AB385: Bill Text

LRB-2430/2

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2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 385

June 5, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Lothian, Bies, Gielow, Gronemus, Jeskewitz, Ladwig, Miller and Van Roy, cosponsored by Senator Kedzie. Referred to Committee on Government Operations and Spending Limitations.

AB385,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 13.92 (1) (c); and to create 13.92 (1) (c) 2. of the statutes; relating to: the treatment of similar drafting requests submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, drafting requests received by the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) that are not introduced in either the assembly or senate remain confidential. This bill creates an exception to that requirement. Under the bill, generally, if the LRB receives similar drafting requests from two or more requesters during the same legislative session, the LRB must contact the respective requesters and, without disclosing any information about the requesters or any specific details about the requests, determine if the requesters wish to disclose their identities to each other and collaborate on a drafting request. If the requesters wish to disclose their identities to each other and collaborate on a drafting request, the LRB must disclose to the requesters the identity of the other requester. If the requesters do not wish to disclose their identities and collaborate on a drafting request, the requests remain confidential until introduced.

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

AB385, s. 1 Section 1. 13.92 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 13.92 (1) (c) 1. and amended to read:

AB385,2,7 13.92 (1) (c) 1. While the legislature remains in session the drafting section shall maintain the files for all drafting requests received during such session, but after final adjournment the drafting records to legislation introduced shall be turned over to the reference section under par. (a) 3. Records Except as provided in subd. 2., records of drafting requests which did not result in legislation introduced shall remain confidential at all times and may be maintained by the drafting section in such form as will facilitate its operations.

AB385, s. 2 Section 2. 13.92 (1) (c) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB385,2,18 13.92 (1) (c) 2. If the drafting section receives similar drafting requests from 2 or more requesters during the same legislative session, the drafting section shall contact each requester and, without disclosing any information about the requesters or any details about the requests other than their existence and that they are similar, determine if the requesters wish to disclose their identities to each other and collaborate on a drafting request. If the requesters wish to disclose their identities to each other and collaborate on a drafting request, the drafting section shall disclose to each requester the identity of the other requester. This subdivision does not apply to requests to draft simple amendments and to requests related to drafting an executive budget bill.

AB385,2,19 (End)