ISR:jlg:jf
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
November 5, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Albers, Porter, Jensen, M.
Lehman, Klusman, Spillner, Musser, Goetsch, Sykora, Owens, Gunderson,
Hahn, Grothman, Nass, Montgomery, Seratti
and Kreuser, cosponsored by
Senators Breske, Schultz and Huelsman. Referred to calendar.
AB580,1,3 1An Act to repeal 81.17; and to amend 81.15 of the statutes; relating to:
2liability of cities, villages, towns and counties for damages caused by an
3insufficiency or want of repair of a highway.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, cities, villages, towns and counties are immune from claims
arising out of the performance of a discretionary duty, or duty which requires a
governmental entity to use judgment or discretion in carrying out the duty. Cities,
villages, towns and counties are liable for damages of up to $50,000 arising out of the
performance of a nondiscretionary duty.
Also under current law, cities, villages, towns and counties are liable for
damages of up to $50,000 to a person or property resulting from an insufficiency or
want of repair of a highway, which includes shoulders, sidewalks and bridges. Cities,
villages, towns and counties are also liable for damages resulting from the
accumulation of snow or ice that has existed on a highway for at least three weeks.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court in Morris v. Juneau County, 219 Wis. 2d 544
(1998), held that the statutory provision imposing liability on cities, villages, towns
and counties for highway defects is an exception to the more general provision
granting immunity to cities, villages, towns and counties from liability arising out
of the performance of discretionary duties.
Finally, under current law, if the negligence or deliberate wrongdoing of a
person contributes to the creation of a highway defect that results in damages to a
person or property, the negligent or wrongdoing person is primarily liable and the

city, village, town or county is secondarily liable only if the negligent person or the
person who committed the wrong does not satisfy the judgment, and the city, village,
town or county is otherwise liable for the damages.
This bill eliminates the immunity exception under which cities, villages, towns
and counties may be held liable for an insufficiency or want of repairs of a highway.
This bill does not affect the immunity exception under which cities, villages, towns
and counties may be held liable for the accumulation of snow or ice that has existed
on a highway for at least three weeks.
The bill also eliminates secondary liability for cities, villages, towns and
counties.
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:
AB580, s. 1 1Section 1. 81.15 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB580,3,8 281.15 Damages caused by highway defects accumulation of snow or
3ice
; liability of city, village, town and county. If damages happen to any person
4or his or her property by reason of the insufficiency or want of repairs of any highway
5which any town, city or village is bound to keep in repair, the person sustaining the
6damages has a right to recover the damages from the town, city or village. If the
7damages happen by reason of the insufficiency or want of repairs of a highway which
8any county by law or by agreement with any town, city or village is bound to keep in
9repair, or which occupies any land owned and controlled by the county, the county is
10liable for the damages and the claim for damages shall be against the county. If the
11damages happen by reason of the insufficiency or want of repairs of a bridge erected
12or maintained at the expense of 2 or more towns the action shall be brought against
13all the towns liable for the repairs of the bridge and upon recovery of judgment the
14damages and costs shall be paid by the towns in the proportion in which they are
15liable for the repairs; and the court may direct the judgment to be collected from each

1town for its proportion only. The amount recoverable by any person for any damages
2so sustained shall not exceed $50,000. The procedures under s. 893.80 shall apply
3to the commencement of actions brought under this section.
No action may be
4maintained against a city, village, town or county to recover damages for injuries
5sustained by reason of an accumulation of snow or ice upon any bridge or highway,
6unless the accumulation existed for 3 weeks. Any action to recover damages for
7injuries sustained by reason of an accumulation of snow or ice that has existed for
83 weeks or more upon any bridge or highway is subject to s. 893.80.
AB580, s. 2 9Section 2. 81.17 of the statutes is repealed.
AB580, s. 3 10Section 3. Initial applicability.
AB580,3,1211 (1) The treatment of sections 81.15 and 81.17 of the statutes first applies to
12actions arising on the effective date of this subsection.
AB580,3,1313 (End)
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