9. The bill requires DRL to promulgate rules interpreting the requirements
regarding interests in burial spaces. In addition, DRL must promulgate rules that
require a person who transfers an interest in a burial space to provide the transferee
with a written notice, prepared by DRL, that describes those requirements.
10. The bill requires a cemetery authority, other than a religious cemetery
authority, to maintain a cemetery in a reasonable manner at all times.
11. The bill eliminates a requirement under current law for a cemetery
authority to increase its surety bonds to cover gifts that are received and requires
instead that a cemetery authority maintain a gift ledger accounting for all receipts
and disbursements of gifts.
12. The bill requires a person who provides an outer burial container or casket
to a cemetery authority for the burial of human remains to identify the decedent on
the exterior of the container or casket. This requirement does not apply to outer
burial containers and caskets provided to religious cemetery authorities.
13. The bill allows a city, village, or town to enact and enforce an ordinance that
allows a person to bury human remains in a burial space that is not located in a
cemetery. If a city, village, or town has not enacted such an ordinance, a person may

not bury human remains in the city, village, or town in a burial space that is not
located in a cemetery.
14. The bill increases the penalty for violating requirements regarding the
reburial of human remains to a fine of no more than $1,000, imprisonment for no
more than 90 days, or both. Under current law, the penalty is a forfeiture of no more
than $200.
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:
AB776, s. 1 1Section 1. 15.07 (1) (b) 23. of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,9,22 15.07 (1) (b) 23. Cemetery board.
AB776, s. 2 3Section 2. 15.07 (1) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,9,174 15.07 (1) (cm) The term of one member of the ethics board shall expire on each
5May 1. The terms of 3 members of the development finance board appointed under
6s. 15.155 (1) (a) 6. shall expire on May 1 of every even-numbered year and the terms
7of the other 3 members appointed under s. 15.155 (1) (a) 6. shall expire on May 1 of
8every odd-numbered year. The terms of the 3 members of the land and water
9conservation board appointed under s. 15.135 (4) (b) 2. shall expire on January 1.
10The term of the member of the land and water conservation board appointed under
11s. 15.135 (4) (b) 2m. shall expire on May 1 of an even-numbered year. The terms of
12members of the real estate board shall expire on July 1. The terms of the appraiser
13members of the real estate appraisers board and the terms of the auctioneer and
14auction company representative members of the auctioneer board shall expire on
15May 1 in an even-numbered year. The terms of the cemetery authority business
16representative members of the cemetery board shall expire on May 1 in an
17even-numbered year.
AB776, s. 3 18Section 3. 15.07 (1) (cs) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,10,4
115.07 (1) (cs) No member of the auctioneer board, cemetery board, real estate
2appraisers board, or real estate board may be an officer, director, or employee of a
3private organization that promotes or furthers any profession or occupation
4regulated by that board.
AB776, s. 4 5Section 4. 15.07 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,10,106 15.07 (3) (b) Except as provided in par. (bm), each board not covered under par.
7(a) shall meet annually, and may meet at other times on the call of the chairperson
8or a majority of its members. The auctioneer board, the cemetery board, the real
9estate board, and the real estate appraisers board shall also meet on the call of the
10secretary of regulation and licensing or his or her designee within the department.
AB776, s. 5 11Section 5. 15.07 (3) (bm) 5. of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,10,1212 15.07 (3) (bm) 5. The cemetery board shall meet at least 4 times each year.
AB776, s. 6 13Section 6. 15.07 (5) (z) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,10,1414 15.07 (5) (z) Members of the cemetery board, $25 per day.
AB776, s. 7 15Section 7. 15.405 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,10,1616 15.405 (3m) Cemetery board. (a) In this subsection:
AB776,10,1717 1. "Business representative" has the meaning given in s. 452.01 (3k).
AB776,10,1818 2. "Licensed cemetery authority" has the meaning given in s. 157.061 (8r).
AB776,10,1919 3. "Religious cemetery authority" has the meaning given s. 157.061 (15m).
AB776,10,2220 (b) There is created a cemetery board, attached to the department of regulation
21and licensing under s. 15.03, consisting of the following members appointed for
224-year terms:
AB776,10,2423 1. Four members, each of whom is a business representative of a licensed
24cemetery authority.
AB776,11,2
12. A representative of the department of justice designated by the attorney
2general.
AB776,11,33 3. Two public members.
AB776,11,104 (c) Of the members appointed under par. (b) 1., one member shall be a business
5representative of a licensed cemetery authority organized or conducted for pecuniary
6profit, one member shall be a business representative of a licensed cemetery
7authority not organized or conducted for pecuniary profit, one member shall be a
8business representative of a licensed cemetery authority that is a city, village, town,
9or county, and no member may be a business representative of a religious cemetery
10authority.
AB776,11,1111 (d) No member of the cemetery board may serve more than 2 terms.
AB776, s. 8 12Section 8. 20.165 (1) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,11,1513 20.165 (1) (q) Cemetery and mausoleum trustee disbursements. From the
14cemetery management insurance fund, a sum sufficient to make disbursements to
15trustees under the rules promulgated under s. 157.117 (4) (a).
AB776, s. 9 16Section 9. 25.17 (1) (at) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,11,1717 25.17 (1) (at) Cemetery management insurance fund (s. 25.86);
AB776, s. 10 18Section 10. 25.86 of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,11,21 1925.86 Cemetery management insurance fund. There is established a
20separate nonlapsible trust fund designated as the cemetery management insurance
21fund, to consist of each of the following:
AB776,11,22 22(1) The moneys received from death certificate filing fees under s. 69.22 (1) (e).
AB776,11,24 23(2) The moneys received from the issuance of copies of death certificates under
24s. 69.22 (1) (f).
AB776, s. 11 25Section 11. 60.61 (2) (j) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,12,1
160.61 (2) (j) Authorize burials under s. 157.066.
AB776, s. 12 2Section 12. 62.23 (7) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,12,153 62.23 (7) (c) Purposes in view. Such regulations shall be made in accordance
4with a comprehensive plan and designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure
5safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to promote health and the general welfare;
6to provide adequate light and air, including access to sunlight for solar collectors and
7to wind for wind energy systems; to encourage the protection of groundwater
8resources; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of
9population; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage,
10schools, parks and other public requirements; to authorize burials if an ordinance is
11enacted under s. 157.066;
and to preserve burial sites, as defined in s. 157.70 (1) (b).
12Such regulations shall be made with reasonable consideration, among other things,
13of the character of the district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses, and
14with a view to conserving the value of buildings and encouraging the most
15appropriate use of land throughout such city.
AB776, s. 13 16Section 13 . 69.18 (1) (bm) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,13,217 69.18 (1) (bm) (intro.) A person required to file a certificate of death under par.
18(b) shall obtain the information required for the certificate of death from the next of
19kin or the best qualified person or source available. The person filing the certificate
20of death shall enter his or her signature on the certificate and include his or her
21address and the date of signing and shall present or mail the certificate, within 24
22hours after being notified of the death, to the physician, coroner or medical examiner
23responsible for completing and signing the medical certification under sub. (2).
24Within 2 days after receipt of the medical certification under sub. (2), the person

1filing the certificate of death shall mail or present the certificate of death, together
2with the fee required under s. 69.22 (1) (e),
in:
AB776, s. 14 3Section 14 . 69.18 (1) (bm) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2001 Wisconsin
4Act 16
, is amended to read:
AB776,13,145 69.18 (1) (bm) (intro.) A person required to file a certificate of death under par.
6(b) shall obtain the information required for the certificate of death from the next of
7kin or the best qualified person or source available. The person filing the certificate
8of death shall enter his or her signature on the certificate and include his or her
9address and the date of signing and shall present or mail the certificate, within 24
10hours after being notified of the death, to the physician, coroner or medical examiner
11responsible for completing and signing the medical certification. Within 2 days after
12receipt of the medical certification, the person filing the certificate of death shall mail
13or present the certificate of death, together with the fee required under s. 69.22 (1)
14(e),
in:
AB776, s. 15 15Section 15. 69.22 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2001 Wisconsin Act 16,
16is amended to read:
AB776,13,1917 69.22 (1) (a) Except as provided under par. pars. (c) and (f), $7 for issuing one
18certified copy of a vital record and $3 for any additional certified copy of the same
19vital record issued at the same time.
AB776, s. 16 20Section 16. 69.22 (1) (e) and (f) of the statutes are created to read:
AB776,13,2321 69.22 (1) (e) Ten dollars for receiving a death certificate filed by a person
22required to file a certificate of death under s. 69.18 (1) (b), which shall be forwarded
23to the state treasurer under sub. (1r).
AB776,13,2524 (f) Eight dollars for issuing a copy of a death certificate, $1 of which shall be
25forwarded to the state treasurer under sub. (1r).
AB776, s. 17
1Section 17. 69.22 (1r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,14,62 69.22 (1r) By the 15th day of the first month following the end of a calendar
3quarter, the state registrar and any person acting under this subchapter shall
4forward to the state treasurer the amounts specified in sub. (1) (e) and (f) that are
5received during the calendar quarter. The state treasurer shall credit all amounts
6received under this subsection to the cemetery management insurance fund.
AB776, s. 18 7Section 18. 157.061 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 157.061 (1c) and
8amended to read:
AB776,14,109 157.061 (1c) "Burial" means entombment, inurnment or, interment, or
10placement in a mausoleum, vault, crypt, or columbarium
.
AB776, s. 19 11Section 19. 157.061 (1b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,14,1212 157.061 (1b) "Board" means the cemetery board.
AB776, s. 20 13Section 20. 157.061 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,14,1714 157.061 (1d) "Burial space" means a space that is used or intended to be used
15for the burial of human remains and, when used in reference to the sale, purchase,
16or ownership of a burial space, includes the right to bury human remains in the
17burial space.
AB776, s. 21 18Section 21. 157.061 (1j) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,14,1919 157.061 (1j) "Business representative" has the meaning given in s. 452.01 (3k).
AB776, s. 22 20Section 22. 157.061 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,14,2221 157.061 (1p) "Cemetery" means a place that is dedicated to and used or
22intended to be used for the final disposition of human remains.
AB776, s. 23 23Section 23. 157.061 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,15,3
1157.061 (2m) "Cemetery lot" means a grave or 2 or more contiguous graves and,
2when used in reference to the sale, purchase or ownership of a cemetery lot, includes
3the right to bury human remains in that cemetery lot
.
AB776, s. 24 4Section 24. 157.061 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,15,105 157.061 (3) "Cemetery merchandise" means goods associated with the burial
6of human remains, including monuments, markers, nameplates, vases, and urns,
7and any services that are associated with supplying or delivering those goods or with
8the burial of human remains and that may be lawfully provided by a cemetery
9authority, including opening and closing of a burial space. The term does not include
10caskets or outer burial containers.
AB776, s. 25 11Section 25. 157.061 (3g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,15,1312 157.061 (3g) "Columbarium" means a building, structure, or part of a building
13or structure that is used or intended to be used for the inurnment of cremains.
AB776, s. 26 14Section 26. 157.061 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,15,1615 157.061 (3r) "Columbarium space" means a niche, crypt, or specific place in a
16columbarium that contains or is intended to contain cremains.
AB776, s. 27 17Section 27. 157.061 (8g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,15,2018 157.061 (8g) "Lawn crypt" means an interment space in chambers that are
19preplaced at either a single depth or multiple depths and that are located primarily
20underground.
AB776, s. 28 21Section 28. 157.061 (8r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,15,2322 157.061 (8r) "Licensed cemetery authority" means a cemetery authority that
23is licensed under s. 440.91 (1).
AB776, s. 29 24Section 29. 157.061 (11r) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,16,6
1157.061 (11r) "Payment of principal" means the portion of a payment for the
2purchase of a cemetery lot, cemetery merchandise or a mausoleum burial space that
3represents the principal amount owed by the purchaser for the cemetery lot,
4cemetery merchandise or mausoleum burial space, and does not include any portion
5of the payment that represents any taxes, finance or interest charges , or insurance
6premiums.
AB776, s. 30 7Section 30. 157.061 (14m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,16,98 157.061 (14m) "Registered cemetery authority" means a cemetery authority
9that is registered under s. 440.91 (1m).
AB776, s. 31 10Section 31. 157.061 (15) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,16,1311 157.061 (15) "Religious association" means any church, synagogue, or mosque
12or any, incorporated college of a religious order, or religious society organized under
13ch. 187.
AB776, s. 32 14Section 32. 157.061 (15m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB776,16,1615 157.061 (15m) "Religious cemetery authority" means a cemetery authority of
16a cemetery owned and operated by a religious association.
AB776, s. 33 17Section 33. 157.061 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,16,2018 157.061 (17) "Undeveloped space" means a mausoleum space, columbarium
19space, or lawn crypt
that is not ready for the burial of human remains on the date
20of the sale of the mausoleum space, columbarium space, or lawn crypt.
AB776, s. 34 21Section 34. 157.062 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB776,17,622 157.062 (1) Organization. Seven or more residents of the same county may
23form a cemetery association. They shall meet, select a chairperson and secretary,
24choose a name, fix the annual meeting date, and elect by ballot not less than 3 nor
25more than 9 trustees whom the chairperson and secretary shall immediately divide

1by lot into 3 classes, who shall hold their offices for 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively.
2Within 3 days, the chairperson and secretary shall certify the corporate name, the
3names, home addresses and business addresses of the organizers and of the trustees,
4and their classification, and the annual meeting date acknowledged by them, and,
5except as provided in sub. (9),
deliver the certification to the department of financial
6institutions. The association then has the powers of a corporation.
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