SB639-SSA1,20,17 13(2) A landlord may require a prospective tenant who is not a resident of this
14state to pay the landlord's actual cost, up to $25, to obtain a background check on the
15prospective tenant. The landlord shall notify the prospective tenant of the charge
16before requesting the background check and shall provide the prospective tenant
17with a copy of the report.
SB639-SSA1,42 18Section 42 . 704.10 of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,20,21 19704.10 Electronic delivery. A rental agreement may include a provision that
20permits the landlord to provide and indicate agreement by electronic means any of
21the following:
SB639-SSA1,20,23 22(1) A copy of the rental agreement and any document related to the rental
23agreement.
SB639-SSA1,20,25 24(2) A security deposit and any documents related to the accounting and
25disposition of the security deposit and security deposit refund.
SB639-SSA1,21,2
1(3) A promise made before the initial rental agreement to clean, repair, or
2otherwise improve any portion of the premises.
SB639-SSA1,21,3 3(4) Advance notice of entry under s. 704.05 (2).
SB639-SSA1,43 4Section 43 . 704.17 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 704.17 (1p).
SB639-SSA1,44 5Section 44 . 704.17 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,21,76 704.17 (1g) Definition. In this section, “rent” includes any rent that is past due
7and any late fees owed for rent that is past due.
SB639-SSA1,45 8Section 45 . 704.17 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,21,119 704.17 (4m) Effect of incorrect amount in notice. A notice for failure to pay
10rent or any other amount due under the rental agreement that includes an incorrect
11statement of the amount due is valid unless any of the following applies:
SB639-SSA1,21,1212 (a) The landlord's statement of the amount due is intentionally incorrect.
SB639-SSA1,21,1413 (b) The tenant paid or tendered payment of the amount the tenant believes to
14be due.
SB639-SSA1,46 15Section 46 . 758.20 of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,21,21 16758.20 Consolidated court automation programs. (1) In this section,
17“Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Internet site" means the Internet site of the
18consolidated court automation programs, which is the statewide electronic circuit
19court case management system established under s. 758.19 (4) and maintained by
20the director of state courts, that provides information regarding the cases heard in
21the circuit courts.
SB639-SSA1,21,24 22(2) The director of state courts may not remove case management information
23from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Internet site for a civil case that is not a
24closed, confidential, or sealed case for the following periods:
SB639-SSA1,22,2
1(a) If a writ of restitution has been granted in an eviction action, a period of at
2least 10 years.
SB639-SSA1,22,43 (b) If an eviction action has been dismissed and no money judgment has been
4docketed, a period of at least 2 years.
SB639-SSA1,47 5Section 47 . 799.06 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 799.06 (3) (a).
SB639-SSA1,48 6Section 48 . 799.06 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,22,87 799.06 (3) (b) A court may not require that a person filing a summons or
8complaint under this chapter have the summons or complaint notarized.
SB639-SSA1,49 9Section 49 . 799.206 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB639-SSA1,22,1410 799.206 (3) When all parties appear in person or by their attorneys on the
11return date in an eviction, garnishment, or replevin action and any party claims that
12raises valid legal grounds for a contest exists, the matter shall be forthwith
13scheduled for a hearing, to be held as soon as possible before a judge and in the case
14of an eviction action, not more than 30 days after the return date.
SB639-SSA1,50 15Section 50 . 799.40 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,22,2216 799.40 (1g) Notice terminating tenancy. If a landlord gives a notice
17terminating tenancy under s. 704.16, 704.17, or 704.19 through certified mail in
18accordance with s. 704.21 (1) (d), proof of certified mailing from the United States
19post office shall be sufficient to establish that proper notice has been provided for the
20purpose of filing a complaint or otherwise demonstrating that proper notice has been
21given in an eviction action, and an affidavit of service may not be requested to
22establish that proper notice has been provided.
SB639-SSA1,51 23Section 51 . 799.40 (1s) of the statutes is created to read:
SB639-SSA1,23,524 799.40 (1s) No waiver by landlord or tenant. It shall not be a defense to an
25action of eviction or a claim for damages that the landlord or tenant has previously

1waived any violation or breach of any of the terms of the rental agreement including,
2but not limited to, the acceptance of rent or that a custom or practice occurred or
3developed between the parties in connection with the rental agreement so as to waive
4or lessen the right of the landlord or tenant to insist upon strict performance of the
5terms of the rental agreement.
SB639-SSA1,52 6Section 52 . 799.40 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB639-SSA1,23,157 799.40 (4) (a) The court shall stay the proceedings in a civil action of eviction
8if the tenant applies for emergency assistance under s. 49.138. The, except that no
9stay may be granted under this paragraph after a writ of restitution has been issued
10in the proceedings. If a stay is granted, the
tenant shall inform the court of the
11outcome of the determination of eligibility for emergency assistance. The stay
12remains in effect until the tenant's eligibility for emergency assistance is determined
13and, if the tenant is determined to be eligible, until the tenant receives the
14emergency assistance, except that the stay may not remain in effect for more than
1510 working days, as defined in s. 227.01 (14)
.
SB639-SSA1,53 16Section 53 . 802.05 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB639-SSA1,24,217 802.05 (2m) Additional representations to court as to preparation of
18pleadings or other documents.
An attorney may draft or assist in drafting a
19pleading, motion, or document filed by an otherwise self-represented person. The
20attorney is not required to sign the pleading, motion, or document. Any such
21document must contain a statement immediately adjacent to the person's signature
22that “This document was prepared with the assistance of a lawyer .",” followed by the
23name of the attorney and the attorney's state bar number.
The attorney providing
24such drafting assistance may rely on the otherwise self-represented person's
25representation of facts, unless the attorney has reason to believe that such

1representations are false, or materially insufficient, in which instance the attorney
2shall make an independent reasonable inquiry into the facts.
SB639-SSA1,54 3Section 54 . Cross-reference changes. In the sections of the statutes listed
4in Column A, the cross-references shown in Column B are changed to the
5cross-references shown in column C: - See PDF for table PDF
SB639-SSA1,55 6Section 55 . Nonstatutory provisions.
SB639-SSA1,24,117 (1) Rental unit energy efficiency program; orders void and unenforceable.
8An order or special order issued before the effective date of this subsection by the
9department of safety and professional services under its authority under section
10101.122 of the statutes, as repealed by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, is void and
11unenforceable.
SB639-SSA1,24,1612 (2) Rental unit energy efficiency program; enforcement related to prior
13violations.
The department of safety and professional services may not hold a
14hearing, issue a subpoena, issue a special order, or take any other enforcement action
15related to a violation of section 101.122 of the statutes, as repealed by 2017 Wisconsin
16Act 59
, that occurs before the effective date of this subsection.
SB639-SSA1,25,317 (3) Rental unit energy efficiency program; stipulations and waivers void and
18unenforceable.
A stipulation under section 101.122 (4) (c) of the statutes, as

1repealed by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, or a waiver under section 101.122 (4) (b) of the
2statutes, as repealed by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, entered into before the effective date
3of this subsection is void and unenforceable.
SB639-SSA1,56 4Section 56 . Initial applicability.
SB639-SSA1,25,75 (1) Landlord and tenant. The treatment of sections 704.085, 704.10, and
6704.17 (1), (1g), and (4m) of the statutes first applies to rental agreements entered
7into or renewed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB639-SSA1,57 8Section 57 . Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication,
9except as follows:
SB639-SSA1,25,1110 (1) Rental unit energy efficiency. Section 55 (1), (2 ), and (3) of this act take
11effect on January 1, 2018.
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