March 9, 2022 - Introduced by Senators Bernier and Ballweg, cosponsored by
Representative Armstrong. Referred to Committee on Elections, Election
Process Reform and Ethics.
SB1077,1,4 1An Act to amend 15.01 (2), 15.06 (2) (b) 1. and 15.06 (10); and to create 15.61
2(1) (a) 5m. and 15.61 (5) (c) of the statutes; relating to: adding a member to the
3Elections Commission and modifying the per diem for members of the Elections
4Commission and Ethics Commission.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill adds a member to the Elections Commission. Under current law, the
commission consists of the following members who serve five-year terms:
1. One member appointed by the senate majority leader.
2. One member appointed by the senate minority leader.
3. One member appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
4. One member appointed by the assembly minority leader.
5. Two members who formerly served as county or municipal clerks. The clerks
are nominated by the governor from a list of three nominees that the legislative
leadership of each major political party submits to the governor. The appointment
of the clerks is subject to senate confirmation.
6. For each political party, other than the two major political parties, whose
candidate for governor received at least 10 percent of the vote in the most recent
gubernatorial election, one member, nominated by the governor from a list of three
individuals selected by the chief officer of that political party. This appointment is
also subject to senate confirmation. Currently, no political party qualifies to provide
a list of nominees under this provision.

Finally, current law provides that the members of the Elections Commission
choose one of the members to serve as chairperson for two years. The chairperson
is chosen by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members. In addition, current
law requires that the political affiliation of the chairperson change every two years.
The bill provides for the appointment of a former judge to the Elections
Commission. Under the bill, the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
appoints the judge from a list of four individuals that the legislative leadership of
each major political party agrees to nominate for the appointment. Under the bill,
the former judge who is appointed to the commission serves as the commission
chairperson for the duration of his or her five-year term.
Under current law, a member of the Elections Commission and a member of the
Ethics Commission receives a per diem of $115 for each day on which the member
attends or participates by audio or video conference call in a meeting of the member's
commission. Under the bill, a member of either commission receives a per diem of
$197 for each day on which the member's attendance or participation in a meeting
of the member's commission requires an overnight stay.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB1077,1 1Section 1. 15.01 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1077,2,122 15.01 (2) “Commission" means a 3-member governing body in charge of a
3department or independent agency or of a division or other subunit within a
4department, except for the employment relations commission which shall consist of
5one chairperson, the Wisconsin waterways commission which shall consist of 5
6members, the elections commission which shall consist of at least 6 7 members, the
7ethics commission which shall consist of at least 6 members, and the parole
8commission which shall consist of 4 members. A Wisconsin group created for
9participation in a continuing interstate body, or the interstate body itself, shall be
10known as a “commission", but is not a commission for purposes of s. 15.06. The parole
11commission created under s. 15.145 (1) shall be known as a “commission", but is not
12a commission for purposes of s. 15.06.
SB1077,2
1Section 2. 15.06 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1077,3,112 15.06 (2) (b) 1. The chairperson of the elections commission shall be chosen
3from the members
the member appointed under s. 15.61 (1) (a) 1. to 4. by affirmative
4vote of at least two-thirds of the commission members at the commission's first
5meeting every 2 years. The chairperson shall serve a 2-year term. The first
6chairperson shall be chosen from the commissioners affiliated with the same major
7political party. The major political party from which to select the first chairperson
8shall be determined by lot. The 2nd chairperson shall be chosen from the
9commissioners affiliated with the other major political party. Each subsequent
10chairperson shall be chosen from the commissioners affiliated with the 2 major
11political parties on a rotating basis
5m.
SB1077,3 12Section 3. 15.06 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB1077,3,1813 15.06 (10) Compensation. A member of the elections commission and a member
14of the ethics commission shall receive a per diem of $115 for each day on which the
15member attends or participates by audio or video conference call in a meeting of the
16member's commission, except that a member shall receive a per diem of $197 for each
17day on which the member's attendance or participation, as described under this
18subsection, requires an overnight stay
.
SB1077,4 19Section 4. 15.61 (1) (a) 5m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB1077,4,220 15.61 (1) (a) 5m. One member who formerly served as a judge of a court of record
21in this state and who was elected to the position in which he or she served and who
22shall be appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court. The legislative
23leadership of the 2 major political parties that received the largest number of votes
24for president shall prepare one list of 4 individuals that both parties agree to

1nominate for appointment under this subsection. The chief justice shall make the
2appointment from that list.
SB1077,5 3Section 5. 15.61 (5) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1077,4,114 15.61 (5) (c) If a vacancy occurs for a member appointed under sub. (1) (a) 5m.,
5a new member shall be appointed from the list provided under sub. (1) (a) 5m. no later
6than 45 days after the date of the vacancy. The legislative leadership that provided
7the list under sub. (1) (a) 5m. is not required to prepare a new list for purposes of this
8paragraph unless any individual identified on the list is no longer willing or able to
9serve. If a vacancy occurs for a member appointed under sub. (1) (a) 5m., the
10remaining members of the commission shall choose a member to serve as
11chairperson until a new member is appointed under sub. (1) (a) 5m.
SB1077,4,1212 (End)
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