AB479: Bill Text

LRB-2180/1

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2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Assembly BILL 479

August 26, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Hubler, Hahn, Krug, Plouff, J. Lehman, Turner, Berceau, Seratti, Huber, Albers and Boyle, cosponsored by Senators Risser and M. Meyer. Referred to Committee on Tourism.

AB479,1,4 An Act to amend 27.01 (7) (gr), 27.01 (7) (gu), 27.01 (7) (h) and 27.01 (7m) (b); and to create 27.01 (7m) (bm) of the statutes; relating to: authorizing certain agents who issue vehicle admission receipts for entry into state parks and other state recreational lands to collect surcharges.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a person may not operate a vehicle in state parks or certain other state recreational lands unless the vehicle has been issued a vehicle admission receipt by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The base fee for the receipt varies depending upon whether the fee is issued on an annual or daily basis and depending on the kind of vehicle for which the receipt is issued. In addition to the base fee, DNR collects an issuing fee of 50 cents for each annual vehicle admission receipt issued and an issuing fee of 15 cents for each daily vehicle admission receipt issued. DNR may appoint agents to collect all of these fees and the agent may retain the issuing fees as compensation for the agent's services.

This bill provides that, if DNR appoints an agent to issue vehicle admission receipts, and the agent is a nonprofit corporation organized to raise funds for certain property under DNR's jurisdiction (friends group), that agent may collect and retain a $2 surcharge for each annual vehicle admission receipt that the agent issues. The bill does not change the amount under current law that an agent other than a friends group may retain as compensation for the agent's services.

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:

AB479, s. 1 Section 1. 27.01 (7) (gr) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB479,2,5 27.01 (7) (gr) Issuing fees. The Except as provided under sub. (7m) (bm), the department shall collect an issuing fee of 50 cents for each annual vehicle admission receipt issued and an issuing fee of 15 cents for each daily vehicle admission receipt issued.

AB479, s. 2 Section 2. 27.01 (7) (gu) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB479,2,14 27.01 (7) (gu) Transaction payments. The department shall establish a system under which the department pays each agent appointed under sub. (7m) (a) a payment of 50 cents for each time that the agent processes a transaction through the statewide automated system contracted for under sub. (7m) (d). This payment is in addition to any issuing fee or surcharge retained by the agent. The department shall make these payments by allowing the agent to retain an amount equal to the payments from the amounts that are collected by the agent and that would otherwise be remitted to the department.

AB479, s. 3 Section 3. 27.01 (7) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB479,2,21 27.01 (7) (h) Use of vehicle admission receipt and issuing fees and surcharges. All moneys collected as fees under pars. (f) to (gr) and sub. (7m) (b) and surcharges under sub. (7m) (bm) that are not retained by agents under par. (gu) or sub. (7m) (b) or (bm) shall be paid within one week into the state treasury, credited to the conservation fund and used for state parks, state recreation areas, recreation areas in state forests, and the Bong area lands.

AB479, s. 4 Section 4. 27.01 (7m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB479,3,5 27.01 (7m) (b) An agent appointed under par. (a) shall collect the applicable issuing fee specified in sub. (7) (gr). The Except as provided in par. (bm), an agent appointed under par. (a) may retain the issuing fees collected under this paragraph to compensate the agent for the agent's services in issuing the receipts.

AB479, s. 5 Section 5. 27.01 (7m) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB479,3,8 27.01 (7m) (bm) 1. In this paragraph, "friends group" has the meaning given in s. 23.098 (1) (b).

AB479,3,12 2. An agent appointed under par. (a) that is a friends group may collect a surcharge of $2 for each annual vehicle admission receipt it issues, instead of collecting the issuing fee specified in sub. (7) (gr). The agent may retain the surcharges collected under this paragraph.

AB479,3,13 (End)