1995 Wisconsin Act 27

188.16 (1) Any chapter, county or district council or department composed exclusively of persons who were awarded the medal known as the Purple Heart organized in this state pursuant to the constitution and bylaws of the national organization of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and any unit, county or district council or department of the auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart organized in this state shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing chapters, units, county or district councils, or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers and thereupon it shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions for so doing.

27,5050b Section 5050b. 188.16 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.16 (4) Any chapter, county, district council, department or other unit of the Military Order of the Purple Heart or of the auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart which has become a body corporate under the provisions of this section may change its name or dissolve by the adoption of a written resolution to that effect, by a vote of a majority of its members present at a meeting called for that purpose and by filing the same as herein provided. Such resolution, with a certificate thereto affixed, signed by the commander and adjutant, or like or similar officers, stating the facts, including the date of the adoption of such resolution, the number of members present at such meeting, and the number of members who voted for the adoption of the resolution, shall be forwarded to and filed with the secretary of state department of financial institutions, and thereupon the name of such corporation shall be changed or the corporation shall cease to exist, as the case may be, except that in case of dissolution it shall continue to exist for the purpose of winding up its affairs. No fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions for such filing.

27,5051b Section 5051b. 188.17 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.17 (1) Any unit, department or auxiliary of the Navy Club of the United States of America organized in this state under 36 USC 140 to 140c shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of existing navy clubs and navy club auxiliaries upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers and shall by so doing become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions for so doing.

27,5052b Section 5052b. 188.18 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.18 (1) The department of Wisconsin and any chapter or unit of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States, organized in this state pursuant to the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of such association or such department, shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing department, chapters or other units upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions, a statement of its intention so to do, its name, location and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers, and by so doing shall become a body corporate. No filing fees shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions for so doing.

27,5053b Section 5053b. 188.18 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.18 (3) Any department, chapter or other unit which has become a body corporate under the provisions of this section, whenever its constitution or bylaws do not provide the manner in which its name shall be changed or the dissolution effected, may change its name or dissolve by a majority vote of its members at a meeting called for that purpose. A certificate signed by the president and secretary stating the facts shall be filed with the secretary of state department of financial institutions, and thereupon the name shall be changed or the corporation shall cease to exist except for the purpose of winding up its affairs. No filing fee shall be charged for such filing.

27,5054b Section 5054b. 188.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.19 (1) Any post, county, district council, and department of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) organized in this state pursuant to the acts of congress passed July 23, 1947 and the acts amendatory thereto, and any unit, county or district council, and department of the auxiliary of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) organized in this state, shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils, or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do, and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers, and shall by so doing become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5055b Section 5055b. 188.20 of the statutes is amended to read:

188.20 Changing names and dissolving units. Any post, county, district council, department or other unit of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) or of the auxiliary of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) which has become a body corporate under the provisions of s. 188.19 may change its name or dissolve by the adoption of a written resolution to that effect by a vote of a majority of its members present at a meeting called for that purpose and by filing the same as herein provided. Such resolution, with a certificate thereto affixed, signed by the commander and adjutant, or like or similar officers, stating the fact, including the date of the adoption of such resolution, the number of members present at such meeting, and the number of members who voted for the adoption of the resolution, shall be forwarded to and filed with the secretary of state department of financial institutions, and thereupon the name of such corporation shall be changed or the corporation shall cease to exist, as the case may be. Or any corporation formed under s. 188.19 may be dissolved by the filing of a certificate in the office of the secretary of state department of financial institutions reciting that such corporation has ceased to be a unit of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) auxiliary. Such certificate shall be signed by the national commander and national adjutant of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) or by the state commander and state adjutant of the American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) department of Wisconsin. In the case of units of the auxiliary the certificates shall be signed by the national president and national secretary or the department president and department secretary. Corporations dissolved under this section shall continue to have corporate existence for the time and purposes specified in s. 181.65. No fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions for such filing.

27,5056b Section 5056b. 188.21 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.21 (1) The department of Wisconsin and any post, unit, barracks, department or auxiliary of the American Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc. organized in this state pursuant to the acts of congress passed July 18, 1958 (P.L. 85-530) (72 Stats. at Large pp. 370-375) and the acts amendatory thereto, shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing department of Wisconsin, posts, barracks, units, departments or auxiliaries of the Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc. upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do, and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers, and shall by so doing become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5057b Section 5057b. 188.22 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.22 (1) Any post, county or district council or department of the Jewish War Veterans organized in this state pursuant to the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of said organization shall have full corporate powers to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent to do so and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers. By so doing such organization shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5058b Section 5058b. 188.23 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.23 (1) Any post, county or district council or department of the Polish Legion of American Veterans (P.L.A.V.) organized in this state pursuant to the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of said organization, and any unit, county or district council or department of the auxiliary of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, shall have full corporate powers to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent to do so and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers. By so doing such organization shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5059b Section 5059b. 188.235 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.235 (1) Any post, county or district council or department of the Army and Navy Union of the U.S.A. organized in this state pursuant to the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of said organization shall have full corporate powers to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent to do so and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers. By so doing such organization shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5060b Section 5060b. 188.24 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

188.24 (1) Any post, county or district council or department of the Catholic War Veterans organized in this state pursuant to the constitution, bylaws and rules and regulations of said organization shall have full corporate powers to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils or departments upon filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions a statement of its intent to do so and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers. By so doing such organization shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the secretary of state department of financial institutions.

27,5061b Section 5061b. 188.25 of the statutes is amended to read:

188.25 Annual reports of veterans' organizations. The state organization of any veterans' society or society affiliate which has a unit incorporated under this chapter shall file with the secretary of state department of financial institutions on or before January 1 an annual report showing the elected officers of the state organization. No filing fee shall be charged. The secretary of any such state organization shall on request furnish the secretary of state department of financial institutions information about subordinate units. If any veterans' society or society affiliate has no state organization each unit incorporated under this chapter shall file an annual report of the elected officers with the secretary of state department of financial institutions on or before January 1.

27,5062b Section 5062b. 188.26 of the statutes is amended to read:

188.26 Veterans; corporations. Whenever any corporation is formed under ch. 180 or 181 or this chapter for the purpose of assisting any veteran, as defined in s. 45.37 (1a), or operating social clubs in which the name “veteran" appears, the secretary of state department of financial institutions shall investigate the same to ascertain the character thereof, and whether or not the same has been procured by fraudulent representation or concealment of any material fact relating to such veteran's name, purpose, membership, organization, management or control or other material fact. If the secretary of state department of financial institutions so finds, such findings, misrepresentation or concealment shall be reported to the attorney general, and the attorney general thereupon shall as provided in s. 776.35 bring an action to vacate or annul the corporate charter.

27,5066 Section 5066 . 190.01 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.01 (2) The articles of incorporation and amendments thereto shall be filed with the secretary of state department of revenue; in the case of articles, the secretary of state department of revenue shall thereupon issue a certificate of incorporation and the corporation then has legal existence. The articles of incorporation or special charter of any railroad company may be amended by a majority vote of all the stock in the respects and for the purposes provided in s. 180.1001. The fees for filing articles and amendments thereto are as provided in s. 180.0122 (1) (a) and (m) except that the fees for filing an amendment which authorizes the issuance of redeemable preference shares for sale to the U.S. secretary of transportation under sections 505 and 506 of P.L. 94-210 is $15 for the amendment and an additional sum equal to $1 for each $100,000 or fraction thereof of par value redeemable preference shares authorized by the amendment.

27,5067b Section 5067b. 190.01 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.01 (4) A railroad that is incorporated in another state is not required to form a corporation in this state, but any railroad first transacting business in this state after January 1, 1994, is required to obtain a certificate of authority from the secretary of state department of financial institutions in the manner required of foreign corporations before the railroad transacts business in this state.

27,5069b Section 5069b. 190.02 (9) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.02 (9) (c) Any railroad corporation organized to and which shall acquire, directly or by mesne conveyances, the property of another railroad corporation sold in judicial proceedings, or any railroad corporation reorganized under the federal bankruptcy act which corporation under a plan of reorganization as confirmed by the act, shall have been authorized to put into effect and carry out said plan, or any new railroad corporation which shall be organized for the like purpose, shall have all powers by law conferred upon railroad corporations, and may, at such times, in such amounts, for such considerations and upon such terms and conditions as the board of directors of said corporation shall determine, and as shall be authorized by the office, or in the case of a railroad corporation organized for the purpose of acquiring a railroad engaged in interstate commerce, or any existing railroad corporation reorganized under the act and acquiring railroad property used in interstate commerce, by the interstate commerce commission, as the case may be, issue, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of its evidences of debt, which may be convertible, at the option of the holder, into stock, and shares of stock, which shares may have such nominal or par value or if the same be common stock, be without nominal or par value, and may be of such classes, with such rights and voting powers as may be expressed in its articles or any amendment thereto. In the case of a railroad corporation reorganized as aforesaid, the filing with the secretary of state department of financial institutions of a certified copy of the plan of reorganization as confirmed by the federal bankruptcy act, if it shall so elect, shall accomplish and evidence the amendment of its charter or articles of incorporation without the necessity for any other or further action, corporate or otherwise, with respect thereto. Such reorganized railroad corporation shall thereupon have all powers necessary to put into effect and carry out such plan of reorganization in all respects but such filing of the plan of reorganization shall not preclude such existing corporation from amending its charter or articles in the manner now provided by law. The fees for filing such copy of plan of reorganization shall be the same as prescribed in s. 190.01 (3).

27,5071b Section 5071b. 190.051 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.051 (1) Any railroad corporation may extend its road from any point named in its charter or articles of organization, or may build branch roads from any point on its line or from any point on the line of any other road connected or to be connected with its road, the use of which other road between such points and the connection with its own road such corporation shall have secured for a term of not less than ten years. Before making such extension or building any such branch road such corporation shall, by resolution of its directors, to be entered in the record of its proceedings, designate the route of such proposed extension or branch, and file, for record, a copy of such record, certified by the president and secretary, in the office of the secretary of state with the department of financial institutions. Thereupon such corporation shall have all the rights and privileges to make such extension or build such branch and receive aid thereto which it would have had if it had been authorized in its charter or articles of organization.

27,5072b Section 5072b. 190.06 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.06 (1) Any railroad corporation existing under the laws of this state, or by consolidation under said laws and the laws of other states, may consolidate with any other railroad corporation, and possess all of the powers, franchises and immunities, and be subject to all the liabilities and restrictions of railroad corporations generally, and such, in addition, as the combining corporations peculiarly possessed or were subject to at the time of consolidation. Articles of consolidation shall be approved by each corporation, by a vote of a majority of the stock at an annual meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose or by the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the stock annexed to such articles; and such articles, with a copy of the records of such approval or such consent and accompanied by lists of the stockholders and the number of shares held by each, duly certified by their respective presidents and secretaries, shall be filed for record in the office of the secretary of state with the department of financial institutions before any such consolidation shall have validity or effect.

27,5073b Section 5073b. 190.11 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.11 (1) Every conveyance or lease, deed of trust, mortgage or satisfaction thereof made by any railroad corporation shall be executed and acknowledged in the manner in which conveyances of real estate by corporations are required to be to entitle the same to be recorded, and shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state, who with the department of financial institutions, which shall endorse thereon “filed" and the date of filing.

27,5074b Section 5074b. 190.11 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.11 (3) The secretary of state department of financial institutions shall collect a fee of $1 per page filed under sub. (1).

27,5075b Section 5075b. 190.11 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

190.11 (4) The secretary of state department of financial institutions shall collect a fee at the rate under s. 77.22 and, on or before the 15th day of the month after the fee is collected, shall remit that fee to the department of administration for deposit in the general fund and transmit a copy of the return associated with that return to the department of revenue. Sections 77.21, 77.22 and 77.25 to 77.27 apply to the fee under this subsection.

27,5076b Section 5076b. 190.13 of the statutes is amended to read:

190.13 Report to stockholders. Every railroad corporation shall make an annual report to its stockholders of its operations for the preceding calendar year, or for its fiscal year, as the case may be, which report shall contain a balance sheet showing its assets and liabilities, its capital stock, and funded debt, and an income account showing its operating revenues, operating expenses, gross and net income, as the result of its traffic or business operations, and such other information in respect of its affairs as the board of directors shall deem advisable. A copy of each such report shall be kept on file in its principal office in this state, shall be mailed to each stockholder whose post-office address is known and shall be filed with the office of the commissioner of railroads department of financial institutions.

27,5088b Section 5088b. 191.10 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

191.10 (1) Issuance, filing, recording, condemnation. If the office of the commissioner of railroads finds that the proposed railroad would be a public convenience and that a necessity requires its construction, the office of the commissioner of railroads shall enter an order to that effect and issue to the applicant a certificate that public convenience and a necessity require the construction of the railroad as proposed. The certificate shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state department of financial institutions and the office of the secretary of state department of financial institutions shall approve the map showing the route of the railroad. The applicant shall record the map certified by the office of the commissioner of railroads in the office of the register of deeds in each county in which the railroad shall be located. The filing of the certificate with the secretary of state department of financial institutions and the recording of the map, as above provided, are conditions precedent to the right of the applicant to institute condemnation proceedings.

27,5134b Section 5134b. 192.71 of the statutes is amended to read:

192.71 Lands may be sold; proceedings if terms of grant not complied with. Any railroad corporation upon which any lands granted to this state shall have been conferred to aid in the construction of any railroad may sell, assign and transfer the lands so conferred upon it or any portion thereof to any other railroad corporation which shall by law have the right to construct a railroad along and upon the line or any portion of the line upon which such lands are applicable under the grant of this state upon such terms and conditions as it shall fix; provided, that the corporation receiving such lands shall be bound to construct the part of the line of railroad to aid in the construction of which the lands were granted to this state, to which the assigned lands are applicable according to the terms of the grant by congress, and to comply fully with all conditions and requirements contained in the act in and by which the state conferred said lands upon said corporation. The terms and conditions of every such transfer shall be embodied in an agreement in writing, which shall be recorded in the office of the secretary of state with the department of financial institutions; and provided further, that no such transfer or assignment shall be of any force or effect until two-thirds of the full-paid stockholders of the corporation making the same shall have assented in writing thereto and until such assent shall have been filed with the secretary of state department of financial institutions. Whenever any grant of lands shall have been or shall hereafter be made to any corporation to aid in the construction of a railroad upon condition that such road or any portion thereof shall be completed within the period of time or times fixed or limited by the act or acts making such grant or grants or by any act or acts amendatory thereof, and such corporation shall have failed or shall hereafter fail to complete such railroad or any part or portions thereof within the time or times fixed or limited by such act or acts, it shall be the duty of the attorney general of the state to immediately institute, if the legislature shall not have revoked said grant, proceedings against such corporation in the supreme court of the state to ascertain judicially the facts in the premises, and if it shall appear that such corporation has failed to complete its railway or any portion thereof within the time limited by said act or acts, or has otherwise committed a breach of the condition or conditions upon which said grant was conferred upon it, or of the requirements of said act, judgment shall be entered in behalf of the state forfeiting, vacating and setting aside such grant or grants and annulling all rights and interest of such corporation in and to all lands granted to it and not fully earned and restoring such lands to the state, and such corporation shall thereafter be barred and foreclosed of all rights and interests in or to the lands so adjudged to be forfeited and restored to the state, and of all right to in any manner thereafter acquire the same.

27,5224m Section 5224m. 195.60 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

195.60 (2) The office shall annually, within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, ascertain the total of its expenditures during such year which are reasonably attributable to the performance of its duties relating to railroads. For purposes of such calculation, 90% of the expenditures so determined shall be expenditures of the office and 10% of the expenditures so determined shall be expenditures for state government operations. The office shall deduct therefrom all amounts chargeable to railroads under sub. (1) and s. 184.10 (3). A sum equal to the remainder plus 10% of the remainder shall be assessed by the office to the several railroads in proportion to their respective gross operating revenues during the last calendar year, derived from intrastate operations. Such assessment shall be paid within 30 days after the bill has been mailed to the several railroads, which bill shall constitute notice of assessment and demand of payment thereof. The total amount which may be assessed to the railroads under authority of this subsection shall not exceed one percent 1.75% of the total gross operating revenues of such railroads, during such calendar year, derived from intrastate operations. Ninety percent of the payment shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (2) (g). The railroads shall furnish such financial information as the office requires.

27,5235m Section 5235m. 196.03 (3) (b) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

196.03 (3) (b) Unless the governing body of a city, village or town adopts a resolution providing that the city, village or town will pay the retail charges for the production, storage, transmission, sale and delivery or furnishing of water for public fire protection purposes that are not included in general service charges:

1. A public utility shall include the charges in the water utility bill of each customer of the public utility in the city, village or town.

2. A municipal utility may, in addition to including the charges in water utility bills under subd. 1., bill the charges to any person who meets all of the following conditions:

a. The person is not a customer of the municipal utility.

b. The person owns land that is located in the city, village or town and in an area in which the municipal utility has an obligation to provide water for public fire protection.

27,5235s Section 5235s. 196.04 (1) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

196.04 (1) (b) 1. Any person who owns transmission equipment and property shall permit, for reasonable compensation, the use of the transmission equipment and property by any public utility or telecommunications provider if public convenience and necessity require such use and if the use will not result in irreparable injury to any owner or user of the transmission equipment and property or in any substantial detriment to the service to be rendered by the owner or user.

27,5236 Section 5236 . 196.175 of the statutes is amended to read:

196.175 Construction and occupancy standards. The commission may not establish or enforce construction or occupancy standards applicable to any public building, as defined in s. 101.01 (2) (g) (12), dwelling, as defined in s. 101.71 (2) or any occupancy standard applicable to any place of employment as defined in s. 101.01 (2) (f) (11).

27,5237 Section 5237 . 196.20 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.20 (5) (d) If the commission does not conduct a hearing under this subsection, a proposed rate increase or change in a rate schedule becomes effective as proposed and any rates, tolls or charges under review under s. 196.215 (6) or (7) may not be altered unless the commission issues a final order no later than 150 days after the commission receives the application or receives the information under par. (b) 1g. and 1r. If the commission conducts a hearing, a proposed rate increase or change in a rate schedule becomes effective as proposed and any rates, tolls or charges under review under s. 196.215 (6) or (7) may not be altered unless the commission issues the final order no later than 180 days after the commission receives the application or receives the information under par. (b) 1g. and 1r. If the commission conducts a hearing, the hearing examiner may extend the time for issuing a final order up to 30 additional days. The commission and the small telecommunications utility may agree in writing to extend the time for issuing a final order. Notwithstanding s. ss. 196.34 and 196.36 (2), the commission may require the small telecommunications utility to bear the expense of a stenographer to record producing a transcript of a hearing conducted under this section.

27,5238 Section 5238 . 196.20 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.20 (6) If a telecommunications utility that is not a small telecommunications utility and that has 150,000 or less access lines in use in this state files with the commission an application for a rate change that constitutes an increase in rates, the rate change becomes effective as proposed unless the commission issues the final order on the application no later than 180 days after the commission receives the application. The hearing examiner may extend the time for issuing a final order up to 30 additional days. The commission and the telecommunications utility may agree in writing to extend the time for issuing a final order. Notwithstanding s. ss. 196.34 and 196.36 (2), the commission may require the telecommunications utility to bear the expense of a stenographer to record producing a transcript of a hearing conducted under this subsection.

27,5239 Section 5239 . 196.209 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.209 (5) (a) The At the commencement of each gubernatorial term of office, the commission shall appoint a telecommunications privacy council under s. 15.04 (1) (c) consisting of representatives of telecommunications providers and of consumers of telecommunications services, including this state. The privacy advocate designated under s. 19.625 (1) shall be a member of the telecommunications privacy council.

27,5239m Section 5239m. 196.218 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.218 (6) (a) The At the commencement of each gubernatorial term of office, the commission shall appoint a universal service fund council under s. 15.04 (1) (c) consisting of representatives of telecommunications providers and consumers of telecommunications services, including this state. The majority of the members of the council shall be representatives of consumers of telecommunications services.

27,5240 Section 5240 . 196.34 of the statutes is amended to read:

196.34 (title) Stenographic Commission records. The commission shall keep a complete record of its proceedings before the commission or its agent on in any formal investigation or hearing held and shall appoint a stenographer to record all testimony presented at such proceedings.

27,5241 Section 5241 . 196.36 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.36 (title) Transcripts as evidence; free to parties and tapes.

27,5242 Section 5242 . 196.36 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.36 (1) (title) Transcripts. The commission shall receive into evidence a transcribed copy of the evidence and proceedings, or any specific part of the evidence and proceedings, on any investigation or hearing taken by the a stenographer appointed by the commission if the stenographer certifies that the copy is a true and correct transcript of all the testimony or of the testimony of a particular witness, or of any other specific part of the investigation or hearing, that the transcript was carefully compared by the stenographer with his or her original notes, and that the copy is a correct statement of the evidence presented and proceedings held in the investigation or hearing. The certified copy shall have the same effect as if the stenographer were present and testified to the correctness of the copy.

27,5243 Section 5243 . 196.36 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

196.36 (1m) Transcripts from tapes. The commission shall receive into evidence a transcribed copy of an audiotape or videotape of the evidence and proceedings, or any specific part of the evidence and proceedings, of any investigation or hearing that is recorded if the transcriber certifies that the copy is a true and correct transcription from the audiotape or videotape of all the testimony or of the testimony of a particular witness, or of any other specific part of the investigation or hearing and that the copy is a correct statement of the evidence presented and proceedings held in the investigation or hearing. The certified copy shall have the same effect as if the transcriber were present and testified to the correctness of the copy.

27,5244 Section 5244 . 196.36 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.36 (2) (title) Copies. A copy of a transcript under this section shall be furnished on demand free of cost to any party to the investigation or hearing from which the transcript is taken. Upon request, the commission shall furnish a copy of an audiotape or videotape to any party to the investigation or hearing from which the audiotape or videotape is taken. The commission may charge a reasonable price for the tape.

27,5245 Section 5245 . 196.491 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.491 (2) (g) Within 180 days after the plan is filed, the commission shall hold a hearing thereon. The hearing shall be held in an administrative district, established by executive order 22, issued August 24, 1970, which the commission determines will be significantly affected by facilities proposed in the plan to be constructed in the following 3 years. The commission may thereafter adjourn the hearing to other locations or may conduct the hearing by interactive video conference or other electronic method. Notice of such hearing shall be given by class 1 notice, under ch. 985, published in the official state newspaper and such other regional papers of general circulation as may be designated by the commission. At such hearing the commission shall briefly describe the plan and give all interested persons an opportunity, subject to reasonable limitations on the presentation of repetitious material, to express their views on any aspect of the plan. The presentation of such views need not be under oath nor subject to cross-examination. The commission shall advise all persons present of their right to express their views orally or in writing, under oath or otherwise, and of the legal effect of each such form of testimony. A written record of unsworn testimony shall be made and considered by the commission as comments on the plan under par. (e). Persons presenting such views shall not be parties. The utility, any state agency, county, municipality, town, or any person whose substantial rights may be adversely affected by the testing for or construction of facilities described in an advance plan, shall, upon filing written notice setting forth its interest at least 10 days in advance, be afforded all the rights of a party in a contested case.

27,5246 Section 5246 . 196.856 (1) and (2) of the statutes are amended to read:

196.856 (1) The commission shall annually assess against the major utilities, as defined under s. 144.386 (1) (f), the total, not to exceed $400,000, of the amounts amount appropriated under ss. s. 20.370 (2) (cj) and 20.505 (1) (jm) for acid deposition studies, including the nitrogen oxide study under s. 144.389 (3), and evaluation and monitoring activities conducted by the department of natural resources and the department of administration.

(2) The commission shall, with the cooperation of the department of natural resources and the department of administration, promulgate rules establishing a method for assessing each major utility an amount that is proportionate to its fraction of the total amount of sulfur dioxide emissions from major utilities in this state.

27,5247 Section 5247 . 196.857 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

196.857 (title) Assessment for stray Stray voltage program.

27,5248 Section 5248 . 196.857 (1) (intro.), (a) and (b) of the statutes are renumbered 196.857 (1m) (intro.), (a) and (b), and 196.857 (1m) (intro.) and (a), as renumbered, are amended to read:

196.857 (1m) (title) Assessments. (intro.) The commission shall establish and administer a program to provide to farmers on-site technical assistance related to stray voltage. In cooperation with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the commission shall investigate the causes of stray voltage on individual farms, recommend to farmers solutions to stray voltage problems and evaluate the effectiveness of on-site technical assistance. The commission shall assess annually all of the following amounts to public utilities which produce electricity and which have annual gross operating revenues related to electricity in excess of $100,000,000 in proportion to their respective electric gross operating revenues during the last calendar year, derived from intrastate operations:

(a) The amount appropriated under s. 20.155 (1) (L), less any amount received under s. 20.155 (1) (Lb) and less any fees received under sub. (2k) and credited to the appropriation under s. 20.155 (1) (L). The amounts received under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation made in s. 20.155 (1) (L).