LRB-2833/1
RPN:nwn:ph
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
October 27, 2009 - Introduced by Representatives Lothian, Schneider, Nass,
Jorgensen, Brooks, Vos, Bies, Spanbauer, Petersen, Nerison, Townsend and
Suder, cosponsored by Senators Lassa, Schultz and Lehman. Referred to
Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.
AB522,1,2
1An Act to amend 45.05 of the statutes;
relating to: veterans records with the
2register of deeds.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, a veteran who has been been honorably discharged or given a
certificate of service or relieved from active service may record the certificate of
discharge or release with the county register of deeds. Under current law, the
recorded certificate is accessible only to the veteran, the veteran's dependents, a duly
authorized representative of the veteran, the county veterans service officer, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, or a person with written authorization from the
veteran or the veteran's dependents. Currently, "duly authorized representative"
includes a person with written authorization from the veteran, or if no
representative is authorized in writing, the veteran's spouse, adult child, or the
parents of an unmarried veteran.
This bill expands what can be recorded in the register of deeds office to include
documents that the county veterans service officer considers necessary and
appropriate for recording. The bill also limits a dependent's access to the veteran's
records to allow that access only if the veteran is deceased.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB522, s. 1
3Section
1. 45.05 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB522,2,16
145.05 Registration of certificate of discharge. Every person who has
2served in the U.S. armed forces at any time, and who has been honorably discharged
3or given a certificate of service or relieved from active service may record with the
4register of deeds of any county, in a suitable book provided by the county for that
5purpose, a certificate of discharge or release
, or documents that the county veterans
6service officer considers necessary and appropriate for recording. The
certificate 7documents recorded under this section shall be accessible only to the discharged
8person or that person's
dependents or duly authorized representative, as defined in
9s. 45.04 (1) (a), the county veterans service officer, the department,
the person's
10dependents if the discharged person is deceased, or any person with written
11authorization from the discharged person or that discharged person's dependents
if
12the discharged person is deceased. The register of deeds may not charge for
13recording, except that in counties where the register of deeds is under the fee system
14and not paid a fixed salary, the county shall pay the fee specified in s. 59.43 (2) (ag).
15The record of any certificate of discharge or release made prior to July 6, 1919, is
16legalized.
