AB402: Bill Text

This bill allows a motor vehicle dealer, by contract with DOT, to accept and process applications, and any applicable fees, for vehicle registration or title, and to issue certificates of registration, certificates of title, registration stickers and license plates. DOT may allow a motor vehicle dealer to charge an applicant a fee for such services.

Currently, members of authorized special groups may obtain special distinguishing registration plates for certain vehicles registered with DOT that are owned or leased by special group members. Special plates may be obtained for automobiles, station wagons, motor homes and certain dual purpose motor homes, farm trucks and dual purpose farm trucks. In addition to the regular registration fee for the particular kind of vehicle, no fee is assessed to issue or reissue special plates associated with endangered resources, $15 is assessed to issue or reissue special plates related to certain campuses of the University of Wisconsin System and $10 is assessed to issue or reissue all other special distinguishing registration plates.

This bill provides that a fee of $15 be assessed for the issuance or reissuance of all special distinguishing registration plates, including endangered resources special plates.

Under current law, DOT is required to take a photograph of any applicant for a driver's license or identification card and affix the photograph to the driver's license or identification card issued to that applicant.

This bill authorizes DOT to take and use a digitized image of an applicant in addition to, or in place of, a photograph for use on a driver's license or identification card issued to that applicant. The bill also requires that any photograph, including a digitized image, be kept confidential by DOT and be used only by DOT, by authorized law enforcement authorities, by state agencies, by federal agencies or as the applicant may direct.

Transportation aids

Under current law, DOT administers a local transportation aids program. Under the program, DOT makes aid payments to a county based on a share of costs formula for counties, and to a municipality (city, village or town) based on the greater of a share of costs formula for municipalities or an aid rate per mile ($1,350 for 1995).

This bill provides that only towns are eligible for mileage-based aid under the program; aid payments to cities and villages are based solely on the share of costs formula for municipalities. The aid rate per mile for towns is increased to $1,415 in 1996 and to $1,480 for 1997 and thereafter.

Under current law, DOT pays 42% of the operating expenses of an urban mass transit system if the local public body that provides the mass transit system is eligible for aid under the urban mass transit operating assistance program. DOT also makes supplemental operating assistance payments to eligible systems with annual operating expenses greater than $20,000,000 and an annual ridership of more than 7,000,000 one-way trips.

This bill revises the funding formula for the program and eliminates supplemental operating assistance payments. Under the bill, DOT makes state aid payments sufficient to ensure that the combination of state and federal aids contributed toward the operating expenses of an urban mass transit system equals the uniform percentage established by DOT for the mass transit system. The bill requires DOT to establish uniform percentages for each of the following: 1) mass transit systems in urban areas having a population of less than 50,000; 2) mass transit systems in urban areas having a population between 50,000 and 200,000; and 3) mass transit systems in urban areas having a population of more than 200,000.

The bill also requires DOT to establish, by rule, cost-efficiency standards for urban mass transit systems and, if a mass transit system incurs costs inconsistent with those standards, to exclude those costs from operating expenses for purposes of mass transit aid or to reduce the amount of aid for the mass transit system under the program. DOT is given emergency rule-making authority to establish the cost-efficiency standards.

Currently, under the urban mass transit operating assistance program, each applicant is required to make a local contribution, exclusive of user fees, equal to at least 20% of the state aid allocations under the program. Any applicant that is served solely by a shared-ride taxicab system is not required to make a local contribution.

This bill requires any eligible applicant that is served solely by a shared-ride taxicab system to make a local contribution, exclusive of user fees, equal to at least 5% of the state aid allocations under the program for 1996, at least 10% of the state aid allocations under the program for 1997, at least 15% of the state aid allocations under the program for 1998 and at least 20% of the state aid allocations under the program for calendar year 1999 and thereafter.

This bill increases the level of revenue bonding for major highway projects and transportation administrative facilities from $950,834,000 to $1,074,514,500, of which not more than $1,031,634,300 may be used to fund such projects and facilities.

Under current law, DOT administers a local roads improvement program to reimburse counties, cities, villages and towns for up to 50% of eligible costs of local road improvements (highway construction projects with a projected design life of at least 10 years and highway feasibility studies). Under an entitlement formula, town road improvements are eligible for 28.5% of the funds available for reimbursements. In addition, $500,000 is allocated in each fiscal year for the reimbursement of town road improvements with eligible costs of not less than $100,000 notwithstanding any reimbursements made under the existing entitlement formula.

This bill increases this allocation in each fiscal year from $500,000 to $1,000,000.

Under current law, DOT administers a surface transportation discretionary grants program. Under the program, DOT annually may award grants to local public bodies for surface transportation projects that promote nonhighway use or otherwise supplement existing transportation activities. Specific conditions apply to the awarding of grants to any local public body in an urbanized area served by a metropolitan planning organization (an organization that develops transportation plans and programs).

This bill permits DOT to conduct surface transportation projects under the program or to award grants to other state agencies for such projects.

Under current law, DOT administers an employment transit assistance program to provide transit assistance related to access to employment locations and the development of innovative transit service methods. Under the program, DOT may conduct projects with these objectives or may contract with an eligible applicant (a local public body or a private organization) to conduct a project. DOT may make grants to eligible applicants to conduct a project or to match a federal grant for a project. Grants by DOT may not exceed 80% of the cost of a project.

This bill changes eligibility requirements for a grant or contract under the program. Eligibility is limited to applicants who provide employment, training or job placement services in a county with a population of 500,000 or more and who are local public bodies or private organizations located in the county or 2 or more state agencies coordinating such services.

Currently, the program is funded solely with federal funds, including oil overcharge funds. This bill eliminates the use of federal oil overcharge funds for the program and appropriates state funds for the program.

Rail and air transportation

Under current law, DOT is authorized to contract up to $10,000,000 in public debt for the acquisition of rail property and for grants and loans awarded by DOT for certain rail property acquisitions and improvements. This bill increases this authorized general obligation bonding limit from $10,000,000 to $14,500,000.

Under current law, with specified exceptions, any aircraft based in this state is required to be registered annually by its owner with DOT. An annual registration fee is collected by DOT on the basis of the maximum gross weight of the aircraft, up to a maximum of $3,125 for aircraft with a maximum gross weight of more than 100,000 pounds. DOT collects a charge for late payment of the annual registration fee of up to 20% of the applicable fee.

This bill makes a number of changes in aircraft registration. The bill:

1. Establishes biennial registration for aircraft with a maximum gross weight of not more than 3,000 pounds, with the current annual registration fee for the aircraft doubled.

2. Requires a minimum late payment charge of $50.

3. Eliminates an aircraft dealer exemption from aircraft registration.

4. Changes the definition of "antique aircraft" to apply to any aircraft manufactured in 1944 or earlier instead of aircraft more than 35 years old. Current law permits antique aircraft to be registered with DOT for a one-time registration fee of $50 that remains valid while the aircraft is owned by the registrant.

Other transportation

Under current law, the state is authorized to issue general obligation bonds to finance grants awarded by DOT for harbor improvements, with the principal repayment and interest payments to be made from transportation fund revenue.

This bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit for grants awarded by DOT for harbor improvements from $9,000,000 to $12,000,000.

Under current law, with certain exceptions a condemnor may not require any person who occupies premises on the date that title to the premises is transferred to the condemnor to vacate the premises until a comparable replacement property is made available to the person.

This bill provides that whenever a business is condemned for transportation purposes, the condemnor may require any persons displaced as a result to vacate without making a comparable replacement business available. The condemnor must still take reasonable and necessary steps to assist owners of displaced business concerns in obtaining and becoming established in suitable replacement business locations.

Under current law, DOT administers a demonstration and training program for the purpose of developing the capability of disadvantaged businesses to participate in DOT construction projects. Under the program, disadvantaged businesses include those businesses that are at least 51% owned by minority group members, women or other individuals found by DOT to be socially and economically disadvantaged according to certain federal criteria. The program is scheduled to expire on June 30, 1995.

This bill extends the expiration date for the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program until September 30, 1997.

Under current law, an owner of property that is exempt from taxes is required to file a report on that property every 2 years with the clerk of the taxation district where the property is located. Certain exceptions are made. This bill adds an exception for certain railroad property that DOT acquires.

This bill will be referred to the joint survey committee on tax exemptions for a detailed analysis, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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:

AB402,11,2 *-3046/P2.1* Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes, as it affects 20.395 of the statutes, is repealed and recreated to read:

AB402,11,3 - See PDF for table

AB402,22,2 *-2280/3.1* Section 2. 20.395 (1) (as) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,22,4 20.395 (1) (as) Transportation aids to counties, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for local transportation aids to counties under s. 86.30 (2) (a) 2. b.

AB402,22,5 *-2280/3.2* Section 3. 20.395 (1) (at) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,22,8 20.395 (1) (at) Transportation aids to municipalities, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for local transportation aids to municipalities under s. 86.30 (2) (a) 2. a.

AB402,22,9 *-2280/3.3* Section 4. 20.395 (1) (au) of the statutes is created to read:

AB402,22,11 20.395 (1) (au) Transportation aids to towns, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for local transportation aids to towns under s. 86.30 (2) (a) 3.

AB402,22,12 *-2201/5.1* Section 5. 20.395 (1) (bq) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,22,15 20.395 (1) (bq) (title) Transit Small communities transit operating aids, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for the mass transit aid program aids to small communities under s. 85.20 (4m) (a) 1.

AB402,22,17 *-2201/5.2* Section 6. 20.395 (1) (bs) of the statutes is renumbered 20.395 (1) (ds).

AB402,22,18 *-2201/5.3* Section 7. 20.395 (1) (bs) of the statutes is created to read:

AB402,22,21 20.395 (1) (bs) Medium-sized communities transit operating aids, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for mass transit aids to medium-sized communities under s. 85.20 (4m) (a) 2.

AB402,22,22 *-2201/5.4* Section 8. 20.395 (1) (bu) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,23,3 20.395 (1) (bu) (title) Supplemental Large communities transit operating aids, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for the mass transit aid program aids to large communities under s. 85.20 (4m) (am) (a) 3.

AB402,23,4 *-3009/2.1* Section 9. 20.395 (1) (bw) of the statutes is created to read:

AB402,23,6 20.395 (1) (bw) Employment transit aids, state funds. The amounts in the schedule for the employment transit assistance program under s. 85.26.

AB402,23,7 *-3009/2.2* Section 10. 20.395 (1) (bz) of the statutes is repealed.

AB402,23,9 *-0654/1* Section 11. 20.395 (2) (bq) (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB402,23,10 20.395 (2) (bq) (title) Rail service assistance, state funds.

AB402,23,11 *-2194/3.1* Section 12. 20.395 (2) (bt) of the statutes is repealed.

AB402,23,12 *-0653/2.1* Section 13. 20.395 (3) (aq) of the statutes is created to read:

AB402,23,15 20.395 (3) (aq) Environmental clean-up activities, state funds. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for environmental clean-up activities under s. 84.01 (30).

AB402,23,16 *-0652/1.1* Section 14. 20.395 (3) (bq) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,23,20 20.395 (3) (bq) Major highway development, state funds. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for major development of state trunk and connecting highways and, before July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076.

AB402,23,21 *-0652/1.2* Section 15. 20.395 (3) (bv) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,24,2 20.395 (3) (bv) Major highway development, local funds. All moneys received from any local unit of government or other source for major development of state trunk and connecting highways, including the railroad and utility alteration and relocation loan program under s. 84.065, and, before July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076, for such purposes.

AB402,24,3 *-0652/1.3* Section 16. 20.395 (3) (bx) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,24,7 20.395 (3) (bx) Major highway development, federal funds. All moneys received from the federal government for major development of state trunk and connecting highways and, before July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076, for such purposes.

AB402,24,8 *-0652/1.4* Section 17. 20.395 (3) (cq) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB402,24,20 20.395 (3) (cq) State highway rehabilitation, state funds. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for improvement of existing state trunk and connecting highways; for improvement of bridges on state trunk or connecting highways and other bridges for which improvement is a state responsibility, for necessary approach work for such bridges and for replacement of such bridges with at-grade crossing improvements; for the construction and rehabilitation of the national system of interstate and defense highways and bridges and related appurtenances; for special maintenance activities under s. 84.04 on roadside improvements; for bridges under s. 84.10; for payment to a local unit of government for a jurisdictional transfer under s. 84.02 (8); and, before July 1, 1995 October 1, 1997, for the disadvantaged business demonstration and training program under s. 84.076.

AB402,24,21 *-3056/2.1* Section 18. 20.395 (3) (cr) of the statutes is created to read:

AB402,24,24 20.395 (3) (cr) Seasonal highway rehabilitation program, state funds. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the seasonal highway rehabilitation program under s. 86.307.

AB402,24,25 *-0652/1.5* Section 19. 20.395 (3) (cv) of the statutes is amended to read: