This bill, in recreating the SERTA, also makes modifications to the SERTA as
it existed before 2011 Act 32, including the following:
1. The SERTA consists of both the counties and cities of Kenosha, Racine, and
Milwaukee, not just the counties. The SERTA also includes any municipality within
these counties that operates a transit system receiving state transit aids.
2. Beginning on January 1, 2015, the SERTA must assume responsibility for
providing transit service and transit planning in Kenosha County and Racine
County. If an MTA is created and then wound down and dissolved (upon approval
of a New Starts application), the SERTA also assumes responsibility for providing
transit service and transit planning in Milwaukee County. The SERTA may also
provide transit service outside its jurisdictional area if such transit service would
benefit residents within the SERTA's jurisdictional area. In lieu of directly providing
transit service, the SERTA may contract with existing transit providers for the
provision of transit service. The SERTA can also acquire a transit system by entering
into a transfer agreement with the owner of the system. The SERTA has all powers
necessary and convenient to carry out these responsibilities, including the power to
apply for and utilize state and federal funds.

3. If any county transfers sales tax revenues to the SERTA, the SERTA can
expend these funds only in the county in which the revenues were generated and only
for purposes of providing transit service or transit planning in that county. These
funds cannot be expended for purposes related to the KRM commuter rail line.
4. The SERTA may use a portion of its rental car transaction fee, as well as state
transit aids, to provide incentive funds to the cities of Kenosha and Racine. The
SERTA must provide $2,500,000 in incentive funds to each of the cities of Kenosha
and Racine if the city commits to support the SERTA's provision of transit service,
from city property tax revenues, at then-current operating levels and at
inflation-adjusted future operating levels.
5. The SERTA must develop goals and criteria for increasing transit service,
increasing connectivity among transit systems, and reducing passenger fare support
for transit. The SERTA must evaluate success in achieving these goals and meeting
these criteria.
6. The bonding limit for revenue bonds issued by SERTA is increased from
$50,000,000 to $250,000,000. After January 1, 2015, the SERTA also has additional
authority to use revenue bond proceeds for transit systems where the SERTA
provides transit service.
7. A KRM commuter rail line cannot include a stop in any municipality in the
SERTA's jurisdictional area unless the municipality has a sustainable mechanism
to help fund local transit and the municipality is a member of the SERTA.
8. The SERTA is the only entity in southeast Wisconsin that may submit a New
Starts application for funding for any purpose.
9. The bill clarifies that SERTA may operate the KRM commuter rail line itself
or may contract for a rail service to operate the KRM commuter rail line.
The bill also includes the following relating to SERTA and the MTA, if created:
1. The SERTA has authority to acquire property by condemnation.
2. Employees of the SERTA and of the MTA are participatory employees under
the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) if the SERTA and the MTA, respectively,
elect to join the WRS.
3. Employees of the MTA and SERTA are covered by the Municipal
Employment Relations Act (MERA). MERA provides that all matters relating to
wages, hours, and conditions of employment are subject to collective bargaining and
all municipal employees are expressly granted the right to self-organize and to
bargain collectively through a representative of their choice.
4. The MTA and SERTA are "local governmental units" for purposes of the
prevailing wage and hour law. Under current law, certain workers employed on a
public works project contracted by a local governmental unit must be paid at the rate
paid for a majority of the hours worked in the person's trade or occupation in the
county in which the project is located, as determined by the Department of Workforce
Development, and may not be required or permitted to work more than ten hours per
day and 40 hours per week, unless they are paid 1.5 times their basic rate of pay for
all hours worked in excess of those hours.
5. MTA and SERTA property is not subject to state and local property taxes.

6. The SERTA and the MTA are treated like municipalities, counties, and other
political subdivisions for purposes of claims and liability resulting from the negligent
operation of a motor vehicle and may participate in organizing municipal insurance
mutuals to provide insurance and risk management services.
7. The SERTA can enter into intergovernmental cooperation contracts with
other governmental units.
For further information see the state and 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:
AB908,1 1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF
AB908,2 3Section 2. 20.395 (1) (hy) of the statutes is created to read:
AB908,6,2
120.395 (1) (hy) Tier A-4 transit operating aids, state funds. The amounts in the
2schedule for mass transit aids under s. 85.20 (4m) (a) 6. f.
AB908,3 3Section 3. 20.566 (1) (gh) of the statutes is created to read:
AB908,6,114 20.566 (1) (gh) Administration of southeastern regional transit authority fees.
5The amounts in the schedule for administering the fees imposed under subch. XIII
6of ch. 77. An amount equal to 2.55 percent of all moneys received from the fees
7imposed under subch. XIII of ch. 77 shall be credited to this appropriation.
8Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), at the end of each fiscal year the unencumbered
9balance in this appropriation account that exceeds 10 percent of the expenditures
10from this appropriation during the fiscal year shall be transferred to the
11appropriation account under s. 20.835 (4) (gh).
AB908,4 12Section 4. 20.835 (4) (gh) of the statutes is created to read:
AB908,6,1813 20.835 (4) (gh) Southeastern regional transit authority fees. All moneys
14received from the fees imposed under subch. XIII of ch. 77, and from the
15appropriation account under s. 20.566 (1) (gh), for distribution to the southeastern
16regional transit authority under s. 59.58 (7), except that 2.55 percent of the moneys
17received from the fees imposed under subch. XIII of ch. 77 shall be credited to the
18appropriation account under s. 20.566 (1) (gh).
AB908,5 19Section 5. 32.02 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,6,2420 32.02 (11) Any housing authority created under ss. 66.1201 to 66.1211;
21redevelopment authority created under s. 66.1333; community development
22authority created under s. 66.1335; local cultural arts district created under subch.
23V of ch. 229, subject to s. 229.844 (4) (c); or local exposition district created under
24subch. II of ch. 229; or the transit authority under s. 59.58 (7).
AB908,6 25Section 6. 32.05 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,7,21
132.05 (1) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), a county board of supervisors
2or a county highway committee when so authorized by the county board of
3supervisors, a city council, a village board, a town board, a sewerage commission
4governing a metropolitan sewerage district created by ss. 200.05 or 200.21 to 200.65,
5the secretary of transportation, a commission created by contract under s. 66.0301,
6a joint local water authority created by contract under s. 66.0823, the transit
7authority under s. 59.58 (7),
a housing authority under ss. 66.1201 to 66.1211, a local
8exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229, a local cultural arts district
9created under subch. V of ch. 229, a redevelopment authority under s. 66.1333 or a
10community development authority under s. 66.1335 shall make an order providing
11for the laying out, relocation and improvement of the public highway, street, alley,
12storm and sanitary sewers, watercourses, water transmission and distribution
13facilities, mass transit facilities, airport, or other transportation facilities, gas or
14leachate extraction systems to remedy environmental pollution from a solid waste
15disposal facility, housing project, redevelopment project, cultural arts facilities,
16exposition center or exposition center facilities which shall be known as the
17relocation order. This order shall include a map or plat showing the old and new
18locations and the lands and interests required. A copy of the order shall, within 20
19days after its issue, be filed with the county clerk of the county wherein the lands are
20located or, in lieu of filing a copy of the order, a plat may be filed or recorded in
21accordance with s. 84.095.
AB908,7 22Section 7. 32.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,8,823 32.07 (2) The petitioner shall determine necessity if application is by the state
24or any commission, department, board or other branch of state government or by a
25city, village, town, county, school district, board, commission, public officer,

1commission created by contract under s. 66.0301, joint local water authority under
2s. 66.0823, transit authority under s. 59.58 (7), redevelopment authority created
3under s. 66.1333, local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229, local
4cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229, housing authority created
5under ss. 66.1201 to 66.1211 or for the right-of-way of a railroad up to 100 feet in
6width, for a telegraph, telephone or other electric line, for the right-of-way for a gas
7pipeline, main or service or for easements for the construction of any elevated
8structure or subway for railroad purposes.
AB908,8 9Section 8. 40.02 (28) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,8,1910 40.02 (28) "Employer" means the state, including each state agency, any
11county, city, village, town, school district, other governmental unit or
12instrumentality of 2 or more units of government now existing or hereafter created
13within the state, any federated public library system established under s. 43.19
14whose territory lies within a single county with a population of 500,000 or more, a
15local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229, a transit authority under
16s. 59.58 (7) or 66.1038,
and a long-term care district created under s. 46.2895, except
17as provided under ss. 40.51 (7) and 40.61 (3). "Employer" does not include a local
18cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229. Each employer shall be a
19separate legal jurisdiction for OASDHI purposes.
AB908,9 20Section 9. 59.58 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
AB908,8,2121 59.58 (7) Southeastern regional transit authority. (a) In this subsection:
AB908,8,2322 1. Except as used in subd. 4., "authority" means the southeastern regional
23transit authority created under this subsection.
AB908,8,2524 2. "Bonds" means any bonds, interim certificates, notes, debentures, or other
25obligations of the authority issued under this subsection.
AB908,9,2
13. "KRM commuter rail line" means a commuter rail transit system connecting
2the cities of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
AB908,9,33 4. "Milwaukee transit authority" means an authority created under s. 66.1038.
AB908,9,114 (b) There is created the southeastern regional transit authority, a public body
5corporate and politic and a separate governmental entity, consisting of the counties
6and cities of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee, as well as any other municipality
7located within the counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee that operates a
8transit system receiving funding under s. 85.20. This authority may transact
9business and exercise any powers granted to it under this subsection. The
10jurisdictional area of this authority is the geographic area formed by the combined
11territorial boundaries of the counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
AB908,9,1312 (c) 1. The powers of the authority shall be vested in its board of directors,
13consisting of the following members:
AB908,9,1514 a. Two members from Milwaukee County, appointed by the Milwaukee County
15board chairperson.
AB908,9,1716 b. Two members from the city of Milwaukee, appointed by the mayor of the city
17of Milwaukee.
AB908,9,1918 c. One member from Racine County, appointed by the Racine County board
19chairperson.
AB908,9,2120 d. One member from the city of Racine, appointed by the mayor of the city of
21Racine.
AB908,9,2322 e. One member from Kenosha County, appointed by the Kenosha County board
23chairperson.
AB908,9,2524 f. One member from the city of Kenosha, appointed by the mayor of the city of
25Kenosha.
AB908,10,2
1g. One member from the authority's jurisdictional area, appointed by the
2governor.
AB908,10,73 2. A majority of the board of directors' full authorized membership constitutes
4a quorum for the purpose of conducting the authority's business and exercising its
5powers. Action may be taken by the board of directors upon a vote of a majority of
6the directors present and voting, unless the bylaws of the authority require a larger
7number.
AB908,10,118 (d) Subject to par. (o), the authority shall have all powers necessary and
9convenient to plan, create, construct, operate, and manage a KRM commuter rail
10line. The authority may operate the KRM commuter rail line itself or may contract
11for a rail service to operate the KRM commuter rail line.
AB908,10,1512 (dm) A KRM commuter rail line may not include a stop in any municipality in
13the authority's jurisdictional area unless the municipality in which the stop is to be
14located has a sustainable mechanism to help fund local transit and the municipality
15is a member of the authority.
AB908,10,1716 (e) The authority may impose the fees under subch. XIII of ch. 77. From the
17fees, the authority may do all of the following:
AB908,10,1918 1. Retain not more than $2 for each transaction for administration of the
19authority.
AB908,10,2320 2. Except as provided in subd. 3., retain the difference between the amount of
21the fees imposed under subch. XIII of ch. 77 and the amount of those fees retained
22under subd. 1. for expenditures related to the KRM commuter rail line, including
23planning, construction, maintenance, operations, and engineering expenditures.
AB908,10,2524 3. Provide incentive funds to the cities of Kenosha and Racine in compliance
25with the requirements specified in par. (L).
AB908,11,5
1(f) 1. The authority may issue bonds, the principal and interest on which are
2payable exclusively from all or a portion of any revenues received by the authority.
3The authority may secure its bonds by a pledge of any income or revenues from any
4operations, rent, aids, grants, subsidies, contributions, or other source of moneys
5whatsoever.
AB908,11,106 2. Except as provided in par. (p), the authority may issue bonds in an aggregate
7principal amount not to exceed $250,000,000, excluding bonds issued to refund
8outstanding bonds issued under this subdivision, for the purpose of providing funds
9for the anticipated local funding share required for initiating KRM commuter rail
10line service.
AB908,11,1211 3. Neither the authority's board of directors nor any person executing the bonds
12is personally liable on the bonds by reason of the issuance of the bonds.
AB908,11,1713 4. The bonds of the authority are not a debt of the counties or cities that
14comprise the authority. Neither these counties, nor cities, nor the state are liable for
15the payment of the bonds. The bonds of the authority shall be payable only out of
16funds or properties of the authority. The bonds of the authority shall state the
17restrictions contained in this subdivision on the face of the bonds.
AB908,12,818 5. Bonds of the authority shall be authorized by resolution of the authority's
19board of directors. The bonds may be issued under such a resolution or under a trust
20indenture or other security instrument. The bonds may be issued in one or more
21series and may be in the form of coupon bonds or registered bonds under s. 67.09.
22The bonds shall bear the dates, mature at the times, bear interest at the rates, be in
23the denominations, have the rank or priority, be executed in the manner, be payable
24in the medium of payment and at the places, and be subject to the terms of
25redemption, with or without premium, as the resolution, trust indenture, or other

1security instrument provides. Bonds of the authority are issued for an essential
2public and governmental purpose and are public instrumentalities and, together
3with interest and income, are exempt from taxes. The authority may sell the bonds
4at public or private sales at the price or prices determined by the authority. If a
5member of the authority's board of directors whose signature appears on any bonds
6or coupons ceases to be a member of the authority's board of directors before the
7delivery of such obligations, the member's signature shall, nevertheless, be valid for
8all purposes as if the member had remained a member until delivery of the bonds.
AB908,12,209 6. The authority may issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying any of
10its bonds at or prior to maturity or upon acceleration or redemption. The authority
11may issue refunding bonds at such time prior to the maturity or redemption of the
12refunded bonds as the authority deems to be in the public interest. The refunding
13bonds may be issued in sufficient amounts to pay or provide the principal of the bonds
14being refunded, together with any redemption premium on the bonds, any interest
15accrued or to accrue to the date of payment of the bonds, the expenses of issue of the
16refunding bonds, the expenses of redeeming the bonds being refunded, and such
17reserves for debt service or other capital or current expenses from the proceeds of
18such refunding bonds as may be required by the resolution, trust indenture, or other
19security instruments. To the extent applicable, refunding bonds are subject to subd.
205.
AB908,12,2121 (h) The authority's powers shall be limited to those specified in this subsection.
AB908,12,2522 (i) The authority is the only entity in the counties of Milwaukee, Racine, and
23Kenosha that may submit an application for funding to the federal transit
24administration in the U.S. department of transportation under the federal new
25starts grant program.
AB908,13,4
1(j) The operator of any transit system in Kenosha County or Racine County
2receiving funding under s. 85.20, and the Milwaukee transit authority if created
3under s. 66.1038, shall provide copies of all of their annual and long-term transit
4plans to the southeastern regional transit authority as these plans become available.
AB908,13,85 (k) The authority shall develop goals and criteria for increasing transit service,
6increasing connectivity among transit systems, and reducing passenger fare support
7for transit. The authority shall evaluate success in achieving these goals and
8meeting these criteria.
AB908,13,149 (L) From the fees identified in par. (e) and the aids received by the authority
10under s. 85.20 (4m) (a) 6. f., the authority shall provide incentive funds to the city of
11Kenosha and to the city of Racine, in the amount of $2,500,000 for each city, if the
12city commits to support the authority's provision of transit service, from city property
13tax revenues, at then-current operating levels and at inflation-adjusted future
14operating levels.
AB908,14,215 (m) Except as provided in par. (n), and notwithstanding s. 59.84 (2) and any
16other provision of this chapter or ch. 66 or 85, beginning on January 1, 2015, the
17authority shall assume responsibility for providing transit service and transit
18planning within the jurisdictional area of the authority. The authority may also
19provide transit service outside the authority's jurisdictional area if such transit
20service would benefit residents within the authority's jurisdictional area. In lieu of
21directly providing transit service, the authority may contract with existing transit
22providers for the provision of transit service. An authority may also acquire a transit
23system by entering into a transfer agreement with the owner of the system. The
24authority shall have all powers necessary and convenient to carry out its

1responsibilities under this paragraph, including the power to apply for and utilize
2state and federal funds.
AB908,14,43 (n) 1. The authority may not assume responsibility for providing transit service
4and transit planning in Milwaukee County until all of the following occur:
AB908,14,55 a. A Milwaukee transit authority is created as provided in s. 66.1038 (2).
AB908,14,66 b. Approval of an application as described in s. 66.1038 (7) (a).
AB908,14,87 2. When the last of the conditions specified in subd. 1. occurs, the authority
8shall do all of the following:
AB908,14,119 a. Assist the Milwaukee transit authority in the winding-down process
10described in s. 66.1038 (7) (a) and (b), including assisting in the orderly transfer of
11assets and property to the southeastern regional transit authority.
AB908,14,1312 b. Within 120 days thereafter, assume responsibility for providing transit
13service and transit planning in Milwaukee County under par. (m).
AB908,14,2014 (o) If any county transfers sales tax revenues to the authority, the authority
15may expend these funds only in the county in which the revenues were generated and
16only for purposes of providing transit service or transit planning within this county.
17These funds may not be expended for purposes related to the KRM commuter rail
18line. This paragraph does not prohibit the authority from using any available
19revenues for payment of debt service on bonds issued under par. (f) that were issued
20for purposes consistent with this paragraph.
AB908,15,221 (p) After the authority assumes responsibility for providing transit service
22under par. (m), in addition to the authorization under par. (f) 2., the authority may
23use bond proceeds from the bonds issued under par. (f) for the construction of new
24capital improvements to the authority's transit system or for the acquisition of

1existing transit systems in any portion of the authority's jurisdictional area where
2the authority provides transit service.
AB908,10 3Section 10. 66.0301 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,15,184 66.0301 (1) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), in this section
5"municipality" means the state or any department or agency thereof, or any city,
6village, town, county, school district, public library system, public inland lake
7protection and rehabilitation district, sanitary district, farm drainage district,
8metropolitan sewerage district, sewer utility district, solid waste management
9system created under s. 59.70 (2), local exposition district created under subch. II of
10ch. 229, local professional baseball park district created under subch. III of ch. 229,
11local professional football stadium district created under subch. IV of ch. 229, local
12cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229, the transit authority under
13s. 59.58 (7),
long-term care district under s. 46.2895, water utility district, mosquito
14control district, municipal electric company, county or city transit commission,
15commission created by contract under this section, taxation district, regional
16planning commission, housing authority created under s. 66.1201, redevelopment
17authority created under s. 66.1333, community development authority created
18under s. 66.1335, or city-county health department.
AB908,11 19Section 11. 66.0903 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB908,15,2420 66.0903 (1) (d) "Local governmental unit" means a political subdivision of this
21state, a special purpose district in this state, an instrumentality or corporation of
22such a political subdivision or special purpose district, a combination or subunit of
23any of the foregoing or an instrumentality of the state and any of the foregoing.
24"Local governmental unit" includes a transit authority under s. 59.58 (7) or 66.1038.
AB908,12 25Section 12. 66.1038 of the statutes is created to read:
AB908,16,1
166.1038 Milwaukee transit authority. (1) Definitions. In this section:
AB908,16,32 (a) Except as used in par. (c), "authority" means a Milwaukee transit authority
3created under this section.
AB908,16,44 (b) "KRM commuter rail line" has the meaning given in s. 59.58 (7) (a) 3.
AB908,16,65 (c) "Southeastern regional transit authority" means the southeastern regional
6transit authority created under s. 59.58 (7).
AB908,16,12 7(2) Creation. Subject to the tax imposition requirement of s. 77.70 (2), the
8Milwaukee County board may create a Milwaukee transit authority, a public body
9corporate and politic and a separate governmental entity. Once created, the
10authority may transact business and exercise any powers granted to it under this
11section. The jurisdictional area of this authority is the geographic area formed by
12the territorial boundaries of Milwaukee County.
AB908,16,18 13(3) Governance. (a) Upon creation, the powers of the authority shall be vested
14in its board of directors. Directors shall be appointed for 2-year terms. A majority
15of the board of directors' full authorized membership constitutes a quorum for the
16purpose of conducting the authority's business and exercising its powers. Action may
17be taken by the board of directors upon a vote of a majority of the directors present
18and voting, unless the bylaws of the authority require a larger number.
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