Currently, in any fiscal year, the secretary of administration may temporarily
reallocate moneys to the general fund from other state funds in an amount not to
exceed, at any one time, 5 percent of the total general purpose revenue
appropriations for that fiscal year. This bill increases that maximum amount to 9
percent.
This bill transfers:
1. $16,000,000 from the petroleum inspection fund to the transportation fund
in each year of the fiscal biennium.
2. $23,000,000 from the general fund to the transportation fund in the fiscal
biennium.
3. $750,000 from the agrichemical management fund to the environmental
fund in fiscal year 2013-14.
4. $5,300,000 from the general fund to the veterans trust fund in fiscal year
2013-14.
State procurement
Current law generally authorizes state agencies to purchase materials,
supplies, or equipment. With some exceptions, purchases for which the estimated
cost exceeds $50,000 require bids to be invited or proposals to be solicited. Also,
under current law, if a state agency enters into or renews a contract for services that
involves an estimated expenditure of more than $25,000, the agency must conduct
either a uniform cost-benefit analysis for a new contract or a continued
appropriateness review for a contract renewal. This bill raises the threshold to
$50,000 for either and exempts the following services: services that must, by law, be
performed by contract; services incidental to the purchase of a commodity; services
that must be provided per a contract, license, or warranty; services that cannot be
performed by state employees; services that are expected to be completed within 12
months; and Web-based software application services that are delivered and
managed remotely.
Current law requires DOA to certify a business as a disabled veteran-owned
business, a woman-owned business, or a minority business, but has different
requirements for each certification. DOA may certify a business as a minority
business if another state agency, a municipality, the federal government, an
American Indian tribe, or, if it uses substantially the same procedures as DOA would
use, a private business certifies the business as such. This bill makes the
certification practice consistent by permitting DOA to certify a business as a disabled
veteran-owned business or a woman-owned business if one of the entities listed
above certifies it as such.
Under current law, DOA must maintain a list of entities that are ineligible for
state contracts because they have violated a state procurement contract or a statute
governing state procurement. This bill requires DOA to include on the list an entity
that has been debarred from contracting with the federal government or any other
state agency.
Under current law, in a report that DOA submits to the governor and the
legislature, DOA must document how the division of legal services has reduced the
state's use of contracted employees. This bill eliminates the requirement that the
report include this information.
Under current law, with some exceptions, DOA must let by contract to the
lowest qualified responsible bidder all construction work when the estimated
construction cost of the project exceeds $50,000 or, if the estimated cost is less, when
contracting is in the best interest of the state. This bill requires DOA, for any project
that has an estimated construction cost that exceeds $185,000, to let the project to
the lowest qualified responsible bidder through single prime contracting, which is a
process in which DOA selects all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractors,
but contracts only with a general prime contractor, who then must contract with the
selected mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractors. This bill also requires
DOA to certify persons as qualified and responsible and provides criteria for such
certification.
Other state government
Currently, with certain exceptions, DOA may sell or lease state-owned real
property if DOA determines that the sale is in the best interest of the state and the
Building Commission approves the sale. Also currently, various state agencies have
authority to sell real property under their jurisdiction subject to various conditions
and limitations. DOA's authority does not operate to permit the closure or sale of any
facility or institution the operation of which is required by law and does not extend
to property under the jurisdiction of the Board of Regents of the UW System. The
net proceeds of any sale by DOA are used to retire any outstanding public debt that
was incurred to acquire, construct, or improve the property or as required by any
applicable federal law or under the terms of any applicable gift or grant. DOA must
use any remaining net proceeds to retire other outstanding public debt.
Currently, with certain exceptions, the Building Commission may also sell
state-owned real property where this authority is not given to another state agency
by law, and may transfer land under its jurisdiction among agencies. Any sales of
surplus land having a value of at least $20,000 are subject to the approval of JCF.
However, the Building Commission does not have the authority to sell a parcel of
state-owned real property once DOA notifies the commission that an offer of sale or
sale with respect to the parcel is pending. The net proceeds of any sales by the
Building Commission must be used to retire any public debt that was used to acquire
or construct improvements on the property being sold. Any remaining net proceeds
must be deposited in the budget stabilization fund.
This bill permits DOA or the Building Commission to sell or lease any
state-owned real property unless prohibited by the state or federal constitution or
federal law. Sales by DOA are subject to the approval of the Building Commission.
The bill does not apply to sales conducted to enforce an obligation to this state. The
bill retains most of the existing exemptions from DOA's sales authority but
eliminates the current exemption allowing the Board of Regents of the UW System
to sell or lease state-owned real property independently of DOA. Under the bill, if
DOA or the Building Commission notifies the Board of Regents that an offer of sale,
sale, or lease is pending with the respect to a parcel of property, the Board of Regents
does not have authority to sell or lease that property. The bill eliminates the current
exception that exempts sales that would necessitate the closure of a facility or
institution which is provided for by law. However, the bill does not repeal any
statutes that require the operation of any facilities or institutions. Therefore, if DOA
or the Building Commission sells all the real property that is currently used to
operate a facility or institution, the facility or institution would need to continue in
operation. Under the bill, except with respect to exempt property, if any agency has
authority to sell or lease real property under any other law, the authority of that
agency does not apply after DOA or the Building Commission notifies the agency in
writing that an offer of sale or sale, or a lease agreement, is pending with respect to
the property. Under the bill, DOA and the Building Commission must first use the
net proceeds of any sale or lease to retire any public debt that was used to finance
the acquisition, construction, or improvement of the property that is sold.
Thereafter, DOA and the Building Commission must use the net proceeds of any sale
or lease to pay the costs of federal tax law compliance applicable to the debt. The bill
directs DOA and the Building Commission to use the remaining net proceeds of any
sale or lease, subject to current requirements, to retire any revenue obligation debt
in the fund that was used to acquire, construct, or improve property that was sold
and thereafter to pay the costs of federal tax law compliance applicable to the debt,
and thereafter, retire other similar revenue obligations. Thereafter, DOA and the
Building Commission are directed to use any remaining net proceeds to retire other
outstanding public debt. The bill provides that if any property that is proposed to
be sold by DOA or the Building Commission is co-owned by a nonstate entity, DOA
or the commission must afford to the co-owner the right of first refusal to purchase
the share of the property owned by the state on reasonable financial terms
established by DOA or the commission.
The bill also provides that if DOA sells or leases a state-owned heating, cooling,
or power plant, DOA may contract for the operation of any function that is performed
by the state on the property. The bill provides that if DOA or the Building
Commission sells or leases, or if DOA contracts with a purchaser or lessee, for the
operation of a state-owned heating, cooling, or power plant that is under the
jurisdiction of a state agency, the agency must convey all real and personal property
associated with the plant to the purchaser or lessee on terms specified by DOA or the
Building Commission.
In addition, the bill modifies the authority of the Building Commission to sell
or lease state-owned buildings, structures, and land to parallel the authority of DOA
so that the authority includes property under the jurisdiction of the Board of Regents
of the UW System and is not generally limited by sales authority given to state
agencies, and so that distribution of sales proceeds is accomplished in the same
manner as proceeds of DOA's sales are distributed. The bill deletes the current
limitation that certain sales of surplus land are subject to approval of JCF. The bill
directs each state agency to submit to DOA biennially an inventory of all real
property under its jurisdiction, together with the estimated fair market value of each
property. Under the bill, DOA must obtain appraisals of all properties in the
inventory that are identified by DOA for potential sale and submit to the Building
Commission an inventory containing a location, description, and fair market value
of each property identified for potential sale.
This bill creates a capital investment program in DOA and appropriates
$25,000,000 in general purpose revenue for the program in fiscal year 2013-14. The
purpose of the program is to make coinvestments in business startups and
investment capital projects.
This bill creates a broadband expansion program under which DOA, in
consultation with PSC, makes broadband expansion grants from the universal
service fund for the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in
underserved areas.
Under current law, DOA administers a program for making grants from the
utility public benefits fund to provide assistance to low-income households for 1)
weatherization and conservation assistance; and 2) payment of energy bills and
early identification or prevention of energy crises (bill and crisis assistance). In each
fiscal year, DOA must ensure that the amount spent under the program on grants
for weatherization and conservation assistance is equal to 47 percent of a sum that
is calculated for the fiscal year and that 53 percent of the sum is spent on grants for
bill and crisis assistance. This bill requires instead that 50 percent of the sum must
be allocated for grants for weatherization and conservation assistance, resulting in
50 percent for grants for bill and crisis assistance. The bill also makes changes to
how the sum is calculated, including eliminating certain federal funding amounts
from the calculation.
Under current law, counties collect a $25 fee 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 land records modernization grants.
If a county meets certain requirements, the county may retain $8 of each $10 fee that
would otherwise be payable to DOA. In addition, counties may temporarily collect
a $30 fee for recording or filing most instruments that are recorded or filed with a
register of deeds if the county uses $5 of each fee for redacting social security
numbers from certain electronic format records. Under this bill the $30 fee is made
permanent and counties must remit $15 of each fee to DOA.
Currently, DOA may provide legal services to any executive branch state
agency that has a secretary who serves at the pleasure of the governor. This bill
provides that DOA may also provide legal services to an executive branch state
agency that does not have a secretary who serves at the pleasure of the governor, but
only at the request of the state agency.
This bill permits DOA to transfer information technology infrastructure
services staff and equipment from another executive branch agency, other than the
Board of Regents of the UW System, to DOA. The bill also permits DOA to assess
executive branch agencies for information technology infrastructure services
provided by DOA.
This bill authorizes the secretary of administration to maintain
intergovernmental affairs offices to conduct public outreach and promote
coordination among state agencies and authorities.
taxation
Income taxation
Under current law, there are five income tax brackets, which are indexed for
inflation. The rate of taxation under current law for the lowest bracket for single
individuals, certain fiduciaries, heads of households, and married persons is 4.60
percent of taxable income; the rate for the second bracket is 6.15 percent; the rate for
the third bracket is 6.50 percent; the rate for the fourth bracket is 6.75 percent; and
the rate for the highest bracket is 7.75 percent.
With regard to taxable year 2012, for single individuals, certain fiduciaries, and
heads of households, for example, the lowest bracket applies to taxable income of over
$0 up to $10,570; the second bracket applies to taxable income over $10,570 up to
$20,360; the third bracket applies to taxable income over $20,360 up to $158,500; the
fourth bracket applies to taxable income over $158,500 up to $232,660; and the fifth,
or top, bracket applies to taxable income over $232,660.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, this bill lowers the rate
of taxation in each of the first three brackets; the rates in the top two brackets remain
unchanged. Under the bill, the tax rate in the lowest bracket is reduced to 4.50
percent; the rate in the next higher bracket is reduced to 5.94 percent; and the rate
in the next higher bracket is reduced to 6.36 percent. The brackets will continue to
be indexed for inflation.
Under current law, the veterans and surviving spouses property tax credit may
be claimed by certain U.S. armed forces veterans and by the unremarried surviving
spouses of certain veterans or members of the national guard or reserves
(collectively, "veterans"). To be eligible to claim the credit, the veteran must meet
several criteria, including criteria related to the veteran's residency in this state and
his or her disability rating. Similarly, to be eligible to claim the credit as a spouse
of a veteran, the veteran to whom the unremarried surviving spouse was married
must have met these same residency and disability criteria.
In general, the credit may currently be claimed in an amount equal to the
property taxes paid by the claimant on the veteran's principal dwelling in the year
to which the claim relates. If the amount of the credit for which a claimant is eligible
exceeds the claimant's income tax liability, the excess amount of the credit is paid to
the claimant by check (refundable tax credit).
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013, this bill expands the
definition of eligible unremarried surviving spouse to include an individual who is
eligible for, and receives, dependency and indemnity compensation from the federal
government due to his or her spouse's status as a veteran whose death was
service-connected.
This bill creates penalties for a person who negligently or fraudulently files an
incorrect claim for a tax refund or credit. The penalty for negligence is 25 percent
of the difference between the amount claimed and the amount that should have been
claimed, and the penalty for fraud is 100 percent of the difference between the
amount claimed and the amount that should have been claimed. In addition, any
person, other than a corporation or limited liability company, who files an income tax
return in which the person tries to obtain a refund or credit with fraudulent intent
is guilty of a Class H felony.
This bill prohibits an individual who files a fraudulent claim for an earned
income tax credit or homestead tax credit (credit) from filing a claim for either credit
for ten years. The bill also prohibits an individual who files a reckless claim for one
of these credits from filing a claim for either credit for two years. Under the bill, a
claim is fraudulent if it is false or excessive and filed with fraudulent intent, as
determined by DOR, and a claim is reckless if it is improper, due to reckless or
intentional disregard of the provisions of the income tax statutes or of rules and
regulations of DOR, as determined by DOR.
Under current law, capital gains on certain Wisconsin-sourced capital assets
are exempted from taxation. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015,
an individual; an individual partner or member of a partnership, limited liability
company, or limited liability partnership; or an individual shareholder of a
tax-option corporation (claimant) may subtract from federal adjusted gross income
the lesser of the claimant's federal net capital gain as reported on the claimant's
federal tax return if, in that year, the claimant had a qualifying gain, or the
claimant's qualifying gain.
The capital gains exemption defines "qualifying gain" as the gain realized by
the sale of any asset that is purchased after December 31, 2010, held for at least five
consecutive years, is a Wisconsin capital asset at the time of purchase and for at least
two of the next four years, and treated as a long-term gain under federal law. A
"Wisconsin capital asset" is real or tangible personal property that is located in this
state and used in a Wisconsin business, or stock or other ownership interest in a
Wisconsin business. Currently, a business may apply to WEDC for annual
certification for the exemption. WEDC may certify a business if it determines that,
in the taxable year ending immediately before the date of the business's application,
at least 50 percent of the business's payroll is paid in Wisconsin and at least 50
percent of the value of the business's real and tangible personal property is used by
the business in this state.
This bill transfers from WEDC to DOR the responsibility for registering a
business, subject to the business meeting the same conditions related to payroll and
the value of the business's real and tangible personal property as is the case under
current law certification. Also under the bill, excluded gain is not limited to net
capital gain, and the bill clarifies that the exclusion is for gain on investments in a
business and not for individual assets of the business.
Under current law, there are two income tax deferrals for capital gains that are
reinvested in qualified Wisconsin businesses. Under one of the deferrals (long-term
deferral), a claimant may elect to defer the payment of income taxes on up to
$10,000,000 of the gain realized from the sale of any capital asset held more than one
year (original asset) that is treated as a long-term gain under the Internal Revenue
Code (IRC), if the claimant completes a number of requirements. Under the bill, the
long-term deferral may no longer be claimed for taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2013.
Under the other deferral (Wisconsin assets deferral), a claimant may elect to
defer the payment of income taxes on any amount of the gain realized from the sale
of any capital asset held more than one year (original new asset) that is treated as
a long-term gain under the IRC, if the claimant completes a number of requirements.
Under this bill, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013, the
current requirement that the gain realized from the sale of the applicable long-term
asset be deposited into a segregated account in a financial institution does not apply.
This bill transfers from WEDC to DOR the responsibility for registering a business
under the Wisconsin assets deferral.
Under current law, an individual may claim as an income tax credit an amount
equal to 25 percent of the individual's angel investment in a qualified new business
venture in this state. The total amount of angel investment credits that all taxpayers
may claim in all taxable years combined is $47,500,000. This bill eliminates the limit
of the total amount of angel investment credits that taxpayers may claim.
This bill adopts, for state income and franchise tax purposes, changes made to
the IRC related to transferring retirement plan amounts to designated ROTH
accounts without distribution, limiting the amount of salary reduction for a health
care flexible spending arrangement, eliminating a deduction for expenses allocable
to a Medicare, Part D subsidy, increasing the threshold for itemized medical expense
deductions from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of adjusted gross income, increasing the
penalty for nonqualified distributions from a health savings account, and limiting
the deduction for remuneration paid by health insurance providers.
The bill also adopts the changes made to the IRC related to free choice vouchers,
corporate repurchasing of convertible debt instruments, pension funding rules for
determining segment rates, transfers from excess pension assets to retiree medical
accounts or for purchasing retiree group term life insurance, phased retirements, the
installment method for accrual basis taxpayers, and the tax treatment of Blue Cross
and Blue Shield organizations.
Under current law, an eligible claimant may claim a refundable farmland
preservation tax credit (farmland credit) based on the number of the claimant's
qualified acres and the type of zoning district in which the acres are located. Also
under current law, the maximum amount of farmland credits that may be claimed
in any fiscal year may not exceed $27,007,200. If the amount of eligible claims exceed
this amount, the excess claims are paid in the next succeeding fiscal year and DOR
must prorate the per acre amounts that may be claimed.
Under this bill, the maximum amount of farmland credits that may be claimed
in the 2013-14 fiscal year, and in any succeeding fiscal year, may not exceed
$25,304,300 and the treatment of excess claims and proration are the same as under
current law.
Under current state law, certain individuals may claim an income tax deduction
for amounts paid for medical care insurance for the individual, his or her spouse, and
his or her dependents. Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(PPACA), beginning in 2014 certain individuals will be eligible to receive premium
assistance in the form of federal tax credits to make it more affordable for such
individuals to purchase medical care insurance.
This bill clarifies that the current state income tax deduction for medical care
insurance may not be claimed for any amount that is paid for with a premium
assistance credit under the PPACA.
Under current law, a health care provider may claim an income and franchise
tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount that the health care provider paid in the
taxable year for information technology hardware or software that is used to
maintain medical records in electronic form. Under this bill, no health care provider
may claim the credit for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013.
Under this bill, generally, a person who is subject to an assessment or audit
determination by DOR is not liable for any amount that DOR asserts that the person
owes if the liability asserted is the result of a tax issue that existed in a prior
assessment or audit, a DOR employee involved in the prior assessment or audit knew
of the tax issue, and DOR did not assert the liability for the tax issue at the time of
the prior assessment or audit.
Under current law, the interest income from bonds issued by WHEFA is exempt
from income taxation if the bond proceeds are used by a health facility to acquire
information technology hardware or software. Under the bill, the interest income
from bonds issued by WHEFA is also exempt from income taxation if the bonds are
issued for the benefit of a person who is eligible to receive bond proceeds from another
entity for the same purpose and the interest income received from the other bonds
is exempt from taxation.
Under current law, if a person who is liable for income taxes fails to pay the
taxes within ten days from the date that the taxes become delinquent, DOR may
obtain the person's real or personal property and sell that property to pay the
delinquent taxes. After DOR obtains the property, DOR must notify the property
owner, in writing, that it has obtained the property and that the property will be sold
if the delinquent taxes are not paid. DOR must also post a public notice of the sale.
This bill allows DOR to provide notice of obtaining a person's property in the manner
prescribed by DOR. Under the bill, DOR does not have to provide notice to the
property owner of the sale of the person's property, but must still post a public notice
of the sale.
Property taxation
Under current law, solar energy systems and wind energy systems are exempt
from personal property taxes. Under this bill, biogas energy systems are also exempt
from personal property taxes.
Under this bill, the state no longer appropriates moneys from the lottery fund
to pay a portion of the school levy property tax credit.
Other taxation
Under current law, in order to offer cigarettes for sale in this state, a cigarette
manufacturer must have a valid permit issued by DOR and pay the cigarette tax on
all cigarettes offered for sale in this state. Cigarette manufacturers must also comply
with fire safety standards for cigarettes and with the master settlement agreement
entered into with U.S. tobacco product manufacturers. This bill specifies that a
cigarette manufacturer includes a person who owns an automated roll-your-own
machine that is used to make cigarettes, but does not include an individual who owns
a roll-your-own machine and uses the machine solely to make cigarettes for his or
her personal use or for the use of other individuals who live in his or her home.
This bill creates a sales and use tax exemption for items and services sold as
part of a contract to perform real property construction activities and for which the
contractor quotes the charge for labor, services of subcontractors, and materials as
one price.
Under current law, the sale of tangible personal property, animals, and certain
other items to a person who is primarily engaged in biotechnology or manufacturing
in this state is exempt from the sales and use tax if the property, animals, or items
are used for qualified research. This bill allows a member of a combined group of
corporations to claim the exemption if another group member is conducting qualified
research for the member who is engaged in biotechnology or manufacturing in this
state.
Under current law, a retailer submits the sales and use taxes that the retailer
collected during each calendar quarter to DOR no later than the last day of the month
following the end of the previous calendar quarter. If, however, a retailer collects
more than $600 in any calendar quarter, DOR may require the retailer to submit the
taxes no later than the last day of the month following the month in which the taxes
are collected. Under this bill, if a retailer collects more than $1,200 in any calendar
quarter, DOR may require the retailer to submit the taxes no later than the last day
of the month following the month in which the taxes are collected.
Under current law, DOR may enter into agreements with other states to provide
for offsetting Wisconsin tax refunds against tax obligations of other states and
offsetting tax refunds of other states against Wisconsin tax obligations. Under this
bill, DOR may also enter into agreements with other states to provide for offsetting
Wisconsin tax refunds against nontax obligations of other states and offsetting tax
refunds of other states against Wisconsin nontax obligations.
Under current law, instead of paying local general property taxes, public
utilities and telephone companies pay taxes imposed by the state based on property
value. These taxes are referred to as ad valorem taxes. Under this bill, DOR may
use the same methods used for collecting delinquent income taxes, including
imposing a levy on a taxpayer's property, to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes owed
by public utilities and telephone companies.
Under current law, DOR may write off from its records all sales, use,
withholding, motor vehicle fuel, gift, beverage, and cigarette tax liabilities that it
determines are not collectible. This bill allows DOR to write off all tax and fee
liabilities it determines are not collectible.
Under current law, the printing of tangible personal property is not a service
subject to the sales and use tax if it results in catalogs or other printed materials
designed to promote the sale of merchandise. Under this bill, printing of tangible
property that results in advertising and promotional direct mail is also not subject
to the sales and use tax.
transportation
Highways
This bill makes changes with respect to which highway operations and
activities are considered highway improvements and which are considered highway
maintenance, which affects the source of funding for these operations and activities.
However, under the bill, some highway operations and activities, such as
maintenance for roadside improvements and private contractor maintenance, can be
funded from more than one appropriation. Under this bill, highway maintenance
activities no longer include, and highway improvements no longer exclude, the
installation, replacement, or rehabilitation of traffic control signals and intelligent
transportation (IT) systems, but maintenance of traffic control signals and IT
systems are still considered maintenance activities. The bill limits DOT's
expenditure, from certain highway improvement appropriations, of moneys for the
installation, replacement, or rehabilitation of traffic control signals and IT systems
to a total of $20,000,000 in any fiscal year.
This bill allows DOT to enter into sponsorship agreements under which DOT
displays a sponsor's advertising or promotional material at locations owned or
controlled by DOT in exchange for the sponsor's payment of fees or provision of
services to DOT. The bill also allows DOT to enter into partnership agreements
under which DOT authorizes a partner to engage in commercial activity at locations
owned or controlled by DOT in exchange for the partner's payment of fees or
provision of services to DOT. Fees received by DOT under these agreements may be
used by DOT for, among other purposes, maintenance and repair of state trunk
highways and roadside improvements. Contracts for sponsorship agreements and
partnership agreements must be awarded on the basis of competitive proposals.
The bill does all of the following:
1. Allows general obligation bonds, in an amount not exceeding $200,000,000,
to be used to fund high-cost state highway bridge projects, which are projects
involving the construction or rehabilitation of a bridge on the state trunk highway
system that have a total estimated cost of more than $150,000,000.
2. Authorizes an additional $107,000,000 in general obligation bond proceeds
to fund the Zoo interchange project and the I 94 north-south corridor project.
3. Authorizes an additional $200,000,000 in general obligation bond proceeds
to fund southeast Wisconsin freeway megaprojects. Debt service on these bonds is
paid from the general fund.
4. Increases the revenue bond limit, from $3,351,547,300 to $3,768,059,300, for
major highway projects and transportation administrative facilities.
This bill eliminates DOT's bicycle and pedestrian facilities program,
transportation enhancement activities program, safe routes to school program, and
traffic marking enhancement program and creates instead a transportation
alternatives program. Under this program, DOT may award grants to political
subdivisions for transportation alternatives activities such as: construction,
planning, and design of trail facilities and infrastructure-related projects for
pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nondrivers; trail conversion of abandoned railroad
corridors; construction of overlooks and viewing areas; and preservation of historic
transportation facilities.
Under current law, if a highway or bridge that is not on the state trunk highway
system (highway) is damaged by flood, the county or municipality having jurisdiction
over the highway may petition DOT for payment of flood damage aid to cover part
of the repair or replacement cost. This bill expands DOT's flood damage aid program
to a disaster damage aid program. Under the bill, a "disaster" is defined as any of
the following: 1) a severe storm, flood, fire, tornado, mudslide, or other natural event
external to a highway; 2) the sudden failure of a major element or segment of the
highway system due to a cause that is external to a highway; or 3) an event or
recurring damage caused by any governmental unit or person acting under the
direction or approval of, or permit issued by, any governmental unit and in response
to an event described in item 1) or 2). The bill also prohibits DOT from paying
disaster damage aid in excess of $1,000,000, in connection with disaster damage
resulting from a single disaster, unless the governor approves the payment of aid.
Under current law, beginning July 1, 2014, DOT must maintain an inventory
of completed designs for highway projects under the major highway projects program
and the reconditioning, reconstruction, and resurfacing projects program. Under
this bill, the estimated costs of the inventory of projects for each program must be not
less than 20 percent of the annual amount of funding provided to each program.
This bill repeals a provision of current law that prohibits a southeast Wisconsin
freeway rehabilitation project from adding vehicle lanes on I 94 adjacent to Wood
National Cemetery.
Drivers and motor vehicles
Current law includes certain regulation of motor carriers engaged in interstate
commerce. This bill imposes the same regulation on motor carriers engaged in
intrastate commerce.
This bill increases the per pound of excess weight forfeiture rates that are
imposed for unlawfully operating vehicles exceeding weight limits without a permit.
This bill also increases the penalty for a second conviction for violating weight
limits while transporting raw forest products.
Transportation aids
Under current law, DOT provides state aid payments from the transportation
fund to local public bodies in urban areas served by mass transit systems to assist
the local public bodies with the expenses of operating those systems. This bill
changes the funding source for those aids from the transportation fund to the general
fund beginning on July 1, 2014.
Rail and air transportation
This bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit to
$216,500,000 to acquire railroad property and provide grants and loans for railroad
property acquisition and improvement.
Other transportation
This bill requires DOT to administer a surveying reference station system that
consists of monuments that are used to generate latitude, longitude, and elevation
data; reference stations that continuously transmit global positioning system data
to a system server; and the system server, which receives and processes the data
received from the reference stations. The bill also permits DOT to charge a fee to
persons who access the system in an amount to be established by rule. All access fees
received by DOT are appropriated for system maintenance and operation costs.
Under current law, a person who is convicted of certain violations relating to
operating a vehicle while intoxicated must pay a driver improvement surcharge of
$365 in addition to any applicable forfeiture or fine, assessments, and costs. A
portion of the money collected from this surcharge is provided to DOT for chemical
testing training and services provided by the state traffic patrol. Under this bill,
driver improvement surcharge money is no longer provided to DOT for the chemical
testing training and services provided by the state traffic patrol. The training and
services are instead funded from the transportation fund.
This bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit to
$87,500,000 to provide grants for harbor improvements.
