committee or legislative campaign committee.
AB37-engrossed,8,1916 (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any contribution or contributions made by
17a committee to another committee with which it is affiliated not exceeding a total of
18$5,000 in a biennium, exclusive of any contribution or contributions to which par. (c)
19applies.
AB37-engrossed,9,220 (c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any contribution or contributions made in
21any biennium by a committee which does not maintain an address within this state,
22to the extent that the committee receives any contribution or contributions in a
23corresponding amount from a committee which maintains an address in this state
24in the same biennium if both the committee that makes the contribution or

1contributions and the committee that receives the contribution or contributions are
2affiliated.
AB37-engrossed,9,73 (e) For purposes of this subsection, any committee established by a corporation,
4joint stock company, professional association or labor organization is considered to
5be affiliated with any other committee established by the same corporation,
6company, association or organization including any parent, subsidiary, branch,
7division, department or local unit thereof.
AB37-engrossed,9,108 (f) In this subsection, a biennium commences with January 1 of each
9odd-numbered year and ends with December 31 of the following even-numbered
10year.
AB37-engrossed, s. 8 11Section 8. 11.26 (9) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,9,1712 11.26 (9) (a) No Except as authorized in par. (am), no individual who is a
13candidate for state or local office may receive and accept more than 65% of the value
14of the total disbursement level, as determined under s. 11.31 (1), for the office for
15which he or she is a candidate during any primary and election campaign combined
16from all committees that are subject to a filing requirement, including political party
17and legislative campaign committees.
AB37-engrossed, s. 9 18Section 9. 11.26 (9) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,9,2519 11.26 (9) (am) If any incurred obligation or disbursement of more than $250
20cumulatively is incurred or made by an individual or committee to advocate the
21election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate whose name appears on the ballot
22at an election and the incurred obligation or disbursement is incurred or made
23without cooperation or consultation with any candidate who is supported or whose
24opponent is opposed or such a candidate's agent or authorized committee, and not in
25concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, any such candidate, agent or

1authorized committee, then each candidate whose name appears on the same ballot
2and who is opposed or whose opponent is supported by that advocacy may receive and
3accept from a political party or legislative campaign committee contributions in
4addition to the value prescribed in par. (a) but not to exceed, in total, the value
5prescribed in par. (a) plus the total value of incurred obligations and disbursements
6that are reported to the appropriate filing officer under s. 11.12 (6). For the purposes
7of this paragraph, obligations and disbursements cumulate as provided in s. 11.12
8(6).
AB37-engrossed, s. 10 9Section 10. 11.26 (9) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,10,1510 11.26 (9) (b) No individual who is a candidate for state or local office may receive
11and accept more than 45% 33% of the value of the total disbursement level, as
12determined under s. 11.31 (1), for the office for which he or she is a candidate during
13any primary and election campaign combined from all committees other than
14political party and legislative campaign committees that are subject to a filing
15requirement.
AB37-engrossed, s. 11 16Section 11. 11.26 (9) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
AB37-engrossed, s. 12 17Section 12. 11.26 (13) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,10,2018 11.26 (13) Except as provided in sub. (9), contributions Contributions received
19from the Wisconsin election campaign fund are not subject to limitation by this
20section.
AB37-engrossed, s. 12m 21Section 12m. 11.30 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,11,822 11.30 (5) Whenever any person is authorized to conduct by a person, committee
23or group who or which is subject to a registration requirement under s. 11.05, and
24contracts to receive or
receives payment from another any such person, committee
25or group
, in cash or in-kind, for the direct or indirect cost of conducting, a poll

1concerning support or opposition to a candidate, political party or referendum that
2is conducted within 60 days before an election
, the person conducting the poll shall,
3no later than the conclusion of each polling communication and at any time upon
4request of any person who is polled, disclose the name and address of the person,
5committee or group authorizing the poll to be conducted, and the name of the person,
6committee or group
making payment for the poll and, in the case of a registrant under
7s. 11.05, the name of the treasurer of the person making payment
if different from
8the person, committee or group authorizing the poll to be conducted
.
AB37-engrossed, s. 13 9Section 13. 11.30 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,11,2410 11.30 (6) Every individual, committee or group who or which is subject to a
11registration requirement under s. 11.05 and who or which publishes, distributes or
12broadcasts, or causes to be published, distributed or broadcast, any communication
13which advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate without
14cooperation or consultation with a candidate or agent or authorized committee of a
15candidate who is supported or whose opponent is opposed, and not in concert with
16or at the request or suggestion of such a candidate, agent or committee shall file with
17the board, in writing, a copy of the text of the communication, together with the name
18of the person who is publishing, distributing or broadcasting the communication or
19causing it to be published, distributed or broadcast and that person's address, in such
20manner that the text is received by the board within 24 hours of the time that the
21communication is first published, distributed or broadcast. The report shall be
22certified in the manner prescribed in s. 11.06 (5). No person is required to file the text
23of a communication with the board under this subsection that has been previously
24filed by that person or another person.
AB37-engrossed, s. 14 25Section 14. 11.31 (3n) of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,12,15
111.31 (3n) Independent disbursements; exception. Notwithstanding subs. (1)
2and (2), if any incurred obligation or disbursement of more than $250 cumulatively
3is incurred or made by an individual or committee to advocate the election or defeat
4of a clearly identified candidate whose name appears on the ballot at an election and
5the incurred obligation or disbursement is incurred or made without cooperation or
6consultation with any candidate who is supported or whose opponent is opposed or
7such a candidate's agent or authorized committee, and not in concert with, or at the
8request or suggestion of, any such candidate, agent or authorized committee, then
9each candidate whose name appears on the same ballot and who is opposed or whose
10opponent is supported by that advocacy may make or authorize total disbursements
11from the campaign treasury in excess of the amount prescribed in sub. (1) but not to
12exceed, in total, the amount prescribed in sub. (1) plus the total amount of incurred
13obligations and disbursements that are reported to the appropriate filing officer
14under s. 11.12 (6). For the purposes of this subsection, obligations and
15disbursements cumulate as provided in s. 11.12 (6).
AB37-engrossed, s. 15 16Section 15. 11.385 of the statutes is created to read:
AB37-engrossed,12,18 1711.385 Certain deductions for political purposes prohibited. (1) In this
18section:
AB37-engrossed,12,2019 (a) "Employe organization" means any association consisting of 2 or more
20employes of one or more employers.
AB37-engrossed,12,2221 (b) "Employer" includes the state and every local governmental unit as defined
22in s. 16.97 (7).
AB37-engrossed,13,3 23(2) No employer may deduct any amount from the wages or allowances or
24reimbursements for expenses payable to an employe for the purpose of making or
25transferring a contribution to any individual, committee or group, without a written

1authorization, signed by the employe and effective for a period of not more than one
2year, which specifically authorizes the deduction for the purpose of making or
3transferring such a contribution.
AB37-engrossed,13,6 4(3) No employer or employe organization may make or transfer a contribution
5to any individual, committee or group unless the deduction is made in compliance
6with sub. (2).
AB37-engrossed,13,17 7(4) Every employer who makes a deduction and every employer and employe
8organization to which a deduction is payable for the purpose of making or
9transferring a contribution specified in sub. (3) shall provide to the employe who
10authorizes the deduction to be made an opportunity to terminate the deduction prior
11to the end of its effective period upon written notice to the employer making the
12deduction, or to the employer or employe organization for which the deduction is
13made. A termination of an authorization under this subsection is effective at such
14time as may be agreed between the employe and the employe's employer or the
15employer or employe organization for which the deduction is made, but in no case
16later than the number of days after notice of termination is filed equal to the interval
17between regular payments to the employe from which the deduction is taken.
AB37-engrossed,13,22 18(5) No person may solicit or obtain an authorization for a deduction from the
19wages or allowances or reimbursements for expenses payable to an employe for the
20purpose of making or transferring a contribution to any individual, committee or
21group by means of coercion, physical force, employment discrimination or financial
22reprisals, or by threat of any such action, or as a condition of employment.
AB37-engrossed, s. 16 23Section 16. 11.50 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 11.50 (9) (a) and amended
24to read:
AB37-engrossed,14,5
111.50 (9) (a) The total grant available to an eligible candidate may not exceed
2that amount which, when added to all other contributions accepted from sources
3other than individuals, political party committees and legislative campaign
4committees, is equal to 45% of the disbursement level specified for the applicable
5office, as determined under s. 11.31 (1).
AB37-engrossed,14,9 6(b) The board shall scrutinize accounts and reports and records kept under this
7chapter to assure that applicable limitations under ss. 11.26 (9) and s. 11.31 are not
8exceeded and any violation is reported. No candidate or campaign treasurer may
9accept grants exceeding the amount authorized by this subsection.
AB37-engrossed, s. 19 10Section 19. 25.42 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB37-engrossed,14,16 1125.42 Wisconsin election campaign fund. All moneys appropriated under
12s. 20.855 (4) (b) together with all moneys deposited under s. 11.19 (1), all moneys
13reverting to the state under s. 11.50 (8) and all gifts, bequests and devises received
14under s. 11.50 (13) constitute the Wisconsin election campaign fund, to be expended
15for the purposes of s. 11.50. All moneys in the fund not disbursed by the state
16treasurer shall continue to accumulate indefinitely.
AB37-engrossed, s. 20 17Section 20. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after
18publication, except as follows:
AB37-engrossed,14,20 19(1) The treatment of section 11.06 (1) (a) of the statutes takes effect on January
201, 1996.
AB37-engrossed,14,22 21(2) The treatment of section 11.385 of the statutes takes effect on the first day
22of the 2nd month commencing after publication.
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