Amendment ASA1-AB968

AB968-ASA1, s. 18 Section 18. 227.12 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB968-ASA1,12,21 227.12 (4) If a petition to the department of revenue alleges that the department has established a standard by which it is construing a state tax statute, but has not promulgated a rule to adopt the standard or published the standard in a manner that is available to the public, the department shall initiate rule making within 180 days from the date that the petition is received and submit a rule to the legislature pursuant to s. 227.19 (2) no later than 12 months from the date that the petition is received. The rule need not adhere to the standard established by the department, but shall address the same circumstances as the standard addresses. If the department fails to comply with this subsection, any of the petitioners may commence an action in circuit court to compel the department's compliance. If an action is commenced under this subsection, the court may compel the department to provide information to the court related to the degree to which the department is enforcing the standard, except that the information provided by the department shall not disclose the identity of any person who is not a party to the action.

AB968-ASA1, s. 19 Section 19. 227.41 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,13,4 227.41 (1) Any Except as provided in sub. (5), any agency may, on petition by any interested person, issue a declaratory ruling with respect to the applicability to any person, property or state of facts of any rule or statute enforced by it. Full opportunity for hearing shall be afforded to interested parties. A declaratory ruling shall bind the agency and all parties to the proceedings on the statement of facts alleged, unless it is altered or set aside by a court. A ruling shall be subject to review in the circuit court in the manner provided for the review of administrative decisions.

AB968-ASA1, s. 20 Section 20. 227.41 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,13,7 227.41 (3) The Except as provided in sub. (5) (b), the petition shall be filed with the administrative head of the agency or with a member of the agency's policy board.

AB968-ASA1, s. 21 Section 21. 227.41 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,13,13 227.41 (4) Within Except as provided in sub. (5) (c), within a reasonable time after receipt of a petition pursuant to this section, an agency shall either deny the petition in writing or schedule the matter for hearing. If the agency denies the petition, it shall promptly notify the person who filed the petition of its decision, including a brief statement of the reasons therefor.

AB968-ASA1, s. 22 Section 22. 227.41 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

AB968-ASA1,14,2 227.41 (5) (a) The department of revenue shall, on petition by any interested person, or any group or association of interested persons, issue a declaratory ruling with respect to the applicability to any person, property, or state of facts of any rule or statute enforced by it. The department of revenue may issue a declaratory ruling on the facts contained in the petition. If the department of revenue does not deny the petition or issue a declaratory ruling on the facts contained in the petition, the department of revenue shall hold a hearing, as provided under s. 227.44, and shall afford all interested parties an opportunity to participate in the hearing. A declaratory ruling shall bind the department and all parties to the proceedings on the statement of facts alleged or offered, unless it is altered or set aside by the tax appeals commission or a court. A ruling, including the denial of the petition, shall be subject to review by the tax appeals commission as provided in ch. 73.

AB968-ASA1,14,7 (b) A petition under par. (a) shall conform to the requirements under sub. (2) and be filed with the secretary of revenue. A petition under par. (a) shall also allege facts that show that a justiciable controversy exists, or that a justiciable controversy will likely exist, for purposes of this subsection, but no petition under par. (a) shall allege facts that are not likely to occur.

AB968-ASA1,14,17 (c) No later than 30 days after the day that the secretary of revenue receives a petition under this subsection, the department of revenue shall deny the petition in writing, issue a notice that it will issue a declaratory ruling on the facts contained in the petition, in which case the department of revenue shall issue the ruling no later than 90 days after issuing the notice, or schedule the matter for hearing. The department may deny the petition only if the petition fails to comply with the requirements under sub. (2) and par. (b) or if the department determines that the petition is frivolous or lacks merit. If the department denies the petition, it shall promptly notify the person who filed the petition of its decision and include with the notice a brief statement of the reasons for denying the petition.

AB968-ASA1,14,24 (d) If the department of revenue does not deny the petition, or issue a notice that it will issue a declaratory ruling based on the facts contained in the petition, the department shall hold a hearing and issue a ruling on the petition no later than 180 days after the day that the secretary of revenue receives the petition, unless the deadline is extended by written agreement of all parties. Upon agreement of the parties, the department may rule on the petition based on facts stipulated by the parties.

AB968-ASA1, s. 23 Section 23. 227.485 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,15,2 227.485 (2) (a) "Hearing examiner" means the agency, tax appeals commission, or hearing examiner conducting the hearing.

AB968-ASA1, s. 24 Section 24. 227.485 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,15,10 227.485 (3) In Except as provided under sub. (3m), in any contested case in which an individual, a small nonprofit corporation or a small business is the prevailing party and submits a motion for costs under this section, the hearing examiner shall award the prevailing party the costs incurred in connection with the contested case, unless the hearing examiner finds that the state agency which is the losing party was substantially justified in taking its position or that special circumstances exist that would make the award unjust.

AB968-ASA1, s. 25 Section 25. 227.485 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB968-ASA1,15,18 227.485 (3m) In any proceeding before the tax appeals commission in which the department of revenue is not the prevailing party and the prevailing party submits a motion for costs under this section, the tax appeals commission shall award the prevailing party the costs incurred in connection with the proceeding unless the tax appeals commission determines that the department of revenue was substantially justified in taking its position or that special circumstances exist that would make the award unjust.

AB968-ASA1, s. 26 Section 26. 227.485 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,16,7 227.485 (5) If the hearing examiner awards costs under sub. (3) or (3m), he or she shall determine the costs under this subsection, except as modified under sub. (4). The decision on the merits of the case shall be placed in a proposed decision and submitted under ss. 227.47 and 227.48. The prevailing party shall submit, within 30 days after service of the proposed decision, to the hearing examiner and to the state agency which is the losing party an itemized application for fees and other expenses, including an itemized statement from any attorney or expert witness representing or appearing on behalf of the party stating the actual time expended and the rate at which fees and other expenses were computed. The state agency which is the losing party has 15 working days from the date of receipt of the application to respond in writing to the hearing examiner. The hearing examiner shall determine the amount of costs using the criteria specified in s. 814.245 (5) and include an order for payment of costs in the final decision.

AB968-ASA1, s. 27 Section 27. 227.485 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,16,14 227.485 (7) An individual is not eligible to recover costs under this section if the person's properly reported federal adjusted gross income was $150,000 or more in each of the 3 calendar years or corresponding fiscal years immediately prior to the commencement of the case. This subsection applies whether the person files the tax return individually or in combination with a spouse. This subsection does not apply to costs awarded under sub. (3m).

AB968-ASA1, s. 28 Section 28. 227.485 (10) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,16,19 227.485 (10) (intro.) If the examiner finds that the motion under sub. (3) or (3m) is frivolous, the examiner may award the state agency all reasonable costs in responding to the motion. In order to find a motion to be frivolous, the examiner must find one or more of the following:

AB968-ASA1, s. 29 Section 29. 803.08 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB968-ASA1,17,2 803.08 Class actions. When the question before the court is one of a common or general interest of many persons or when the parties are very numerous and it may be impracticable to bring them all before the court, one or more may sue or defend for the benefit of the whole, except that no claim may be maintained against the state or any other party under this section if the relief sought includes the refund of or damages associated with a tax administered by the state.

AB968-ASA1, s. 30 Section 30. Initial applicability.

AB968-ASA1,17,5 (1) The treatment of section 803.08 of the statutes first applies to lawsuits that are commenced on the effective date of this subsection.

AB968-ASA1,17,10 (2) The treatment of sections 73.01 (4) (e) 2., 73.14 (1) to (4) and (6), 77.59 (4) (a) and (8m), and 227.485 (3), (3m), and (7) of the statutes first applies to determinations that are issued on the effective date of this subsection, regardless of whether the amounts at issue relate to transactions that occurred prior to the effective date of this subsection.

AB968-ASA1,17,15 (3) The treatment of sections 71.83 (1) (a) 1. to 4., 73.14 (5), 77.60 (3) and (4), 78.68 (3) and (4), and 139.25 (3) and (4) of the statutes first applies to interest and penalties imposed on the effective date of this subsection, regardless of whether the amounts at issue relate to transactions that occurred prior to the effective date of this subsection.

AB968-ASA1, s. 31 Section 31. Effective date.

AB968-ASA1,17,18 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication.

AB968-ASA1,17,19 (End)