AB230: Bill Text

LRB-0629/1

JTK&PG:wlj&jlg:km

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Assembly BILL 230

March 23, 1999 - Introduced by Representative Williams. Referred to Committee on Education Reform.

AB230,1,10 An Act to repeal 5.58 (1g) (b), 119.06 (3) (intro.) and (a), 119.07 and 119.36; to renumber and amend 5.60 (4) (b), 119.06 (3) (b) and 119.06 (4) (c); to amend 5.58 (1g) (c), 5.58 (2) (a), 5.58 (3), 7.53 (3) (b), 8.10 (3) (i), 8.11 (2m), 8.15 (5) (a), 8.50 (intro.) and (1) (a), 119.06 (2), 119.06 (4) (b), 119.06 (4) (d), 119.06 (5) and (6), 119.08 (1) (a) and (b), 119.08 (2) and (3), 119.08 (4), 119.10 (1), 119.10 (2), 119.12 (3), 119.32 (7) and 121.02 (3); to repeal and recreate 119.32 (1); and to create 5.64 (4) (title), (b) and (c), 8.15 (6) (f), 17.27 (1w), 119.06 (4) (c) 2. and 119.07 of the statutes; relating to: the composition, method of election and salaries of members of the board of school directors and the method of selection of the superintendent of schools in 1st class city school systems.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, the board of school directors in first class cities (Milwaukee) consists of eight members elected on a nonpartisan ballot at the spring election from election districts that must be approximately equal in population, and one member elected from the city at large. Board members serve for four-year terms. The terms of office of four members of the board expire on the fourth Monday in April, 2001, and the terms of office of five members of the board expire on the fourth Monday in April, 2003.

This bill provides instead for the board of school directors to consist of 11 members elected on a nonpartisan ballot at the general (November) election from election districts that must be approximately equal in population.

To effect the change, the bill provides for the board of school directors to draw new boundaries for election districts to be used in the 2002 general election and to redraw the boundaries decennially thereafter. Under the bill, the terms of the four members who were elected in April 1997 and whose terms expire in April 2001 are extended until November 2002, and the terms of the five members who are to be elected in April 1999 and whose terms would expire in April 2003 are shortened so that their terms will expire in November 2002. The bill provides for 11 new members to be elected for four-year terms at the general election to be held in November 2002.

Currently, the board of school directors elects officers at its annual organizational meeting, which is held between the fourth Monday in April and the first Monday in May. This bill provides for the organizational meeting to be held between the first Monday in December and the third Monday in December, and provides for the officers elected at the organizational meeting to be held in the spring of 2001 to serve until an organizational meeting is held in the fall of 2002.

Currently, the board of school directors determines the annual salary of board members. Beginning with board members elected in 2002, this bill requires that members of the board of school directors be paid the same annual salary as members of the common council of the city.

Currently, the superintendent of schools in a first class city school system is elected by roll call vote of the members of the board of school directors. In order to serve as superintendent a person must be of suitable learning and experience in the art of instruction and have practical familiarity with the most approved methods of organizing and managing a school system. A superintendent serves for an indefinite term, subject to removal by the board for a misdemeanor in office, incompetency or inattention to duties.

This bill provides instead for the superintendent of schools to be elected by the electors of the school district at large on a nonpartisan ballot at the same general election at which members of the board of school directors are elected. Under the bill, the superintendent serves for a term of four years and is not subject to removal by the board, but the electors of the school district may recall the superintendent after the first year of his or her term of office. The bill provides that any elector of the school district is eligible to serve as superintendent of schools. If there is a vacancy in the office of superintendent, the bill permits the board to fill the vacancy temporarily until an election can be held to choose a successor.

For further information see the 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:

AB230, s. 1 Section 1. 5.58 (1g) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB230, s. 2 Section 2. 5.58 (1g) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,3,8 5.58 (1g) (c) The arrangement of candidates for school board seats shall be determined by the school district clerk or the executive director of the city board of election commissioners by the drawing of lots not later than the 2nd Tuesday in January, or the next day if the first Tuesday is a holiday. The method of determining arrangement shall be the same as provided in s. 5.60 (1) (b). Sufficient space shall be provided on the ballot for write-in candidates.

AB230, s. 3 Section 3. 5.58 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,3,20 5.58 (2) (a) There shall be one separate ballot for state superintendent, judicial officers, county executive under s. 59.17 and county supervisor. In counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the ballot also shall include those offices under s. 8.11 (2) and (2m). The arrangement of names of candidates for state superintendent, justice, court of appeals judge and circuit court judge shall be determined by the board in the manner specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b). Arrangement of the names of candidates for county executive and county supervisor shall be determined by the county clerk or by the executive director of the county board of election commissioners in the manner specified in s. 5.60 (1) (b). The ballot shall be titled "Official Ballot for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Judicial, County Executive and County Supervisor Primary".

AB230, s. 4 Section 4. 5.58 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,4,12 5.58 (3) Names on spring ballot. Only 2 candidates for state superintendent, for any judicial office, for any elected seat on a metropolitan sewerage commission or town sanitary district commission, in counties having a population of 500,000 or more only 2 candidates for member of the board of supervisors within each district, in counties having a population of less than 500,000 only 2 candidates for each member of the county board of supervisors from each district or numbered seat or only 4 candidates for each 2 members of the county board of supervisors from each district whenever 2 supervisors are elected to unnumbered seats from the same district, in 1st class cities only 2 candidates for any at-large seat and only 2 candidates from any election district to be elected to the board of school directors, in school districts electing school board members to numbered seats, or pursuant to an apportionment plan or district representation plan, only 2 school board candidates for each numbered seat or within each district, and twice as many candidates as are to be elected members of other school boards or other elective officers receiving the highest number of votes at the primary shall be nominees for the office at the spring election. Only their names shall appear on the official spring ballot.

AB230, s. 5 Section 5. 5.60 (4) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 5.64 (4) (a) and amended to read:

AB230,4,21 5.64 (4) (a) In 1st class cities, the names of the candidates for the seat of the member elected at-large to the board of school directors shall be placed on the official city ballot and there shall be a separate ballot for school district officers when so required, giving the names of the candidates for the office of superintendent of schools and for any seat to be filled on the board of school directors from any election district. The names of candidates for the at-large seat shall be placed in the same column or row on the ballot.

AB230, s. 6 Section 6. 5.64 (4) (title), (b) and (c) of the statutes are created to read:

AB230,4,23 5.64 (4) (title) First class city school officers.

AB230,5,4 (b) The arrangement of the names of the candidates for the office of superintendent of schools and for seats on the board of school directors shall be determined by the executive director of the city board of election commissioners by the drawing of lots not later than the 3rd Tuesday in July. The method of determining arrangement shall be the same as provided in s. 5.60 (1) (b). Sufficient space shall be provided on the ballot for write-in candidates.

AB230,5,10 (c) Only the 2 candidates for election to the office of superintendent of schools receiving the highest numbers of votes at the primary election and only 2 candidates for election to the board of school directors receiving the highest numbers of votes within each election district at the primary election shall be nominees for their respective offices at the general election. Only their names shall appear on the official general election ballot.

AB230, s. 7 Section 7. 7.53 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,5,19 7.53 (3) (b) In a 1st class city school district, the municipal board of canvassers or election commissioners shall determine the results of school district elections and referenda and shall file a written statement and determination of the results for each election and referendum in the office of the city clerk or board of election commissioners. The board of election commissioners or city clerk shall certify nominations after each primary and issue certificates of election to persons who are elected to the office of superintendent of schools or the board of school directors after each election in the manner provided in sub. (4).

AB230, s. 8 Section 8. 8.10 (3) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,5,25 8.10 (3) (i) For city offices in 1st class cities, not less than 1,500 nor more than 3,000 electors for city-wide offices, not less than 200 nor more than 400 electors for alderpersons elected from aldermanic districts and not less than 400 nor more than 800 electors for members of the board of school directors elected from election districts.

AB230, s. 9 Section 9. 8.11 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,6,5 8.11 (2m) First class city school board officers. A primary shall be held in 1st class cities whenever there are more than 2 candidates for the office of superintendent of schools or member of the board of school directors at-large or from any election district in any year.

AB230, s. 10 Section 10. 8.15 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,6,8 8.15 (5) (a) Each Except as provided in ss. 119.06 (4) (c) and 119.08 (2), each nomination paper shall have substantially the following words printed at the top:

AB230,6,17 I, the undersigned, request that the name of (insert candidate's last name plus first name, nickname or initial, and middle name, former legal surname, nickname or middle initial or initials if desired, but no other abbreviations or titles) residing at (insert candidate's street address) be placed on the ballot at the (general or special) election to be held on (date of election) as a candidate representing the (name of party) so that voters will have the opportunity to vote for (him or her) for the office of (name of office). I am eligible to vote in (name of jurisdiction or district in which candidate seeks office). I have not signed the nomination paper of any other candidate for the same office at this election.

AB230, s. 11 Section 11. 8.15 (6) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB230,6,21 8.15 (6) (f) In 1st class cities, not less than 1,500 nor more than 3,000 electors for superintendent of schools, and not less than 400 nor more than 800 electors for member of the board of school directors elected from an election district.

AB230, s. 12 Section 12. 8.50 (intro.) and (1) (a) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB230,7,12 8.50 Special elections. (intro.) Unless otherwise provided, this section applies to filling vacancies in the U.S. senate and house of representatives, executive state offices except the offices of governor, lieutenant governor and district attorney, judicial and legislative state offices, county offices and, the offices office of municipal judge and the offices of superintendent of schools and member of the board of school directors in school districts organized under ch. 119. State legislative offices may be filled in anticipation of the occurrence of a vacancy whenever authorized in sub. (4) (e). No special election may be held after February 1 preceding the spring election unless it is held on the same day as the spring election, nor after September 1 preceding the general election unless it is held on the same day as the general election, until the day after that election. If the special election is held on the day of the general election, the primary for the special election, if any, shall be held on the day of the September primary. If the special election is held on the day of the spring election, the primary for the special election, if any, shall be held on the day of the spring primary.

AB230,8,3 (1) (a) When there is to be a special election, the special election for county clerk shall be ordered by the sheriff; the special election for any other county office shall be ordered by the county clerk except as provided in s. 17.21 (5); the special election for superintendent of schools or for school board member in a school district organized under ch. 119 shall be ordered by the school board of school directors; the special election for municipal judge shall be ordered by the mayor, president or chairperson of the municipality, except in 1st class cities; and all other special elections shall be ordered by the governor. When the governor or attorney general issues the order, it shall be filed and recorded in the office of the board. When the county clerk or sheriff issues the order, it shall be filed and recorded in the office of the county clerk. When the county executive issues the order, it shall be filed in the office of the county board of election commissioners. When the school board of a school district organized under ch. 119 issues the order, it shall be filed and recorded in the office of the city board of election commissioners. When the mayor, president or chairperson issues the order, it shall be filed in the office of the municipal clerk or city board of election commissioners.

AB230, s. 13 Section 13. 17.27 (1w) of the statutes is created to read:

AB230,8,8 17.27 (1w) Superintendent of schools; 1st class city. A vacancy in the office of superintendent of schools of a 1st class city school system shall be filled by temporary appointment of the board of school directors until a successor is elected and qualified. A successor shall be elected at a special election under s. 119.32 (1).

AB230, s. 14 Section 14. 119.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB230,8,19 119.06 (2) Within 120 days after the date on which a city becomes a 1st class city, the mayor, the city treasurer, the city comptroller, the city attorney and the president of the common council of that city, acting as a commission for the city, shall meet and appoint a board of one at-large member and 8 11 members from election districts numbered and designated by the common council. The election districts shall be substantially equal in population and the boundaries of the election districts shall be drawn so as to reflect a balanced representation of citizens of all areas within the city. The person appointed to represent an election district shall reside within the boundaries of the election district as determined by the common council under this subsection.

AB230, s. 15 Section 15. 119.06 (3) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are repealed.

AB230, s. 16 Section 16. 119.06 (3) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 119.06 (3) and amended to read: