SB1: Bill Text

LRB-0175/1

RJM:cjs:pg

2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE

2003 Senate BILL 1

January 10, 2003 - Introduced by Senator Panzer, cosponsored by Representative Gard. Referred to Committee on Homeland Security, Veterans and Military Affairs and Government Reform.

SB1,1,2 An Act to renumber and amend 13.55 (1); and to create 13.55 (1) (b) of the statutes; relating to: service as a commissioner on uniform state laws.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a nine-member delegation is designated to represent this state within the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL). Currently, the delegation must include two senators and two representatives to the assembly from the two major political parties. The NCCUSL permits only attorneys who are members of a state bar association to be voting commissioners or associate members of the NCCUSL.

This bill requires the legislative members of the delegation to be members of the state bar of Wisconsin. The bill also specifies that that a former senator or former representative to the assembly who was a member of the delegation during his or her term in office and who is a member of the state bar shall be appointed to the delegation if an insufficient number of current legislators are members of the state bar. Under the bill, these provisions do not apply if NCCUSL permits individuals to become voting commissioners or associate members without regard to membership in a bar association.

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

SB1, s. 1 Section 1. 13.55 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 13.55 (1) (a) and amended to read:

SB1,2,15 13.55 (1) (a) There is created a 9-member commission on uniform state laws to advise the legislature with regard to uniform laws and model laws. The Except as provided under par. (b), the commission shall consist of the director of the legislative council staff or a professional employee of the legislative council staff designated by the director, the chief of the legislative reference bureau or a professional employee under s. 13.92 (1) (b) designated by the chief, the revisor of statutes, 2 senators and 2 representatives to the assembly from the 2 major political parties appointed as are members of standing committees for 2-year terms, and 2 public members appointed by the governor for 4-year terms. The terms of members appointed by the governor or by the legislature shall expire on May 1 of an odd-numbered year. The members, other than the appointees of the governor or of the legislature, may each designate an employee to represent them at any meeting of the conference under sub. (3).

SB1, s. 2 Section 2. 13.55 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1,3,5 13.55 (1) (b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, only senators and representatives to the assembly who are members of the bar association of this state may be appointed to seats designated for the offices of senator and representative to the assembly under par. (a). A seat designated for one of these offices that can not be filled as a result of this requirement shall be filled by a former senator or representative to the assembly from the applicable political party who served on the commission during his or her term as a senator or representative to the assembly and who is a member of the bar association of this state. The former senator or representative to the assembly shall be appointed as are members of standing committees and shall serve for a 2-year term as provided under par. (a). This paragraph does not apply if the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws permits individuals to become voting commissioners or associate members of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws without regard to membership in the bar of the state that the individual represents.

SB1,3,6 (End)