SB517: Bill Text

SB517,6,25 66.0809 (5) (bm) 1. No earlier than 14 days after receiving a notice under sub. (5) (b) of a tenant's past-due charges for electric service, the owner of a rental unit may request that the municipal public utility terminate electric service to the rental dwelling unit.

SB517,7,4 2. Upon receipt of a request under subd. 1., the municipal public utility shall serve notice on the tenant that unless all past-due charges are paid within 10 days, electric service to the rental dwelling unit will be terminated. The municipal public utility shall serve notice in the manner provided in s. 801.14 (2).

SB517,7,9 3. Except as provided under rules of the public service commission prohibiting disconnections during certain periods and subject to the procedural requirements under those rules, unless all past-due charges are paid, the municipal utility shall terminate electric service to the rental dwelling unit within 14 days after serving the notice under subd. 2.

SB517,8 Section 8. 66.0809 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,7,15 66.0809 (5) (c) A municipal public utility may demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of par. (b) 1. or 2. (bm) by providing evidence of having sent the notice by U.S. mail or, if the person receiving the notice has consented to receive notice in an electronic format, by providing evidence of having sent the notice in an electronic format.

SB517,9 Section 9. 66.0809 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,7,20 66.0809 (5) (d) If this subsection applies and a municipal public utility is permitted to collect arrearages under sub. (3) or s. 62.69 (2) (f), the municipal public utility shall provide all notices under sub. (3) or s. 62.69 (2) (f) to the tenant and to the owner of the property or a person designated by the owner.

SB517,10 Section 10. 66.0809 (7) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,7,23 66.0809 (7) A municipal utility may require a prospective customer to submit an application for water or electric service.

SB517,11 Section 11. 66.0809 (8) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,8,4 66.0809 (8) (a) A municipal public utility shall disclose to the owner of a rental dwelling unit, upon the owner's request, whether a new or prospective tenant has outstanding past-due charges for utility service to that municipal public utility in that tenant's name at a different address.

SB517,8,7 (b) A municipal public utility shall refuse to establish electric utility service to a rental dwelling unit leased by a tenant unless any outstanding past-due charges for utility service in the tenant's name to that municipal public utility are paid.

SB517,12 Section 12. 66.0809 (9) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,8,10 66.0809 (9) A municipal utility is not required to offer a customer who is a tenant at a rental dwelling unit a deferred payment agreement.

SB517,13 Section 13. 66.0809 (10) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,8,16 66.0809 (10) A municipal utility may adopt application, deposit, disconnection, or collection rules and practices that distinguish between customers based upon whether the customer owns or leases the property that is receiving utility service where the possibility exists for any unpaid bills of a tenant to become a lien on the property that is receiving utility service.

SB517,14 Section 14. 71.93 (3) (a) 6. of the statutes, as created by 2013 Wisconsin Act 20, is amended to read:

SB517,8,19 71.93 (3) (a) 6. Debt certified under s. 71.935 (2) (a) and then s. 71.935 (2) (b).

SB517,15 Section 15. 71.935 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 71.935 (1) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB517,8,22 71.935 (1) (a) (intro.) "Debt" means a the following:

SB517,9,4 1. A parking citation of at least $20 that is unpaid and for which there has been no court appearance by the date specified in the citation or, if no date is specified, that is unpaid for at least 28 days; an unpaid fine, fee, restitution or forfeiture of at least $20; and any other debt that is at least $20, including debt related to property taxes, if the debt has been reduced to a judgment or the municipality or county to which the debt is owed has provided the debtor reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard with regard to the debt.

SB517,16 Section 16. 71.935 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,9,6 71.935 (1) (a) 2. A lien under s. 66.0809 (3m).

SB517,17 Section 17. 71.935 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,9,10 71.935 (1) (b) "Debtor" means a person who owes a debt to a municipality or county or to the owner of a rental dwelling unit for arrears, as described under s. 66.0809 (3m).

SB517,18 Section 18. 71.935 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 71.935 (2) (a).

SB517,19 Section 19. 71.935 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,9,18 71.935 (2) (b) If a municipality or property owner has a lien against a tenant under s. 66.0809 (3m), the municipality shall, or property owner may, certify that debt to the department so that the department may set off the debt against any refund owed to the tenant. The municipality shall certify the debt to the department as provided in par. (a). The property owner shall certify the debt to the department in the manner prescribed by the department.

SB517,20 Section 20. 71.935 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,9,25 71.935 (3) (a) If the debt remains uncollected and, in the case of a parking citation, if the debtor has not contested the citation within 20 days after the notice under sub. (2), the department shall set off the debt against any refund that is owed to the debtor after the setoff under s. 71.93. Any legal action contesting a setoff shall be brought against the municipality or, county, or property owner that certified the debt under sub. (2).

SB517,21 Section 21. 71.935 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,10,17 71.935 (3) (b) The department shall provide the information obtained under sub. (2) to the department of administration. Before reducing any disbursement as provided under this paragraph, the department of administration shall contact the department to verify whether a certified debt that is the basis of the reduction has been collected by other means and, in the case of a parking citation, whether the debtor has contested the citation within 20 days after the notice under sub. (2). If the certified debt remains uncollected and, in the case of a parking citation, the citation has not been contested within 20 days after the notice under sub. (2), the department of administration shall, after any reduction under s. 71.93, reduce the disbursement by the amount of the debtor's certified debt under sub. (2), notify the department of such reduction and disbursement, and remit the amount of the reduction to the department in the manner prescribed by the department. If more than one debt certified under sub. (2) exists for any debtor, the disbursement shall be reduced first by the earliest debt certified. Any legal action contesting a reduction under this paragraph shall be brought against the municipality or, county, or property owner that certified the debt under sub. (2).

SB517,22 Section 22. 71.935 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB517,10,22 71.935 (4) Within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, the department shall settle with each municipality and, county, and property owner for the amounts set off or reduced against certified debts for the municipality or, county, or property owner during that calendar quarter.

SB517,23 Section 23. 73.03 (72) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,11,3 73.03 (72) To prepare and distribute to landlords information about the process for collecting arrears under ss. 66.0809 (3m) and 71.935 (2) (b) so that the landlords may provide the information to tenants.

SB517,24 Section 24. 196.37 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

SB517,11,10 196.37 (5) It is not unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory for a municipal public utility to adopt application, deposit, disconnection, or collection rules and practices that distinguish between customers based upon whether the customer owns or leases the property that is receiving utility service where the possibility exists for any unpaid bills of a tenant to become a lien on the property that is receiving utility service.

SB517,25 Section 25 . Initial applicability.

SB517,11,14 (1) The treatment of sections 62.69 (2) (g) and 66.0809 (3) and (5) (b) (intro.), 1., and 2. of the statutes first applies to arrearages incurred on the effective date of this subsection.

SB517,11,16 (2) The treatment of section 66.0809 (3m) of the statutes first applies to a notice of arrears given on the effective date of this subsection.

SB517,11,18 (3) The treatment of section 66.0809 (8) (b) of the statutes first applies to a request for utility service made on the effective date of this subsection.

SB517,26 Section 26. Effective date.

SB517,11,21 (1) This act takes effect on the 1st day of the 6th month beginning after publication.

SB517,11,22 (End)