AB537: Bill Text

LRB-1386/1

JTK:skg:km

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Assembly BILL 537

September 1, 1995 - Introduced by Representatives Black, Vander Loop, Hanson, La Fave, Plache, Wasserman, Wilder, Dueholm, Springer, Baldwin, L. Young and Meyer, cosponsored by Senator Wineke. Referred to Committee on Elections and Constitutional Law.

AB537,1,2 An Act to repeal 15.07 (1) (a) 2. and 19.42 (10) (a); and to amend 15.61 of the statutes; relating to: the composition of the elections board.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, the elections board consists of 8 members appointed by the governor for 2-year terms without senate confirmation. One member is selected by the governor and one member each is designated by the chief justice of the supreme court, the speaker of the assembly, the senate majority leader, the minority leader in each house of the legislature, and the chief officer of each political party qualifying for a separate ballot or column on the ballot whose candidate for governor received at least 10% of the vote in the most recent gubernatorial election.

This bill recreates the board to consist of 6 members appointed by the governor for staggered 6-year terms, subject to senate confirmation. Under the bill, no member may hold any other office or employment in the government of this state or any political subdivision thereof or in any department of state government. In addition, no member, for one year immediately prior to the date of appointment by may have been, or while serving on the board may become, a member of a political party, an officer or member of a committee in any partisan political club or organization or a candidate for any partisan elective public office.

Under the bill, the members of the current board serve until all of the members of the board who are appointed under the bill qualify for office, at which time the current members are replaced.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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

AB537, s. 1 Section 1. 15.07 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB537, s. 2 Section 2. 15.61 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB537,2,15 15.61 Elections board; creation. There is created an elections board consisting of persons who shall be 6 members appointed by the governor for 2-year 6-year terms as follows: one member selected by the governor; one member each designated by the chief justice of the supreme court, the speaker of the assembly, the senate majority leader, the minority leader in each house of the legislature, and the chief officer of each political party qualifying for a separate ballot under s. 5.62 (1) (b) or (2) whose candidate for governor received at least 10% of the vote in the most recent gubernatorial election. No member may hold any other office or employment in the government of this state or any political subdivision thereof or in any department. No member, for one year immediately prior to the date of appointment may have been, or while serving on the board may become, a member of a political party, an officer or member of a committee in any partisan political club or organization or a candidate for any partisan elective public office.

AB537, s. 3 Section 3. 19.42 (10) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB537, s. 4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions; initial terms of office.

AB537,3,2 (1)  The members of the elections board who are serving on the effective date of this subsection may continue to hold office until all members of the elections board who are initially appointed under this act are nominated by the governor and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed and qualified, at which time the members who are serving on the effective date of this subsection shall cease to hold office. Notwithstanding section 15.61 of the statutes, as affected by this act, of the members of the elections board who are initially appointed under this act, the governor shall designate 2 members to serve for terms expiring on May 1, 1997, 2 members to serve for terms expiring on May 1, 1999, and 2 members to serve for terms expiring on May 1, 2001.

AB537,3,3 (End)