The bill requires MMSD to sell or lease any or all MMSD assets and facilities,
subject to PSC review and approval and subject to several conditions. Before the
MMSD commission is required to enter into a lease or sale agreement, the PSC must
determine that the lease or sale will be in the best interests of the district's
ratepayers. In addition, the PSC must determine that, under the lease or sale, the
employes of the district who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and
who perform functions in relation to the assets or facilities that are leased or sold will
continue to perform those functions after the lease or sale, until the expiration date
of their collective bargaining agreement or for 2 years after the effective date of this
bill, whichever is sooner.

The bill authorizes the PSC to, upon demand, inspect the books and records of
MMSD and examine MMSD commissioners, agents and employes in order to obtain
information bearing on the determinations that the PSC is to make regarding the
sale or lease of MMSD assets and facilities. If the PSC makes those determinations
and the PSC believes that the MMSD commission has not acted in the best interests
of MMSD's ratepayers in selling or leasing its assets and facilities, the PSC may
appoint an individual to negotiate and enter into agreements for the sale or lease of
MMSD's assets and facilities. This individual is given the authority to enter into
those agreements on behalf of MMSD and MMSD is obligated to pay all costs
incurred by the individual in exercising that authority.
The proceeds of any sale or lease of the assets must be distributed to the state
and municipalities in MMSD's boundaries in proportion to the amounts paid by the
state and municipalities for certain MMSD capital costs. The bill also authorizes
MMSD to dissolve, subject to PSC review and approval, if all of the district's assets
and facilities are sold, if all of MMSD's outstanding indebtedness is retired and if all
bonds issued by the district are paid off.
Other
This bill requires the MMSD commission to develop and implement a plan to
refund to Milwaukee County residents excess reserves that are held by MMSD, as
determined by the PSC. The bill also requires the PSC to study the likely effects of
any sale or lease of MMSD assets on the rates charged for sewerage service in the
district.
For further information see the state and local 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:
SB614, s. 1 1Section 1. 20.155 (1) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,5,22 20.155 (1) (title) Regulation of public utilities and regulated districts.
SB614, s. 2 3Section 2. 20.155 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,6,24 20.155 (1) (g) (title) Utility regulation Regulation of utilities and regulated
5districts
. The amounts in the schedule for the regulation of utilities and regulated
6districts
. Ninety percent of all moneys received by the commission under s. 184.10
7(3), 196.85 or 196.855 shall be credited to this appropriation. Ninety percent of all
8receipts from the sale of miscellaneous printed reports and other copied material, the

1cost of which was originally paid under this paragraph, shall be credited to this
2appropriation.
SB614, s. 3 3Section 3. 66.076 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,6,64 66.076 (1m) In this section, "municipality" means any town, village, city or
5metropolitan sewerage district created under ss. 66.20 to 66.26 or under ss. 66.88 to
666.918
.
SB614, s. 4 7Section 4. 66.076 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,6,128 66.076 (7) Sewerage service charges shall be collected and taxed and shall be
9a lien upon the property served in the same manner as water rates are taxed and
10collected under s. 66.069 (1) or 66.071 (1) (e), so far as applicable , except that charges
11of a metropolitan sewerage district created under ss. 66.88 to 66.918 shall be
12assessed and collected as provided in s. 66.91 (5)
.
SB614, s. 5 13Section 5. 66.076 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,6,1914 66.076 (8) The governing body of any municipality, and the officials in charge
15of the management of the sewerage system as well as other officers of the
16municipality, shall be governed in the discharge of their powers and duties under this
17section by s. 66.069 or 66.071 (1) (e), which are hereby made a part of this section so
18far as applicable and not inconsistent herewith or, in the case of a metropolitan
19sewerage district created under ss. 66.88 to 66.918, by ss. 66.91 and 66.912
.
SB614, s. 6 20Section 6. 66.886 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,6,2521 66.886 (2) (a) 1. No resolution adopted by the commission under s. 66.91 (1),
22(3) (c) or (6), 67.05 (1) or 67.12 (12), no proposed schedule of charges under s. 66.076,
2366.898 (4), 66.899 or 66.91 (5) (b) 3., no decision to borrow against taxes under s.
2467.12 (1) and no decision to borrow under s. 24.61 (3) (a) 7. is valid unless adopted
25by an affirmative vote of at least a two-thirds majority of all commissioners.
SB614, s. 7
1Section 7. 66.888 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,7,32 66.888 (2) (b) The name of a district created under s. 66.882 (1) (b) is the
3Milwaukee metropolitan sewerage district Metropolitan Sewerage District.
SB614, s. 8 4Section 8. 66.891 of the statutes is created to read:
SB614,7,7 566.891 Dissolution of the district; sale or lease of district assets and
6facilities.
(1) General authority. The commission shall, subject to s. 196.80, lease
7or sell any or all of the district's assets and facilities if all of the following apply:
SB614,7,98 (a) The public service commission determines that a lease or sale will be in the
9best interests of the district's ratepayers.
SB614,7,1910 (b) The public service commission determines that, under the terms of any
11lease or sale agreement, the employes of the district who cease to be employes of the
12district on the effective date of the lease or sale and who are performing functions in
13relation to the assets or facilities that are leased or sold and who are covered by a
14collective bargaining agreement under subch. IV of ch. 111, which is in effect on the
15day before the effective date of the lease or sale, shall continue to perform the
16functions that they perform on the day before the effective date of the lease or sale,
17after the lease or sale until the expiration date of the collective bargaining agreement
18that applies to such employes or for 2 years following the effective date of this
19paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], whichever is sooner.
SB614,7,23 20(2) Dissolution of the district. Subject to s. 196.78, after retiring all
21outstanding indebtedness of the district and paying off all bonds issued by the
22district, the commission may dissolve the district if all of the district's assets and
23facilities are sold under sub. (1).
SB614,8,3 24(3) Application of proceeds. The proceeds of any sale or lease under sub. (1)
25(a) to an entity other than the state shall be distributed, in a manner approved by

1the public service commission, to the state and municipalities in proportion to the
2amounts paid by the state and municipalities for capital costs since the district was
3reorganized under s. 66.882 (1) (b).
SB614, s. 9 4Section 9. 66.892 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,8,65 66.892 (2) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d) and subject to s. 144.04 and
6196.49
, no commission may separate combined storm and sanitary sewers.
SB614, s. 10 7Section 10. 66.892 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,8,118 66.892 (2) (d) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the commission to
9separate a combined storm and sanitary sewer may file a petition for judicial review
10in the circuit court for the county in which the district is located. Nothing in this
11paragraph affects any review under s. 144.04 or 196.49.
SB614, s. 11 12Section 11. 66.894 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,8,1613 66.894 (1) General powers of the commission. (intro.) To the extent necessary
14to carry out its duties under s. 66.89 and subject to any approval required under s.
15196.49
, the commission may project, plan, design, adopt, construct, operate and
16maintain:
SB614, s. 12 17Section 12. 66.898 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,8,2418 66.898 (3) Service charges for operation and maintenance. As part of any
19contract executed under this section, the commission may assess reasonable and just
20sewerage service charges against the contracting party with respect to operating and
21maintenance costs. These charges shall be established proposed by the commission
22in accordance with s. 66.912 and are subject to review under s. 66.912. The schedule
23of service charges may, but need not, be uniform with any other schedule of charges
24shall be established by the public service commission.
SB614, s. 13 25Section 13. 66.898 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,9,6
166.898 (4) (a) As part of any contract executed under this section, the
2commission may assess reasonable and just sewerage service charges against the
3contracting party with respect to capital costs. These sewerage service charges are
4subject to review under s. 66.912.
The schedule of sewerage service charges with
5respect to capital costs used in contracts executed under this section shall be uniform
6with the system used to recover capital costs within the district.
SB614, s. 14 7Section 14. 66.898 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,9,168 66.898 (4) (b) Except as provided in par. (c), the The charges assessed under
9this subsection shall be established proposed by the commission in accordance with
10s. 66.076 or 66.91 (5) and shall be established by the public service commission. In
11computing the schedule of charges under this subsection, the public service
12commission may consider the factors specified in s. 66.076 (5) or 66.91 (5). In
13computing the schedule of charges under this subsection, the public service
14commission may also consider the fact that sewerage service may not be available
15to or may be available to but not utilized by a part of the property located within the
16territorial limits of a contracting party at the time of computing the schedule.
SB614, s. 15 17Section 15. 66.898 (4) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
SB614, s. 16 18Section 16. 66.899 of the statutes is repealed.
SB614, s. 17 19Section 17. 66.90 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,9,2520 66.90 (1) General power of the commission. The Subject to any approvals by
21the public service commission required under s. 196.49, the
commission may acquire
22by gift, purchase, lease or other methods of acquisition or by condemnation, any real
23property situated in the state and all tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances
24belonging or in any way appertaining to, or in any interest, franchise, easement,
25right or privilege therein, that may be needed for the purpose of projecting, planning,

1constructing and maintaining the sewerage system, that may be needed for the
2collection, transmission or disposal of all sewage or drainage of the district or that
3may be needed for improving any river or stream within the district under s. 66.894
4(8) (a) or (b).
SB614, s. 18 5Section 18. 66.904 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,10,106 66.904 (1) General powers of the commission. The Subject to any approvals
7by the public service commission under ch. 196, the
commission may enter into
8contracts, agreements or stipulations necessary to perform its duties and exercise its
9powers under ss. 66.88 to 66.918, including contracts to purchase, lease or otherwise
10obtain the use of all necessary equipment, supplies and labor.
SB614, s. 19 11Section 19. 66.91 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,10,15 1266.91 Financing. (intro.) The Subject to ch. 196, the district may borrow
13money and issue and execute bonds, notes and other forms of indebtedness and may
14enter into agreements to secure its indebtedness in the manner specified in subs. (1)
15to (7):
SB614, s. 20 16Section 20. 66.91 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,10,2217 66.91 (1) (g) User charges and service charges established proposed by the
18commission under sub. (5) or s. 66.076 to comply with any covenant concerning the
19sufficiency of the charges contained in a resolution or ordinance providing for the
20issuance of revenue bonds or notes under s. 66.066 shall be presumed reasonable in
21any review of the charges
by the public service commission under s. 66.912 (5) in
22establishing such charges
.
SB614, s. 21 23Section 21. 66.91 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,11,824 66.91 (5) (a) For service provided to any user, the The commission may
25establish proposed to, assess and collect service charges under s. 66.076 or for any

1person provided service. These service charges shall be established by the public
2service commission and then assessed and collected
under this subsection. For
3service to any user outside the district and not located in a municipality which has
4contracted with the district under s. 66.898, the commission may establish, assess
5and collect service charges under s. 66.899. Except as provided under s. 66.899 (2),
6any charge made by the district under this subsection is reviewable under s. 66.912
7(5). The sewerage service charges established under s. 66.076 or under this
8subsection with respect to capital costs for service to any user shall be uniform.
SB614, s. 22 9Section 22. 66.91 (5) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,11,1310 66.91 (5) (b) 1. The commission may, as a complete or partial alternative to any
11other method of recovering capital costs, compute a proposed schedule of charges
12based on capital costs to be recovered under this subsection from any user person
13provided service
.
SB614, s. 23 14Section 23. 66.91 (5) (b) 3. a. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,11,1615 66.91 (5) (b) 3. a. Adopt Propose a schedule of charges computed under this
16paragraph. The commission may modify the schedule as it deems necessary.
SB614, s. 24 17Section 24. 66.91 (5) (b) 3. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,11,2018 66.91 (5) (b) 3. b. Submit the proposed schedule of charges it adopts and each
19modification of the schedule to each municipality subject to the charges the public
20service commission for review under ch. 196
.
SB614, s. 25 21Section 25. 66.91 (5) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,11,2422 66.91 (5) (c) 1. Charges for sewerage service shall, to the extent practicable,
23be proportionate to the costs of the sewerage system that the district may reasonably
24attribute to the user person provided service.
SB614, s. 26 25Section 26. 66.91 (5) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,12,9
166.91 (5) (c) 2. The commission may propose to classify users on the basis of
2uses and may establish propose separate charges for separate classes. In computing
3proposed charges, the commission may consider any reasonable factor, including
4wastewater flow or drainage, delivery flow characteristics, water consumption, type
5and number of sewerage connections or plumbing fixtures, population served, lot
6size, portion of lot improved and assessed value of property served. The commission
7may also compute its proposed fee schedules as needed to meet the requirements of
8s. 66.076 or of title II of the water pollution control act, 33 USC 1251 et seq. All
9charges, rates and fees shall be established by the public service commission.
SB614, s. 27 10Section 27. 66.91 (5) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,12,2111 66.91 (5) (d) 1. Each sanitary district organized under subch. IX of ch. 60 and
12each metropolitan sewerage district organized under ss. 66.20 to 66.26 that is billed
13by the commission under par. (b) shall, within 5 days of receipt of a bill from the
14commission, in turn bill each city, town or village served by the sanitary district or
15metropolitan sewerage district organized under ss. 66.20 to 66.26. Each city, town
16or village located within the district and billed under this paragraph or billed by the
17commission under par. (b) or under s. 66.076 shall, within 45 days of receiving the
18bill, pay the full amount billed to the district. Each municipality may levy a
19reasonable penalty for late payment by the user to the municipality. Each
20municipality may provide for the payment of charges to it by any means specified in
21s. 66.898 (5).
SB614, s. 28 22Section 28. 66.91 (5) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,13,223 66.91 (5) (e) The commission may separately compute, on any reasonable basis,
24both capital and operating costs of providing sewerage service to any federal, state,
25county or municipal facility and may, upon approval by the public service

1commission,
directly bill the federal government, the state, the county or the
2municipality.
SB614, s. 29 3Section 29. 66.912 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,13,54 66.912 (2) (a) Compute a proposed uniform schedule of charges based on
5operating expenses to be recovered from users under this subsection.
SB614, s. 30 6Section 30. 66.912 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,13,87 66.912 (2) (b) Adopt Propose the uniform schedule of charges computed under
8par. (a). The commission may modify the schedule periodically.
SB614, s. 31 9Section 31. 66.912 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,13,1310 66.912 (2) (c) Submit the proposed schedule adopted under par. (b) and every
11modification to every municipality within the sewerage service area as early in every
12calendar year as practicable
the public service commission for approval under ch.
13196
.
SB614, s. 32 14Section 32. 66.912 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,13,2115 66.912 (3) Factors in charge schedules. In computing a proposed charge
16schedule under sub. (2) (a), the sewerage commission shall require each user to pay
17the proportion of total operating cost of the system incurred by the transmission and
18treatment of the user's wastewater. In determining such proportional costs, the
19sewerage commission shall consider such factors, without limitation because of
20enumeration, as strength, volume and delivery flow rate characteristics of each
21user's sewage.
SB614, s. 33 22Section 33. 66.912 (5) of the statutes is repealed.
SB614, s. 34 23Section 34. 196.01 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB614,13,2524 196.01 (6m) "Regulated district" means a metropolitan sewerage district
25created under s. 66.882.
SB614, s. 35
1Section 35. 196.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,14,42 196.02 (1) Jurisdiction. The commission has jurisdiction to supervise and
3regulate every public utility and regulated district in this state and to do all things
4necessary and convenient to its jurisdiction.
SB614, s. 36 5Section 36. 196.02 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,14,146 196.02 (2) Definition; classification. In this subsection, "public utility" does
7not include a telecommunications cooperative or a small telecommunications utility
8except as provided under s. 196.205 or 196.215 (2) and does not include an alternative
9telecommunications utility. The commission shall provide for a comprehensive
10classification of service for each public utility and each regulated district. The
11classification may take into account the quantity used, the time when used, the
12purpose for which used, and any other reasonable consideration. Each public utility
13and regulated district shall conform its schedules of rates, tolls and charges to such
14classification.
SB614, s. 37 15Section 37. 196.02 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,14,2016 196.02 (4) (a) The commission may inquire into the management of the
17business of all public utilities and all regulated districts. The commission shall keep
18itself informed as to the manner and method in which the same is conducted. The
19commission may obtain from any public utility or any regulated district any
20information necessary to enable the commission to perform its duties.
SB614, s. 38 21Section 38. 196.02 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,15,222 196.02 (4) (c) If any public utility or regulated district fails to furnish the
23commission with information required of it by the commission, the commission may
24issue an order directing the delinquent public utility or regulated district to furnish
25the information immediately or to show good cause why the information cannot be

1obtained. Failure of any public utility or regulated district to comply with the order
2of the commission is a violation of this chapter within the meaning of s. 196.66.
SB614, s. 39 3Section 39. 196.02 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,15,104 196.02 (5) Inspect books. The commission or any commissioner or any person
5employed by the commission for that purpose may, upon demand, inspect the books,
6accounts, papers, records and memoranda of any public utility or regulated district,
7and examine under oath any officer, agent or employe of the public utility or
8regulated district
in relation to its business and affairs. Any person, other than one
9of the commissioners, who makes a demand shall produce his or her authority to
10make the inspection.
SB614, s. 40 11Section 40. 196.02 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB614,15,1912 196.02 (6) Production of records. The commission may require, by order or
13subpoena served on any public utility or regulated district as a summons is served
14in circuit court, the production within this state at the time and place the commission
15designates of any books, accounts, papers or records kept by the public utility or
16regulated district
outside the state, or verified copies in lieu thereof, if the
17commission orders. If a public utility or regulated district fails or refuses to comply
18with the order or subpoena, for each day of the failure or refusal the public utility or
19regulated district
shall forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $500.
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