AB897: Bill Text

AB897, s. 58 Section 58. 101.957 of the statutes is created to read:

AB897,17,18 101.957 Nonjudicial resolution of manufactured housing industry disputes. The department, by rule, shall establish an alternative dispute resolution program for the timely resolution of any dispute that concerns a defect in a manufactured home, or in the installation of a manufactured home, reported to the department within one year of the date on which the manufactured home was installed and that occurs between parties each of which is a manufacturer of manufactured homes, manufactured home salesperson, manufactured home dealer, or installer. Each party to a dispute that is covered by the rules shall submit to the alternative dispute resolution program before commencing any action arising out of the dispute against any other party to the dispute. The rules shall facilitate the informal resolution of disputes, except that, if informal resolution is not obtained in a timely manner and at least one of the parties to the dispute so requests in writing, the department shall hold a contested case hearing under ch. 227 and issue an order directing any party that the department finds responsible for the defect at issue in the dispute to remedy the defect. This section does not affect the rights of any consumer to commence an action or the rights of any person to commence an action against a consumer.

AB897, s. 59 Section 59. 101.96 of the statutes is created to read:

AB897,17,24 101.96 Manufactured home installation regulated. (1) Installation standards. (a) Promulgation of standards. The department shall, by rule, establish installation standards for the safe installation of manufactured homes in this state. In promulgating rules under this paragraph, the department shall consider the recommendations of the manufactured housing code council under s. 101.933.

AB897,18,9 (b) Enforcement of standards. The department shall, by rule, establish a method for ensuring compliance with the rules promulgated under par. (a). The department shall require 3rd-party inspections of manufactured home installations. Each 3rd-party inspector shall complete, to the satisfaction of the department, an examination that meets the criteria under sub. (2) (b) 3. An individual may not serve as a 3rd-party inspector if the individual is, employed by, or is an independent contractor of a manufactured home manufacturer, manufactured home salesperson, or installer who was directly involved in the sale of the particular manufactured home.

AB897,18,19 (2) Manufactured home installers. (a) License required; exceptions; liability. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no person may act as an installer in this state unless the person is a licensed installer or employs one or more licensed installers to generally supervise each of the person's installations of manufactured homes in this state. This requirement does not apply to an individual who installs a manufactured home on his or her own property for his or her personal use or to an individual who installs a manufactured home under the general supervision of a licensed installer. A licensed installer is liable for all acts and omissions related to the installation of each individual who performs an installation under the licensed installer's general supervision.

AB897,18,21 (b) License eligibility. The department may issue an installer's license only to an individual to whom all of the following apply:

AB897,18,22 1. The individual is at least 18 years old.

AB897,18,24 2. The individual files with the department a license application on a form prescribed by the department.

AB897,19,4 3. The individual completes, to the satisfaction of the department, an examination approved by the department that tests the skills necessary to properly install manufactured homes and knowledge of the laws applicable to manufactured home installation.

AB897,19,7 4. The individual has not been found responsible in any judicial or administrative forum for any violation of this section during the 2 years before the date on which the individual's license application is submitted.

AB897,19,12 5. The individual has not been found responsible in any judicial or administrative forum during the 2 years before the date on which the individual's license application is submitted for any failure to perform an installation of a manufactured home as required under contract or for defrauding any person with regard to the provision of installation services.

AB897,19,14 6. The individual meets the standards of financial responsibility established by rule of the department.

AB897,19,19 (c) License term and fee. The department, by rule under sub. (1) (b), shall establish the term of installers' licenses and the conditions under which the department may revoke or suspend installers' licenses. The department shall establish an initial installer's license fee and license renewal fee by rule under s. 101.19.

AB897,19,22 (3) Municipal authority. (a) Authority limited. No city, village, town, or county may enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution regulating a matter governed by this section or by a rule promulgated under this section.

AB897,20,2 (b) Retroactive effect. If a city, village, town, or county has in effect on the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], an ordinance or resolution that is inconsistent with par. (a), the ordinance or resolution does not apply and may not be enforced.

AB897, s. 60 Section 60. 101.965 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:

AB897,20,6 101.965 (1p) Any person who violates s. 101.96 or any rule promulgated under that section may be required to forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $500 for each violation. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate violation.

AB897, s. 61 Section 61. 101.965 (1t) of the statutes is created to read:

AB897,20,10 101.965 (1t) Upon request of the department, the attorney general may commence an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any installer from installing a manufactured home in violation of s. 101.96 (2).

AB897, s. 62 Section 62. 560.285 of the statutes is created to read:

AB897,20,14 560.285 Manufactured housing rehabilitation and recycling. (1) Definition. In this section, "manufactured home" has the meaning given in s. 101.91 (2).

AB897,20,18 (2) Grant program. (a) The department may make grants under this section to provide financial assistance to persons engaged in the disposal of abandoned manufactured homes and to municipalities, for the purpose of supporting environmentally sound disposal practices.

AB897,20,22 (b) The department may make grants under this section to provide financial assistance to individuals who reside in manufactured homes that are in need of critical repairs. An individual is eligible for a grant under this paragraph only if the individual is otherwise unable to finance the critical repairs.

AB897,21,4 (3) Administration. The department shall contract with one or more entities that are exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code and that employ individuals with technical expertise concerning manufactured housing for the administration of the grant program under this section. The department shall promulgate rules to establish the grant program under this section. To the extent feasible, the department shall coordinate the program under this section with the state housing strategy plan under s. 560.9802.

AB897, s. 63 Section 63 . Nonstatutory provisions.

AB897,21,10 (1) Proposed rules. No later than the first day of the 12th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection, the department of commerce shall submit in proposed form the rules required under sections 101.9205 (3), 101.9208, 101.9213 (8), 101.951 (2) (bm), 101.952 (2) (bm), and 101.96 of the statutes, as affected by this act, to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes.

AB897,21,19 (2) Initial members of manufactured housing code council. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified for the manufactured housing code council under section 15.157 (13) (a) of the statutes, as created by this act, the initial members appointed under section 15.157 (13) (a) 1. and 2. of the statutes, as created by this act, shall be appointed for terms that expire on July 1, 2004; the initial members appointed under section 15.157 (13) (a) 3. and 4. of the statutes, as created by this act, shall be appointed for terms that expire on July 1, 2005; and the remaining initial members appointed under section 15.157 (13) (a) 5. to 7. of the statutes, as created by this act, shall be appointed for terms that expire on July 1, 2006.

AB897,21,24 (3) Department of commerce position decrease. The authorized FTE positions for the department of commerce are decreased by 1.6 SEG positions, funded from the appropriation under section 20.143 (3) (sa) of the statutes, as affected by this act, for the performance of duties primarily related to the administration of subchapter V of chapter 101 of the statutes.

AB897,22,5 (4) Department of commerce position increase. The authorized FTE positions for the department of commerce are increased by 1.6 PR positions, funded from the appropriation under section 20.143 (3) (j) of the statutes, as affected by this act, for the performance of duties primarily related to the administration of subchapter V of chapter 101 of the statutes.

AB897,22,10 (5) Appropriation transfer. Immediately before the effective date of this subsection, the unencumbered balance in the account for the appropriation to the department of commerce under section 20.143 (3) (sa) of the statutes, as affected by this act, is transferred to the appropriation account under section 20.143 (3) (j) of the statutes, as affected by this act.

AB897, s. 64 Section 64. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the first day of the 18th month beginning after publication or December 1, 2005, whichever occurs first, except as follows:

AB897,22,15 (1) Proposed rules. Section 63 (1) of this act takes effect on the day after publication.

AB897,22,16 (End)