2015 Wisconsin Act 216

73.09 (2) Department of revenue assessment personnel. The requirements established for local assessment personnel under sub. (1) shall also apply to department of revenue assessment personnel. The division of personnel management in the department of administration with the assistance of the department of revenue shall determine the position classifications for which certification shall apply within the department of revenue. The first level of certification shall be obtained within 100 days of the employee's appointment a timeframe consistent with the department of revenue's employment practices. The department of revenue in consultation with the division of personnel management shall establish requirements for obtaining higher levels of assessor certification.

216,38 Section 38. 73.09 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.09 (4) (b) Persons may be recertified by passing an examination as provided in sub. (5) or by attendance for attending at least 4 of the previous 5 years at annual meetings called by the department of revenue under s. 73.06 (1) and by meeting continuing education requirements determined by the department of revenue. The department of revenue may revoke a person's certification if the person fails to attend more than one annual meeting or fails to meet the continuing education requirements in any recertification cycle. The department may reinstate a certification revoked under this paragraph after a revocation period of no less than one year has expired if the person whose certification was revoked requests reinstatement, attends the next annual meeting under s. 73.06 (1) following the date on which the department revoked the certification, and passes an examination under sub. (5).

216,39 Section 39. 73.09 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.09 (7) (a) The secretary of revenue or a designee may revoke or suspend the certification of any assessor, assessment personnel, or expert appraiser for the practice of any fraud or deceit in obtaining certification, or any negligence, incompetence, or misconduct, including making a fraudulent change in the assessment roll after it is opened for examination under s. 70.47 (3). The secretary of revenue or the secretary's designee may require any assessor, assessment personnel, or expert appraiser to take corrective action in order to avoid the revocation or suspension of that person's certification for the activities described under this paragraph.

216,40 Section 40. 74.23 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

74.23 (1) (a) 2. Pay to the proper treasurer all collections of special assessments, special charges and special taxes, except that occupational taxes under ss. 70.40 to 70.421 and forest cropland, woodland and managed forest land taxes under ch. 77 shall be settled for under s. 74.25 (1) (a) 1. to 8.

216,41 Section 41. 74.25 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

74.25 (1) (a) 2. Pay to the proper treasurer all collections of special assessments, special charges and special taxes, except that occupational taxes under ss. 70.40 to 70.421 and forest cropland, woodland and managed forest land taxes under ch. 77 shall be settled for under subds. 5. to 8.

216,42 Section 42. 74.25 (1) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

74.25 (1) (a) 3. Retain all collections of special assessments, special charges and special taxes due to the taxation district, except that occupational taxes under ss. 70.40 to 70.421 and forest cropland, woodland and managed forest land taxes under ch. 77 shall be settled for under subds. 5. to 8.

216,43 Section 43. 74.30 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.30 (1) (b) Pay to the proper treasurer all collections of special assessments, special charges and special taxes, except that occupational taxes under ss. 70.40 to 70.421 and forest cropland, woodland and managed forest land taxes under ch. 77 shall be settled for under pars. (e) to (h).

216,44 Section 44. 74.30 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.30 (1) (c) Retain all collections of special assessments, special charges and special taxes due to the taxation district, except that occupational taxes under ss. 70.40 to 70.421 and forest cropland, woodland and managed forest land taxes under ch. 77 shall be settled for under pars. (e) to (h).

216,45 Section 45. 76.01 of the statutes is amended to read:

76.01 Railroads and utilities, assessment. The department of revenue shall make an annual assessment of the property of all railroad companies, of all conservation and regulation companies, of all sleeping car companies, of all air carriers, and of all pipeline companies, within this state, for the purpose of levying and collecting taxes thereon, as provided in this subchapter.

216,46 Section 46. 76.02 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.02 (2) "Company", without other designation or qualification, includes any railroad company, any conservation and regulation company, any express company, any air carrier company, and any pipeline company and any sleeping car company, as defined in this section, to which "company" is applied.

216,47 Section 47. 76.02 (7) of the statutes is repealed.

216,48 Section 48. 76.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.04 (1) Every company defined in s. 76.02 shall, annually, file a true and accurate statement in such manner and form and setting forth such facts as the department shall deem necessary to enforce ss. 76.01 to 76.26. The annual reports for railroad companies, sleeping car companies and express companies shall be filed on or before April 15 and for conservation and regulation companies, air carriers and pipeline companies on or before May 1.

216,49 Section 49. 76.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.07 (1) Duty of department. The department on or before August 1 in each year in the case of railroad companies and sleeping car companies, and on or before September 15 in the case of air carrier companies, conservation and regulation companies and pipeline companies, shall, according to its best knowledge and judgment, ascertain and determine the full market value of the property of each company within the state.

216,50 Section 50. 76.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.07 (2) Relation to state valuation; description. The value of the property of each of said companies for assessment shall be made on the same basis and for the same period of time, as near as may be, as the value of the general property of the state is ascertained and determined. The department shall prepare an assessment roll and place thereon after the name of each of said companies assessed, the following general description of the property of such company, to wit: "Real estate, right-of-way, tracks, stations, terminals, appurtenances, rolling stock, equipment, franchises and all other real estate and personal property of said company," in the case of railroads, and "Real estate, right-of-way, poles, wires, conduits, cables, devices, appliances, instruments, franchises and all other real and personal property of said company," in the case of conservation and regulation companies, and "Real estate, appurtenances, rolling stock, equipment, franchises, and all other real estate and personal property of said company," in the case of sleeping car and air carrier companies, and "Land and land rights, structures, improvements, mains, pumping and regulation equipment, services, appliances, instruments, franchises and all other real and personal property of said company," in the case of pipeline companies, which description shall be deemed and held to include the entire property and franchises of the company specified and all title and interest therein.

216,51 Section 51. 76.13 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.13 (1) The department shall compute and levy a tax upon the property of each company defined in s. 76.02, as assessed in the manner specified in ss. 76.07 and 76.08, at the average net rate of taxation determined under s. 76.126. The amount of tax to be paid by each such company shall be extended upon a tax roll opposite the description of the property of the respective companies. The tax rolls for all companies required to be assessed on or before August 1 in each year under s. 76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before August 10, and for all companies required to be assessed on or before September 15 in each year under s. 76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before October 1; and the department shall thereupon attach to each such roll a certificate signed by the secretary of revenue, which shall be as follows:

"I hereby certify that the foregoing tax roll includes the property of all railroad companies, sleeping car companies, air carrier companies, conservation and regulation companies or pipeline companies, as the case may be, defined in s. 76.02, liable to taxation in this state; that the valuation of the property of each company as set down in said tax roll is the full market value thereof as assessed by the department of revenue, except as changed by court judgment, and that the taxes thereon charged in said tax roll have been assessed and levied at the average net rate of taxation in this state, as required by law".

216,52 Section 52. 76.30 (2) (j) of the statutes is created to read:

76.30 (2) (j) An assessor employed by a local unit of government if the department determines that providing the information is necessary to verify whether real or personal property located in a taxing jurisdiction is subject to the taxes and fees imposed under this subchapter or to general local property taxes.

216,53 Section 53. Subchapter V of chapter 76 [precedes 76.90] of the statutes is repealed.

216,54 Section 54. 77.255 of the statutes is amended to read:

77.255 Exemptions from return. No return is required with respect to conveyances exempt under s. 77.25 (1), (2r), (4), (10m), or (11) from the fee imposed under s. 77.22. No return is required with respect to conveyances exempt under s. 77.25 (2) unless the transferor is also a lender for the transaction.

216,55 Section 55. 77.52 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.52 (7) Every person desiring to operate as a seller within this state who holds a valid certificate under s. 73.03 (50) shall file with the department an application for a permit for each place of operations. Every application for a permit shall be made upon a form prescribed by the department and shall set forth the name under which the applicant intends to operate, the location of the applicant's place of operations, and the other information that the department requires. If an owner elects under s. 77.58 (3) (a) to file a separate electronic return for each of the owner's disregarded entities, each disregarded entity is an applicant under this subsection. Except as provided in sub. (7b), the application shall be signed by the owner if a sole proprietor; in the case of sellers other than sole proprietors, the application shall be signed by the person authorized to act on behalf of such sellers. A nonprofit organization that has a sales price taxable under s. 77.54 (7m) shall obtain a seller's permit and pay taxes under this subchapter on all taxable sales prices received after it is required to obtain that permit. If that organization becomes eligible later for the exemption under s. 77.54 (7m) except for its possession of a seller's permit, it may surrender that permit.

216,56 Section 56. 77.54 (61) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.54 (61) (intro.) The sales price from the sale of to, and the storage, use, or other consumption of the following by, a person primarily engaged, as determined by the department, in commercial printing, book printing, or support activities for printing described under 323111, 323117, and 323120 of the North American Industry Classification System, of any of the following:

216,57 Section 57. 77.59 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.59 (3) No determination of the tax liability of a person may be made unless written notice of the determination is given to the taxpayer person within 4 years after the due date of the taxpayer's person's Wisconsin income or franchise tax return that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed or, if exempt, within 4 years of the 15th day of the 4th month of the year following the close of the calendar or fiscal year, that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed; within 4 years of the dissolution of a corporation; or within 4 years of the date any sales and use tax return required to be filed for any period in that year was filed, whichever is later. The notice required under this paragraph shall specify whether the determination is an office audit determination or a field audit determination, and it shall be in writing. If the department is unable to obtain service by mail, publication of it as a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, shall be service of notice in any case where notice is required under this subchapter.

216,58 Section 58. 77.59 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.59 (4) (a) Except as provided in sub. (3m), at any time within 4 years after the due date of a person's corresponding Wisconsin income or franchise tax return that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed or, if exempt, within 4 years of the 15th day of the 4th month of the year following the close of the calendar or fiscal year for which that person files a claim that corresponds to the date the sale or purchase was completed, that person may, unless a determination by the department by office audit or field audit of a seller has been made, and unless a determination by office audit of a buyer other than an audit in which the tax that is the subject of the refund claim was not adjusted has been made, and unless a determination by field audit of the buyer has been made, file with the department a claim for refund of taxes paid to the department by that person. If the amount of the claim is at least $50 or if either the seller has ceased doing business, the buyer is being field audited, or the seller may no longer file a claim, the buyer may, within the time period under this subsection, file a claim with the department for a refund of the taxes paid to the seller. A claim is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). A buyer may claim a refund under this paragraph only on a form prescribed by the department, only by signing that form, and only if the seller signs the form unless the department waives that requirement. If both a buyer and a seller file a valid claim for the same refund, the department may pay either claim. The claim for refund shall be regarded as a request for determination. The determination thus requested shall be made by the department within one year after the claim for refund is received by it unless the taxpayer person has consented in writing to an extension of the one-year time period prior to its expiration.

(b) A claim for refund that is not to be passed along to customers under sub. (8m) may be made within 2 years of the determination of a tax assessed by office audit or field audit and paid if the tax was not protested by the filing of a petition for redetermination. No claim for refund may be allowed with regard to items that were not adjusted in the office audit or field audit. A claim is timely if it fulfills the requirements under s. 77.61 (14). No claim may be allowed under this paragraph for any tax self-assessed by the taxpayer. If a claim is filed under this paragraph, the department may make an additional assessment in respect to any item that was a subject of the prior assessment.

216,59 Section 59. 77.61 (5) (b) 13. of the statutes is created to read:

77.61 (5) (b) 13. For purposes of obtaining the outstanding liability secured by a tax warrant, any person, or authorized agent of any person, who provides satisfactory evidence to the department, as determined by the department, that the person has a material interest, or intends to obtain a material interest, in a property that is subject to a tax warrant filed by the department under s. 77.62 (1).

216,60 Section 60. 77.61 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.61 (11) Any city, village or town clerk or other official whose duty it is to issue licenses or permits to engage in a business involving the sale at retail of tangible personal property or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) subject to tax under this subchapter, or the furnishing of services so subject to tax, shall, before issuing such license or permit, require proof that the person to whom such license or permit is to be issued is the holder of a seller's permit or use tax registration certificate, is registered to collect, report, and remit use tax under this subchapter, or has been informed by an employee of the department that the department will issue a seller's permit or use tax registration certificate to that person or register that person to collect, report, and remit use tax. In the case of a single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71, the requirement to hold a seller's permit is satisfied if the seller's permit is in the name of either the disregarded entity or its owner.

216,61 Section 61. 77.65 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.65 (2) (g) "Use tax" means the tax imposed under ss. 77.53 and 77.71 (2), (3), and (4), and (5).

216,62 Section 62. 77.71 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.71 (2) An excise tax is imposed at the rates under s. 77.70 in the case of a county tax or at the rate under s. 77.705 or 77.706 in the case of a special district tax of the purchase price upon every person storing, using, or otherwise consuming in the county or special district tangible personal property, or items, property, or goods specified under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d), or services if the tangible personal property, item, property, good, or service is subject to the state use tax under s. 77.53, except that a receipt indicating that the tax under sub. (1), (3), or (4), or (5) has been paid relieves the buyer of liability for the tax under this subsection and except that if the buyer has paid a similar local tax in another state on a purchase of the same tangible personal property, item, property, good, or service that tax shall be credited against the tax under this subsection and except that for motor vehicles that are used for a purpose in addition to retention, demonstration, or display while held for sale in the regular course of business by a dealer the tax under this subsection is imposed not on the purchase price but on the amount under s. 77.53 (1m).

216,63 Section 63. 77.71 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.71 (4) An excise tax is imposed at the rates under s. 77.70 in the case of a county tax or at the rate under s. 77.705 or 77.706 in the case of a special district tax of the purchase price upon every person storing, using, or otherwise consuming a motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft, if that property must be registered or titled with this state and if that property is to be customarily kept in a county that has in effect an ordinance under s. 77.70 or in a special district that has in effect a resolution under s. 77.705 or 77.706, except that if the buyer has paid a similar local sales tax in another state on a purchase of the same property, that tax shall be credited against the tax under this subsection. The lease or rental of a motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft is not taxed under this subsection if the lease or rental does not require recurring periodic payments.

216,64 Section 64. 77.71 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

77.71 (5) An excise tax is imposed on the purchase price for the lease or rental of a motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft at the rates under s. 77.70 in the case of a county tax or at the rate under s. 77.705 or 77.706 in the case of a special district tax upon every person storing, using, or otherwise consuming in the county or special district the motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft if that property must be registered or titled with this state and if the lease or rental does not require recurring periodic payments, except that a receipt indicating that the tax under sub. (1) had been paid relieves the purchaser of liability for the tax under this subsection and except that if the purchaser has paid a similar local tax in another state on the same lease or rental of such motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft, that tax shall be credited against the tax under this subsection.

216,65 Section 65. 77.73 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

77.73 (2m) Counties and special districts do not have jurisdiction to impose the tax under s. 77.71 (5) with regard to the lease or rental of a motor vehicle, boat, recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), or aircraft if the lease or rental does not require recurring periodic payments and if the purchaser received the property in another county or special district in this state and then brings the property into a county or special district that imposes the tax under s. 77.71 (5).

216,66 Section 66. 78.005 (13d) of the statutes is created to read:

78.005 (13d) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,67 Section 67. 78.39 (5f) of the statutes is created to read:

78.39 (5f) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,68 Section 68. 78.55 (5p) of the statutes is created to read:

78.55 (5p) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,69 Section 69. 78.64 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

78.64 (4) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,70 Section 70. 78.80 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

78.80 (3) Sections 71.78 (1) and (4) to (9) and 71.83 (2) (a) 3., relating to confidentiality of income, and franchise and gift tax returns, apply to any information obtained from any person on a motor vehicle fuel, general aviation fuel or alternate fuels tax return, report, schedule, exhibit, or other document or from an audit report pertaining to the same.

216,71 Section 71. 139.01 (5p) of the statutes is created to read:

139.01 (5p) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,72 Section 72. 139.11 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

139.11 (4) (a) Sections 71.78 (1), (1m), and (4) to (9) and 71.83 (2) (a) 3. and 3m., relating to confidentiality of income, and franchise and gift tax returns, apply to any information obtained from any person on a fermented malt beverage tax return, report, schedule, exhibit, or other document or from an audit report relating to any of those documents, except that the department of revenue shall publish brewery production and sales statistics.

216,73 Section 73. 139.11 (4) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

139.11 (4) (b) (intro.) Sections 71.78 (1) and (4) to (9) and 71.83 (2) (a) 3., relating to confidentiality of income, and franchise and gift tax returns, do not apply to any information obtained from any person on an intoxicating liquor tax return, report, schedule, exhibit, or other document or from an audit report relating to any of those documents. With the information provided to the department by any person, the department of revenue shall publish at least once each month:

216,74 Section 74. 139.30 (8p) of the statutes is created to read:

139.30 (8p) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,75 Section 75. 139.38 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

139.38 (6) Sections 71.78 (1), (1m), and (4) to (9) and 71.83 (2) (a) 3. and 3m., relating to confidentiality of income, and franchise and gift tax returns, apply to any information obtained from any person on a cigarette tax return, report, schedule, exhibit, or other document or from an audit report pertaining to the same.

216,76 Section 76. 139.75 (5p) of the statutes is created to read:

139.75 (5p) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,77 Section 77. 139.82 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

139.82 (6) Sections 71.78 (1), (1m), and (4) to (9) and 71.83 (2) (a) 3. and 3m., relating to confidentiality of income, and franchise and gift tax returns, apply to any information obtained from any person on a tobacco product tax return, report, schedule, exhibit, or other document or from an audit report pertaining to the same.

216,78 Section 78. 168.01 (2s) of the statutes is created to read:

168.01 (2s) "Person" includes any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or association. A single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71 is disregarded as a separate entity for purposes of this subchapter.

216,79 Section 79. 227.03 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

227.03 (1) This chapter applies to cases arising under s. 76.38, 1993 stats., and ss. 76.39, and 76.48 and 76.91.

216,80 Section 80. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

(1) License fee returns. The treatment of section 76.30 (2) (j) of the statutes takes effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication.