LRB-2917/1
MES&EVM:jld:jf
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
February 2, 2010 - Introduced by Senators Erpenbach, Lehman, Hansen, Kreitlow,
Vinehout, Risser
and Taylor, cosponsored by Representatives Soletski,
Hebl, Pope-Roberts, Smith, Lothian, Townsend, Vruwink, Dexter, Vos,
Radcliffe
and Van Roy. Referred to Committee on Ethics Reform and
Government Operations.
SB507,1,7 1An Act to renumber and amend 59.72 (4); to amend 16.967 (7) (a) (intro.),
259.43 (2) (ag) 1., 59.43 (2) (e), 59.43 (2) (i), 59.72 (3) (b), 59.72 (5) (a), 59.72 (5)
3(b) (intro.) and 59.72 (5) (b) 3.; and to create 16.967 (3) (f), 16.967 (3) (g), 16.967
4(7m), 59.43 (2) (L), 59.43 (4) (c), 59.43 (4) (d), 59.72 (2), 59.72 (3m), 59.72 (4) (b),
559.72 (5) (b) 1m. and 59.72 (6) of the statutes; relating to: changing the fees
6collected by a register of deeds, the redaction of social security numbers from
7electronic documents, and changes to the land information program.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Department of Administration (DOA) directs and
supervises the land information program and serves as a state clearinghouse for
access to land information. Under the land information program, DOA provides
technical assistance to state agencies and local governmental units with land
information responsibilities, reviews and approves county plans for land records
modernization, and provides aids to counties, derived from recording fee revenues
collected by counties, for land records modernization projects.
Also under current law, a county board may establish a land information office
or direct that the functions and duties of the office be performed by an existing county
office. If a land information office is established, it is required to coordinate land
information projects between different units and levels of government and between

the government and the private sector, develop and receive approval for a
countywide plan for land records modernization, and review and recommend
projects from local governmental units for grants from DOA.
Also under current law, counties collect a fee for recording and filing most
instruments that are recorded or filed with a register of deeds. The fee is $11 for the
first page of an instrument and $2 for each additional page. Counties must remit $7
of each $11 collected for recording or filing the first page of each instrument to DOA,
which DOA uses the revenues to make grants to counties for land records
modernization projects (modernization grants). However, if a county has established
a land information office, receives approval from DOA for its land records
modernization plan, and uses the money for certain specified purposes related to
land records modernization, the county may retain $5 of each $7 fee that would
otherwise be payable to DOA. Counties also collect a $25 fee for recording certain
probate certificates and for preparing and mailing certain probate documents.
Under this bill, counties collect a $25 fee, regardless of the number of pages of
the instrument, for recording or filing most instruments that are recorded or filed
with a register of deeds. Counties must remit $10 of each fee to DOA, which DOA
uses to make modernization grants. If a county has, in addition to the three
requirements under current law for retaining DOA fees, established a land
information council, the county may retain $8 of each $10 fee that would otherwise
be payable to DOA. Also under this bill, counties may temporarily collect a $30 fee
for recording or filing these instruments or for recording certain probate certificates
or preparing and mailing certain probate documents if the county uses $5 of each fee
for purposes of redacting social security numbers from certain electronic format
records. The $30 fee reverts to a $25 fee upon the earliest of the following: 1)
completion of redaction of social security numbers from certain electronic format
records; 2) January 1, 2012, unless an extension of time is granted by DOA; or 3)
January 1, 2015.
Also under this bill, when the register of deeds transfers instruments filed with
or recorded by the register of deeds before April 1, 2006, to an electronic format, he
or she is required to make a reasonable effort to redact social security numbers from
the instrument's electronic format.
Also under this bill, if a county retains fees otherwise payable to DOA or
receives a grant from DOA under the land information program, the county must
submit a report to DOA describing the expenditure of those funds. These funds must
be used to design, develop, and implement a land information system and to make
the system accessible on the Internet before being used for any other purpose and
thereafter for purposes related to land records modernization. If DOA determines
that these funds have been used for unauthorized purposes, DOA may suspend the
eligibility of the county for further grants or retained fees.
Also under this bill, a county board that has created a land information office
must create a land information council consisting of no less than seven members.
The council reviews the priorities, needs, policies, and expenditures of the land
information office and advises the county on matters affecting the land information
office. Also, if a county employs countywide property assessment or maintains land

records that identify the zoning classification of individual parcels, the county board
must post on the Internet land records that identify the zoning classification of
individual parcels.
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:
SB507, s. 1 1Section 1. 16.967 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,3,42 16.967 (3) (f) Review reports received under s. 59.72 (2) (b) and determine
3whether county expenditures of funds received under sub. (7) and s. 59.72 (5) (b) have
4been made for authorized purposes.
SB507, s. 2 5Section 2. 16.967 (3) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,3,66 16.967 (3) (g) Post reports received under s. 59.72 (2) (b) on the Internet.
SB507, s. 3 7Section 3. 16.967 (7) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,3,148 16.967 (7) (a) (intro.) A county board that has established a county land
9information office under s. 59.72 (3) may apply to the department on behalf of any
10local governmental unit, as defined in s. 59.72 (1) (c), located wholly or partially
11within the county for a grant for any of the following projects, except that a county
12shall complete the project under subd. 1. and make the land information system
13accessible on the Internet before the county may expend any grant moneys under this
14paragraph for any other purpose
:
SB507, s. 4 15Section 4. 16.967 (7m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,4,616 16.967 (7m) Suspension of aid. If the department determines that grants
17under sub. (7) or retained fees under s. 59.72 (5) (b) have been used for unauthorized
18purposes, the department shall notify the county or local governmental unit of the
19determination. The notice shall include a listing of unauthorized expenditures. The

1county or local governmental unit shall have not less than 30 days to contest the
2determination or resolve the unauthorized expenditures. If the unauthorized
3expenditures are not resolved in a manner acceptable to the department, the
4department may suspend the eligibility of the county or local governmental unit that
5made unauthorized expenditures to receive further grants or to retain further fee
6revenues.
SB507, s. 5 7Section 5. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,4,128 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. Subject to s. 59.72 (5) and except as provided in par. (L), for
9recording any instrument entitled to be recorded in the office of the register of deeds,
10$11 for the first page and $2 for each additional page $25, except that no fee may be
11collected for recording a change of address that is exempt from a filing fee under s.
12185.83 (1) (b) or 193.111 (1) (b).
SB507, s. 6 13Section 6. 59.43 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,4,1714 59.43 (2) (e) Subject to s. 59.72 (5) and except as provided in par. (L), for filing
15any instrument which is entitled to be filed in the office of register of deeds and for
16which no other specific fee is specified, $11 for the first page and $2 for each
17additional page
$25.
SB507, s. 7 18Section 7. 59.43 (2) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,4,2019 59.43 (2) (i) For Except as provided in par. (L), for recording certificates and for
20preparing and mailing documents under s. 867.045 or 867.046, $25.
SB507, s. 8 21Section 8. 59.43 (2) (L) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,5,222 59.43 (2) (L) For recording any instrument under par. (ag), filing any
23instrument under par. (e), and recording certificates and preparing and mailing
24documents under par. (i), $30 if the county uses $5 of each $30 fee received under this

1paragraph to redact social security numbers from electronic format records under
2sub. (4) (c) and s. 59.72 (6), until the earliest of the following:
SB507,5,43 1. Completion of the redaction of social security numbers from electronic format
4records under sub. (4) (c) and s. 59.72 (6).
SB507,5,95 2. Unless the register of deeds has been granted an extension by the
6department of administration, January 1, 2012. The register of deeds may request
7the department of administration to extend the time period under this subdivision
8by one year. The department of administration may grant the extension and may
9renew the extension for additional one-year periods.
SB507,5,1010 3. January 1, 2015.
SB507, s. 9 11Section 9. 59.43 (4) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,5,1612 59.43 (4) (c) With regard to any instrument filed with or recorded by a register
13of deeds before April 1, 2006, which the register of deeds transfers to an electronic
14format as described in this subsection, the register of deeds shall make a reasonable
15effort to redact social security numbers from the transferred instrument's electronic
16format.
SB507, s. 10 17Section 10. 59.43 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,6,218 59.43 (4) (d) No later than March 31 annually, every register of deeds of a
19county that has not completed redaction of social security numbers from electronic
20format records under par. (c) shall submit to the department of administration a
21report regarding the progress made by the county during the preceding year in
22redacting social security numbers from electronic format records under par. (c),
23including a statement of the number of instruments transferred to an electronic
24format in the preceding year, the number of these instruments from which social
25security numbers were redacted in the preceding year, the number of instruments

1remaining to be reviewed for redaction, and the estimated time needed to review the
2remaining instruments for redaction.
SB507, s. 11 3Section 11. 59.72 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,6,74 59.72 (2) Duties. (a) If the county has established a county assessor system
5under s. 70.99 or maintains land records that identify the zoning classification of
6individual parcels, the board shall post on the Internet land records that identify the
7zoning classification of individual parcels.
SB507,6,128 (b) No later than March 31 following the end of any year in which a county that
9accepts a grant under s. 16.967 (7) or retains any fees under sub. (5) (b), the county
10land information office shall submit to the department of administration a report
11describing the expenditures made with the moneys derived from those grants or
12retained fees.
SB507, s. 12 13Section 12. 59.72 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,6,1914 59.72 (3) (b) Within 2 years after the land information office is established,
15develop and receive approval for a countywide plan for land records modernization.
16For any county in which land records are not fully accessible on the Internet, the plan
17shall include a goal of providing full access to land records on the Internet.
The plan
18shall be submitted for approval to the department of administration under s. 16.967
19(3) (e).
SB507, s. 13 20Section 13. 59.72 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,7,221 59.72 (3m) Land information council. (a) If the board has established a land
22information office under sub. (3), the board shall create a land information council
23consisting of not less than 7 members. The council shall consist of the register of
24deeds, the treasurer, and, if one has been appointed, the real property lister or their

1designees and the following members appointed by the board for terms prescribed
2by the board:
SB507,7,33 1. A member of the board.
SB507,7,44 2. A representative of the land information office.
SB507,7,55 3. A realtor employed within the county.
SB507,7,66 4. An emergency medical service provider employed within the county.
SB507,7,77 5. Any other members of the board or public that the board designates.
SB507,7,108 (b) The land information council shall review the priorities, needs, policies, and
9expenditures of a land information office established by the board under sub. (3) and
10advise the county on matters affecting the land information office.
SB507, s. 14 11Section 14. 59.72 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 59.72 (4) (a) and amended
12to read:
SB507,7,1513 59.72 (4) (a) A board that has established a land information office under sub.
14(3) and a land information council under sub. (3m) may apply to the department of
15administration for a grant for a land information project under s. 16.967 (7).
SB507, s. 15 16Section 15. 59.72 (4) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,7,2017 59.72 (4) (b) A board shall use any grant received by the county under s. 16.967
18(7) (a) and any fees retained under sub. (5) (b) to design, develop, and implement a
19land information system under s. 16.967 (7) (a) 1. and to make the system accessible
20on the Internet before using these funds for any other purpose.
SB507, s. 16 21Section 16. 59.72 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,7,2522 59.72 (5) (a) Before the 16th day of each month a register of deeds shall submit
23to the department of administration $7 $10 from the fee for recording or filing the
24first page of
each instrument that is recorded or filed under s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. or (e),
25less any amount retained by the county under par. (b).
SB507, s. 17
1Section 17. 59.72 (5) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,8,52 59.72 (5) (b) (intro.) A Except as provided in s. 16.967 (7m), a county may retain
3$5 $8 of the $7 $10 submitted under par. (a) from the fee for recording or filing the
4first page of
each instrument that is recorded or filed under s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. or (e)
5if all of the following conditions are met:
SB507, s. 18 6Section 18. 59.72 (5) (b) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,8,87 59.72 (5) (b) 1m. The county has created a land information council under sub.
8(3m).
SB507, s. 19 9Section 19. 59.72 (5) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB507,8,1410 59.72 (5) (b) 3. The county uses $4 $6 of each $5 $8 fee retained under this
11paragraph to develop, implement, and maintain the countywide plan for land records
12modernization and $1 $2 of each $5 $8 fee retained under this paragraph for the
13provision of land information on the Internet, including the county's land
14information records relating to housing.
SB507, s. 20 15Section 20. 59.72 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
SB507,8,2116 59.72 (6) Land records modernization. With regard to land records
17modernization as described in sub. (3) (b), if a register of deeds transfers an
18instrument that was filed or recorded with the register of deeds before April 1, 2006,
19to an electronic format, as described in s. 59.43 (4), the register of deeds shall make
20a reasonable effort to redact social security numbers from the transferred
21instrument's electronic format.
SB507, s. 21 22Section 21. Initial applicability.
SB507,9,223 (1) The treatment of sections 59.43 (2) (ag) 1., (e), and (L) and (4) (c) and 59.72
24(5) (a) and (b) (intro.), 1m., and 3. and (6) of the statutes first applies to an instrument

1that is presented to a register of deeds for recording or filing, or that is transferred
2to an electronic format, on the effective date of this subsection.
SB507,9,43 (2) The treatment of sections 16.967 (7m) and 59.72 (4) (b) of the statutes first
4applies to grants received or fees retained on the effective date of this subsection.
SB507, s. 22 5Section 22. Effective date.
SB507,9,66 (1) This act takes effect on the 30th day beginning after the day of publication.
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