SB397: Bill Text

LRB-4248/2

JTK:kmg:ks

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Senate BILL 397

November 1, 1995 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Government Effectiveness.

SB397,1,3 An Act to create 13.90 (7), 15.107 (17), 16.971 (5m), 16.995 and 20.505 (1) (s) of the statutes; relating to: creation of a Wisconsin information service and Wisconsin information service council and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill is explained in the Note provided by the joint legislative council in the bill.

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:

Prefatory note: This bill was prepared at the direction of the joint legislative council's special committee on communication of governmental proceedings. The bill establishes a Wisconsin information service council, which "sunsets" after June 30, 1997. The council is attached for administrative purposes to the department of administration (DOA) and consists of 11 members who have an interest in creating a private sector service to televise proceedings and activities of the 3 branches of state government and public affairs events of statewide interest and in raising nonstate funds for operation of the service. Members include 6 members appointed by the governor and additional members appointed by each of the following: the chief justice of the supreme court, the president of the senate, the senate minority leader, the speaker of the assembly and the assembly minority leader.

The bill requires the Wisconsin information service council to develop or contract for the development of a plan for a private sector entity to operate an information service to televise proceedings and activities of the 3 branches of state government and public affairs events of statewide interest. The plan must include details on governance of the service, rules for operation of the service and nonstate sources of funding for operation of the service. In addition, the plan must include a description of what equipment will need to be purchased for operation of the service. The plan must include a description of how the activities of the service would relate to broadcasting activities of agencies of state government. The council must submit the plan to the secretary of administration and the joint committee on legislative organization by June 30, 1997. If the council contracts for development of this plan, it must raise nonstate funds or in-kind contributions to cover the costs under the contract.

The bill also requires DOA to transfer $302,800 from the information technology investment fund established by 1995 Wisconsin Act 27 to purchase equipment and wiring necessary for the operation of the service. This amount is for the first year of a 3-year appropriation for $800,000 of equipment and wiring under DOA's master lease program. DOA is required by this bill to lease state equipment and space needed for the service for a nominal fee to one or more private corporations that will operate the service subject to a plan approved by the secretary of administration and the joint committee on legislative organization (JCLO). The plan must include a requirement that the corporation operate the service in a nonpartisan manner, distribute its video and audio transmissions as broadly as possible and allow use of excerpts of its video and audio transmissions by representatives of news media that regularly publish or broadcast reports available to the general public. Moneys may not be encumbered or expended from this appropriation without the approval of the joint committee on finance, which may not authorize encumbrance or expenditure of the moneys unless the committee receives a recommendation to do so from JCLO based on a determination by JCLO that there are one or more private corporations that will operate the service.

SB397, s. 1 Section 1. 13.90 (7) of the statutes is created to read:

SB397,2,4 13.90 (7) The joint committee on legislative organization may approve a plan for the operation of a Wisconsin information service under s. 16.971 (5m) and recommend expenditure of moneys to operate the service under s. 20.505 (1) (s).

SB397, s. 2 Section 2. 15.107 (17) of the statutes is created to read:

SB397,2,12 15.107 (17) Wisconsin information service council. (a) Creation. There is created a Wisconsin information service council which is attached to the department of administration under s. 15.03. The council shall consist of 11 members who have an interest in creating a private sector service to televise proceedings and activities of the 3 branches of state government and public affairs events of statewide interest and in raising nonstate funds for operation of the service. Members shall be appointed as follows:

SB397,2,13 1. Six members appointed by the governor.

SB397,3,2 2. Five additional members, one of whom shall be appointed by each of the following:

SB397,3,3 a. The chief justice of the supreme court.

SB397,3,4 b. The president of the senate.

SB397,3,5 c. The senate minority leader.

SB397,3,6 d. The speaker of the assembly.

SB397,3,7 e. The assembly minority leader.

SB397,3,8 (b) Applicability. This subsection does not apply after June 30, 1997.

SB397, s. 3 Section 3. 16.971 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB397,3,21 16.971 (5m) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (s), the department shall purchase equipment and wiring necessary for the operation of a Wisconsin information service. The purpose of the service shall be to televise proceedings and activities of the 3 branches of government and public affairs events of statewide interest. The department shall lease state equipment and space needed for the service, for a nominal fee prescribed by the department, to one or more private corporations which shall operate the service subject to a plan approved by the secretary and the joint committee on legislative organization. The plan shall include a requirement that the corporation operate the service in a nonpartisan manner, distribute its video and audio transmissions as broadly as possible and allow use of excerpts of its video and audio transmissions by representatives of news media that regularly publish or broadcast reports available to the general public.

SB397, s. 4 Section 4. 16.995 of the statutes is created to read:

SB397,3,24 16.995 Wisconsin information service council. (1) The Wisconsin information service council shall do all of the following:

SB397,4,13 (a) Notwithstanding s. 15.01 (4), develop or contract for the development of a plan for one or more private sector entities to operate a Wisconsin information service to televise proceedings and activities of the 3 branches of state government and public affairs events of statewide interest. The plan shall include details on governance of the service, rules of operation of the service, recording and maintaining signals and nonstate sources of funding for operation of the service. The plan shall include a description of what equipment will need to be purchased from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (s) for operation of the service. The plan shall include a description of how the activities of the service would relate to broadcasting activities of agencies of state government, including the educational communications board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The council shall submit the plan to the secretary and the joint committee on legislative organization by June 30, 1997.

SB397,4,15 (b) Raise nonstate funds or in-kind contributions to cover the costs under the contract if the plan under par. (a) is prepared by a contractor.

SB397,4,16 (2) This section does not apply after June 30, 1997.

SB397, s. 5 Section 5. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB397, s. 6 Section 6. 20.505 (1) (s) of the statutes is created to read:

SB397,5,9 20.505 (1) (s) Wisconsin information service. From the information technology investment fund, as a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule to be utilized for the Wisconsin information service under s. 16.971 (5m). Moneys may not be encumbered or expended from this appropriation without the approval of the joint committee on finance. The joint committee on finance may not authorize encumbrance or expenditure of moneys from this appropriation unless it receives a recommendation to do so from the joint committee on legislative organization, based on a determination by the joint committee on legislative organization that there are one or more private corporations that will operate the service under s. 16.971 (5m).

SB397,5,10 (End)