2013 Wisconsin Act 76

76,54 Section 54. 799.45 (3) (am) 7. of the statutes is repealed.

76,55 Section 55. 799.45 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

799.45 (3) (b) Except as provided in pars. (am) and par. (c), the property removed from such premises under this subsection shall be taken to some place of safekeeping within the county selected by the sheriff. Within 3 days of the removal of the goods, the sheriff shall mail a notice to the defendant as specified in sub. (4) stating the place where the goods are kept and, if the plaintiff had not removed the property under par. (am), shall deliver to the defendant any receipt or other document required to obtain possession of the goods. Warehouse or other similar receipts issued with respect to goods stored by the sheriff under this subsection shall be taken in the name of the defendant. All expenses incurred for storage and other like charges after delivery by the sheriff or by the plaintiff to a place of safekeeping shall be the responsibility of the defendant. Any person accepting goods from the sheriff or the plaintiff for storage under this subsection, or the plaintiff, if he or she stores the property in his or her premises, shall have all of the rights and remedies accorded by law against the defendant personally and against the property stored for the collection of such charges, including the lien of a warehouse under s. 407.209. Risk of damages to or loss of such property shall be borne by the defendant after delivery by the sheriff to the place of safekeeping.

76,56 Section 56. 799.45 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

799.45 (3) (c) When, in the exercise of ordinary care, the sheriff determines that property to be removed from premises described in the writ is without monetary value, the sheriff or the plaintiff, if he or she has agreed to remove the property under par. (am), may deliver or cause the same to be delivered to some appropriate place established for the collection, storage, and disposal of refuse. In such case the sheriff shall notify the defendant as specified in sub. (4) of the place to which the goods have been delivered within 3 days of the removal of the goods. The exercise of ordinary care by the sheriff under this subsection does not include searching apparently valueless property for hidden or secreted articles of value.

76,57 Section 57. 799.45 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

799.45 (4) Manner of giving notice to defendant. All notices required by sub. (3) to be given to the defendant by the sheriff or by the plaintiff shall be in writing and shall be personally served upon the defendant or mailed to the defendant at the last-known address, even if such address be the premises which are the subject of the eviction action.

76,58 Section 58. 895.489 of the statutes is created to read:

895.489 Civil liability exemption; tenancy references. (1) In this section:

(a) "Reference" means a written or oral statement about the rental performance of an applicant for tenancy and may include statements about the applicant's payment history, conformance to rental agreement requirements, or conformance to local and state laws; factual statements regarding any rental agreement enforcement actions, including notices given under s. 704.17, 704.19, or 710.15 (5r); and factual statements about any dispute settlement between the landlord and applicant in accordance with any agreement between the landlord and applicant relating to termination of the applicant's tenancy.

(b) "Tenant" means a residential tenant, regardless of the type of tenancy or rental period.

(2) A landlord who, on the request of a prospective landlord of an applicant for tenancy or on the request of the applicant for tenancy, provides a reference to the prospective landlord is presumed to be acting in good faith and, unless lack of good faith is shown by clear and convincing evidence, is immune from all civil liability that may result from providing that reference. The presumption of good faith under this subsection may be rebutted only upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the landlord knowingly provided false information in the reference or made the reference maliciously.

76,59 Section 59 . 0Nonstatutory provisions.

(1) Proposed permanent rules. The department of transportation shall present the statement of scope of the rules required under section 349.13 (3m) (e) of the statutes, as created by this act, to the governor for approval under section 227.135 (2) of the statutes no later than the 60th day after the effective date of this subsection.

(2) Emergency rules. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the department of transportation shall promulgate the rules required under section 349.13 (3m) (e) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the period before the effective date of the permanent rules promulgated under section 349.13 (3m) (e) of the statutes, as created by this act, but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to extension under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of an emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (e) 1d. and 1g. of the statutes, the department is not required to prepare a statement of the scope of the rules promulgated under this subsection or present the rules to the governor for approval. The department of transportation shall promulgate the rules under this subsection no later than the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

76,60 Section 60. Initial applicability.

(1) Insect infestations. The treatment of section 704.07 (3) (a) of the statutes first applies to tenancies that are in effect on the effective date of this subsection.

(2) Notice regarding nonstorage of property. The treatment of section 704.05 (5) (bf) of the statutes first applies to personal property left behind by a tenant under a rental agreement that is renewed on the effective date of this subsection.

(3) Return of security deposit after eviction. The treatment of section 704.28 (4) (b), (c), and (d) of the statutes first applies to eviction actions that are commenced on the effective date of this subsection.

(4) Applicability of security deposit provisions. The treatment of sections 704.28 (5) of the statutes first applies to tenancies that are in effect on the effective date of this subsection.

(5) Void rental agreement. The treatment of section 704.44 (9) and (10) of the statutes first applies to rental agreements that are entered into or renewed on the effective date of this subsection.

(6) Violations that constitute unfair trade practices. The treatment of section 704.95 of the statutes first applies to violations that occur on the effective date of this subsection.

(7) Termination of tenancy in manufactured or mobile home community. The treatment of sections 704.16 (3) (b) 1. and 710.15 (5t) of the statutes, the renumbering and amendment of section 704.16 (3) (a) of the statutes, and the creation of section 704.16 (3) (a) 1., 2., and 3. of the statutes first apply to acts causing an imminent threat of serious physical harm committed on the effective date of this subsection.

(8) Eviction actions. The treatment of sections 704.05 (5) (a) 1., 799.05 (3) (b), 799.06 (2), 799.12 (2), 799.20 (4), 799.206 (3), 799.40 (1) and (1m), 799.42, and 799.44 (2), and 799.45 (title), (1), (2) (b), (bg), and (c), (3) (title), (a), (am) (intro.), 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., and 7., (b), and (c), and (4) of the statutes first applies to eviction actions that are filed on the effective date of this subsection.

(9) References provided by landlords. The treatment of section 895.489 of the statutes first applies to references provided on the effective date of this subsection.

(10) Notice of protections in rental agreements. The treatment of section 704.14 of the statutes first applies to rental agreements that are entered into or renewed on the effective date of this subsection.

76,61 Section 61. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication, except as follows:

(1) The treatment of section 349.13 (5) (b) 2. and (c) of the statutes, the renumbering and amendment of section 349.13 (3m) of the statutes, and the creation of section 349.13 (3m) (a), (c), (d), (dg), (dm), (dr), and (e) of the statutes take effect on the the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.

(2) Section 59 (1 ) and (2) of this act takes effect on the day after publication.