AB1048,8,1714 76.02 (9) "Company", without other designation or qualification, includes any
15railroad company, any conservation and regulation company, any express company,
16any air carrier company, any pipeline company, any telephone company and any
17sleeping car company, as defined in this section, to which "company" is applied.
AB1048, s. 16 18Section 16. 76.02 (9r) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1048, s. 17 19Section 17. 76.02 (9t) of the statutes is renumbered 76.80 (3).
AB1048, s. 18 20Section 18. 76.02 (9u) of the statutes is renumbered 76.80 (4) and amended
21to read:
AB1048,9,522 76.80 (4) "Telephone company" means any person that provides to another
23person telecommunications services, including the resale of services provided by
24another telephone company, that originate in one local access and transport area, as
25defined in s. 76.38 (1) (bd), and terminate in a different local access and transport

1area, as defined in s. 76.38 (1) (bd)
. "Telephone company" does not include a person
2who operates a private shared telecommunications system, as defined in s. 196.201
3(1), and who is not otherwise a telephone company. "Telephone company" does not
4include a person who is a cellular mobile radio telecommunications utility, as defined
5in s. 196.202 (1)
.
AB1048, s. 19 6Section 19. 76.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,9,127 76.04 (1) Every company defined in s. 76.02 shall, annually, file a true and
8accurate statement in such manner and form and setting forth such facts as the
9department shall deem necessary to enforce ss. 76.01 to 76.26. The annual reports
10for railroad companies, sleeping car companies and express companies shall be filed
11on or before April 15 and for conservation and regulation companies, air carriers,
12telephone companies
and pipeline companies on or before May 1.
AB1048,9,21 13(1m) For sufficient reason shown the department may upon written request
14allow such further time for making and filing the report under sub. (1) as it may deem
15necessary, but not to exceed 30 days. If any company fails to file such report within
16the time prescribed or as extended under this subsection, the department shall add
17to the taxes due from such company $250 if the report is not filed within 15 days after
18the due date or extended due date and an additional $250 for each month or part of
19a month thereafter during which the report is not filed, except that the total penalty
20may not exceed $2,500. No company may in any action or proceeding contest the
21imposition of such penalty.
AB1048, s. 20 22Section 20. 76.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,9,2523 76.07 (1) Duty of department. The department on or before August 1 in each
24year in the case of railroad companies and sleeping car companies, and on or before
25September 15 in the case of air carrier companies, telephone companies,

1conservation and regulation companies and pipeline companies, shall, according to
2its best knowledge and judgment, ascertain and determine the full market value of
3the property of each company within the state.
AB1048, s. 21 4Section 21. 76.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,10,245 76.07 (2) Relation to state valuation; description. The value of the property
6of each of said companies for assessment shall be made on the same basis and for the
7same period of time, as near as may be, as the value of the general property of the
8state is ascertained and determined. The department shall prepare an assessment
9roll and place thereon after the name of each of said companies assessed, the
10following general description of the property of such company, to wit: "Real estate,
11right-of-way, tracks, stations, terminals, appurtenances, rolling stock, equipment,
12franchises and all other real estate and personal property of said company," in the
13case of railroads, and "Real estate, right-of-way, poles, wires, conduits, cables,
14devices, appliances, instruments, franchises and all other real and personal property
15of said company," in the case of conservation and regulation companies, and "Real
16estate, appurtenances, rolling stock, equipment, franchises, and all other real estate
17and personal property of said company," in the case of sleeping car and air carrier
18companies, and "Land and land rights, structures, improvements, mains, pumping
19and regulation equipment, services, appliances, instruments, franchises and all
20other real and personal property of said company," in the case of pipeline companies,
21and "All property of the company used in the operation of the company's telephone
22business" in the case of telephone companies,
which description shall be deemed and
23held to include the entire property and franchises of the company specified and all
24title and interest therein.
AB1048, s. 22 25Section 22. 76.07 (4g) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1048, s. 23
1Section 23. 76.13 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,11,112 76.13 (1) The department shall compute and levy a tax upon the property of
3each company defined in s. 76.02, as assessed in the manner specified in ss. 76.07 and
476.08, at the average net rate of taxation determined under s. 76.126. The amount
5of tax to be paid by each such company shall be extended upon a tax roll opposite the
6description of the property of the respective companies. The tax rolls for all
7companies required to be assessed on or before August 1 in each year under s. 76.07
8(1) shall be completed on or before August 10, and for all companies required to be
9assessed on or before September 15 in each year under s. 76.07 (1) shall be completed
10on or before October 1; and the department shall thereupon attach to each such roll
11a certificate signed by the secretary of revenue, which shall be as follows:
AB1048,11,19 12"I hereby certify that the foregoing tax roll includes the property of all railroad
13companies, sleeping car companies, air carrier companies, conservation and
14regulation companies, telephone companies or pipeline companies, as the case may
15be, defined in 76.0276, liable to taxation in this state; that the valuation of the
16property of each company as set down in said tax roll is the full market value thereof
17as assessed by the department of revenue, except as changed by court judgment, and
18that the taxes thereon charged in said tax roll have been assessed and levied at the
19average net rate of taxation in this state, as required by law".
AB1048, s. 24 20Section 24. 76.28 (4) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB1048,12,1121 76.28 (4) Redetermination. If after filing the reports specified in sub. (7) and
22after the department's computation and assessment of license fees under sub. (2) it
23is determined that the amount of gross revenues reported is in error, the department
24shall compute the additional license fee to be paid or the amount of the overpayment
25of license fee to be refunded, as the case may be. If an additional license fee is due,

1the department shall give notice to the light, heat and power company against whom
2the license fee is to be levied. All such additional assessments and claims for refunds
3for excess license fees paid are subject to the same procedure for review and final
4determination as additional income or franchise tax assessments and claims for
5refunds under ch. 71 as far as the same may be applicable, except that appeals of
6denials of claims for refunds shall be made directly to the tax appeals commission
7and except that the additional license fees shall become delinquent 60 days after
8notice provided in this subsection or, if review proceedings are held, 60 days following
9final determination of the review proceedings. All additional license fees shall bear
10interest at the rate of 12% per year from the time they should have been paid to the
11date on which the additional fees shall become delinquent if unpaid.
AB1048,12,2012 (b) In the case of overpayments of license fees by any light, heat and power
13company under par. (a), the department shall certify the overpayments to the
14department of administration, which shall audit the amount of the overpayments
15and the state treasurer shall pay the amounts determined by means of the audit. All
16refunds of license fees under this subsection shall bear interest at the annual rate
17of 9% from the date of the original payment to the date when the refund is made. The
18time for making additional levies of license fees or claims for refunds of excess license
19fees paid, in respect to any year, shall be limited to 4 years after the time the report
20for such year was filed.
AB1048, s. 25 21Section 25. 76.28 (5) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB1048,13,322 76.28 (5) Remedies. Delinquent license fees of any light, heat and power
23company, together with penalties and interest, for a lien upon all property of such
24company prior to all other liens, claims and demands, which lien may be enforced in
25an action in the name of the state in any court of competent jurisdiction against the

1property of such company within the state as an entirety. The remedies for
2nonpayment of taxes specified in s. 76.14 apply to nonpayment of license fees,
3penalties and interest referred to under this section.
AB1048, s. 26 4Section 26. 76.28 (6) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB1048,13,75 76.28 (6) Administration. (a) The records, books, accounts and papers of any
6light, heat and power company are subject to inspection and examination by the
7secretary of revenue or by the person that the secretary designates for that purpose.
AB1048,13,148 (b) If any light, heat and power company that is required under this section to
9file a report fails to file a report within the time prescribed by law or as extended
10under sub. (7), unless it is shown that the failure is due to reasonable cause and not
11due to wilful neglect, there shall be added to the amount required to be shown as
12license fees on the report 5% of the amount of such fees if the failure is for not more
13than one month, with an additional 5% for each additional month or fraction thereof
14during which the failure continues, not exceeding 25% in the aggregate.
AB1048,13,2315 (c) If any light, heat and power company fails to make a report as required by
16sub. (7) within the time required, the department may enter an assessment against
17such company in a sum representing the approximate amount of the license fees,
18together with penalties and interest, for which such company may be liable as
19estimated by the department. Notice of such assessment shall be given by certified
20mail, and unless a report conforming to the requirements of this section is filed
21within 15 days of such notice, such estimated assessment shall become final.
22Thereafter the light, heat and power company assessed shall be forever barred from
23questioning the correctness of the same in any action or proceeding.
AB1048, s. 27 24Section 27. Subchapter II (title) of chapter 76 [precedes 76.38] of the statutes
25is amended to read:
AB1048,14,1
1Chapter 76
AB1048,14,2 2Subchapter II
AB1048,14,5 3Telephone companies license
4 fees;
car line companies;
5 electric cooperative associations
AB1048, s. 28 6Section 28. 76.38 of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this
7act), is repealed.
AB1048, s. 29 8Section 29. 76.38 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,14,159 76.38 (1) (c) "Telephone company" means any person operating a
10telecommunications facility or providing telecommunications services to another
11person, including the resale of those services provided by another telephone
12company. "Telephone company" does not include any person who operates a private
13shared telecommunications system as defined in s. 196.201 (1) and who is not
14otherwise a telephone company. Beginning with the assessment on May 1, 1998,
15"telephone company" does not include a person described in s. 76.02 (9u).
AB1048, s. 30 16Section 30. 76.38 (4) (a) of the statutes, is renumbered 76.38 (4), and 76.38 (4)
17(intro.), (c) and (d) of the statutes, as renumbered, are amended to read:
AB1048,14,2118 76.38 (4) (intro.) Except as provided in sub. (6), every Every telephone company
19operating one or more telephone exchanges shall pay an annual license fee equal to
20the following percentages of its total gross revenues in this state for local and rural
21exchange service
:
AB1048,14,2222 (c) For fees assessed on May 1, 1996, 5.70% 5.77%.
AB1048,14,2423 (d) For fees assessed on May 1, 1997, and on each May 1 thereafter, 5.40%
245.77%.
AB1048, s. 31 25Section 31. 76.38 (4) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1048, s. 32
1Section 32. Subchapter IV of chapter 76 [precedes 76.80] of the statutes is
2created to read:
AB1048,15,33 Chapter 76
AB1048,15,54 Subchapter IV
5 Telephone company tax
AB1048,15,6 676.80 Definitions. In this subchapter:
AB1048,15,7 7(1) "Department" means the department of revenue.
AB1048,15,12 876.81 Imposition. There is imposed a tax on the real property of, and the
9tangible personal property of, every telephone company. Except as provided in s.
1076.815, the rate for the tax imposed on each description of real property and on each
11item of tangible personal property is the rate that would be imposed if the description
12or item were subject to taxation under ch. 70.
AB1048,15,17 1376.815 Combined reporting. For taxes payable in 1998 and 1999, telephone
14companies that have more than 150,000 access lines in this state may submit a
15combined report of their items of personal property. Any company that does so shall
16pay the tax on those items at a rate that reflects the company's weighted average
17property tax rate based on the value and location of its real property in this state.
AB1048,15,21 1876.82 Assessment. The department, using the methods that it uses to assess
19property under s. 70.995, shall assess the property that is taxable under s. 76.81,
20including property that is exempt under s. 70.11 (27) from the tax under ch. 70, at
21its value as of January 1.
AB1048,16,2 2276.83 Report; payment. On or before March 1, every telephone company
23shall send to the department a completed form that the department prescribes. Upon
24written request, the department may extend the time for filing the report by no more

1than 30 days. The requirements for payment of taxes under s. 76.13 (2a), as they
2apply to the tax under subch. I, apply to the tax under this subchapter.
AB1048,16,5 376.84 Administration. (1) On or before August 15, the department shall
4notify each telephone company that is subject to the tax under s. 76.81 of the assessed
5value of its property.
AB1048,16,7 6(2) On or before November 1, the department shall notify each telephone
7company that is subject to the tax under s. 76.81 of the amount of that tax.
AB1048,16,10 8(3) Sections 76.03 (4), 76.05, 76.06, 76.075, 76.08, 76.09, 76.13 (1), (2) and (3),
976.14, 76.18, 76.22, 76.23, 76.24 (1), 76.25 and 76.28 (4) to (6), as they apply to the
10tax under subch. I, apply to the tax under this subchapter.
AB1048, s. 33 11Section 33. Subchapter V of chapter 76 [precedes 76.90] of the statutes is
12created to read:
AB1048,16,1313 chapter 76
AB1048,16,1514 subchapter v
15 transitional adjustment fee
AB1048,16,16 1676.90 Definitions. In this subchapter:
AB1048,16,17 17(1) "Basic local exchange service" has the meaning given in s. 196.01 (1g)
AB1048,16,19 18(2) "Cellular mobile radio telecommunications utility" has the meaning given
19in s. 196.202 (1).
AB1048,16,20 20(3) "Department" means the department of revenue.
AB1048,16,25 2176.91 Imposition. For 1999 and 2000, there is imposed on each cellular mobile
22radio telecommunications utility and on each person that, on the effective date of this
23section .... [revisor inserts date], provides basic local exchange service a transitional
24adjustment fee. For each month that a fee is due under this subchapter, the taxpayer
25shall pay to the department an amount calculated as follows:
AB1048,17,3
1(1) Determine the amount that the taxpayer would pay during that month,
2taking into account the reconciliation of the previous year's estimated payments, if
3the taxpayer were assessed the tax under s. 76.38, 1993 stats., at a rate of 5.77%.
AB1048,17,5 4(2) Subtract from the amount under sub. (1) the taxpayer's payment during
5that month of the tax under subch. IV.
AB1048,17,9 676.92 Report; payment. On or before March 1, every taxpayer that is subject
7to the fee under this subchapter shall send to the department a completed form that
8the department prescribes. Upon written request, the department may extend the
9time for filing the report by no more than 30 days.
AB1048,17,11 1076.93 Administration. (1) On or before May 1, the department shall notify
11each taxpayer that is subject to the fee under s. 76.91 of the amount of that fee.
AB1048,17,14 12(2) Sections 76.03 (4), 76.04 (1), 76.05, 76.06, 76.14, 76.18, 76.22, 76.24 (1),
1376.25 and 76.28 (4) to (6), as they apply to the tax under subch. I, apply to the fee
14under this subchapter.
AB1048, s. 34 15Section 34. 77.52 (2) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,17,1916 77.52 (2) (a) 5. The sale of telecommunications services , not including services
17paid for by the insertion of coins in a coin-operated telephone,
that originate in this
18state and are charged to a service address in this state, regardless of the location
19where that charge is billed or paid.
AB1048, s. 35 20Section 35. 134.72 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,17,2421 134.72 (1) (a) "Facsimile machine" means a machine that transmits copies of
22documents by means of a telecommunications facility, as defined in s. 76.38 (1) (bm)
23telephone line, telegraph line, microwave, satellite, cellular radio, fiber optics,
24coaxial cable or any other transmission facility or any switching device
.
AB1048, s. 36 25Section 36. 227.03 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,18,2
1227.03 (1) This chapter applies to cases arising under ss. 76.38, 76.39 and, 76.48
2and 76.91.
AB1048, s. 37 3Section 37. 227.03 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act ....
4(this act), is repealed and recreated to read:
AB1048,18,65 227.03 (1) This chapter applies to cases arising under s. 76.38, 1993 stats., and
6ss. 76.39, 76.48 and 76.91.
AB1048, s. 38 7Section 38. 968.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1048,18,108 968.01 (1) ``Facsimile machine" means a machine that transmits copies of
9documents by means of a telecommunications facility, as defined in s. 76.38 (1) (bm)

10has the meaning given in s. 134.72 (1) (a).
AB1048, s. 39 11Section 39. 1991 Wisconsin Act 39, section 9149 (6) is repealed.
AB1048, s. 40 12Section 40. 1991 Wisconsin Act 39, section 9149 (7) is amended to read:
AB1048,18,1913[1991 Wisconsin Act 39] Section 9149 (7) Legislative intent; telephone
14companies.
The legislature intends that the tax reduction created by the treatment
15of chapter 76 of the statutes by this act in regard to telephone companies, when fully
16and completely implemented in 1997,
constitutes a portion of the refund of taxes that
17could be claimed pursuant to GTE Sprint Communications Corporation, n.k.a. U.S.
18Sprint Communications Company vs. Wisconsin Bell, Inc., and the State of
19Wisconsin, (No. 89-0272, May 15, 1990).
AB1048, s. 41 20Section 41. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB1048,19,2 21(1) Reconciliation. Cellular mobile radio telecommunications utilities and
22telephone companies that provide basic local exchange service shall reconcile their
23first payments under subchapter V of chapter 76 of the statutes, as created by this
24act, to reflect their overpayment or underpayment of their final instalment of gross
25receipts taxes. All other telephone companies shall reconcile their first payments

1under subchapter IV of chapter 76 of the statutes, as created by this act, to reflect
2their overpayment or underpayment of their final instalment of gross receipts taxes.
AB1048,19,5 3(2) Transition. This act does not affect any amounts due, remedies available
4to or appeals available to any telephone company or the department of revenue that
5accrued before a change in the method of taxation of any telephone company.
AB1048,19,11 6(3) Proxy for refund. The legislature intends that the tax reduction created
7by the treatment of chapter 76 of the statutes by this act in regard to telephone
8companies, when it is implemented in 1998, constitutes the remainder of taxes that
9could be claimed pursuant to GTE Sprint Communications n.k.a. U.S. Sprint
10Communications Company v. Wisconsin Bell, Inc., and the State of Wisconsin, (No.
1189-0272, May 15, 1990).
AB1048,19,14 12(4) Nonseverability. Notwithstanding section 990.001 (11) of the statutes, if
13it is finally adjudicated that any provision of this act is unconstitutional, the entire
14act is void.
AB1048,19,19 15(5) Telephone tax. The authorized FTE positions for the department of
16revenue are increased by 6.0 PR positions on July 1, 1997, to be funded from the
17appropriation under section 20.566 (2) (ht) of the statutes, as created by this act, for
18the purpose of administering the tax under subchapter IV of chapter 76 of the
19statutes, as created by this act.
AB1048, s. 42 20Section 42. Appropriation changes.
AB1048,20,2 21(1) Transfer to property tax relief and technological equipment fund. On
22July 1, 1999, there is transferred from the general fund to the property tax relief and
23technological equipment fund an amount that is calculated by subtracting from the
24amount of revenue collected from telephone companies under chapter 76 of the
25statutes during state fiscal years 1995-96, 1996-97, 1978-98 and 1998-99 the

1amount of revenue that would have been collected from those companies during
2those fiscal years if chapter 76 of the statutes had not been affected by this act.
AB1048, s. 43 4Section 43. Initial applicability.
AB1048,20,6 5(1) The treatment of subchapter IV of chapter 76 of the statutes first applies
6to taxes due for 1998.
AB1048, s. 44 7Section 44. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after
8publication, except as follows:
AB1048,20,10 9(1) Sales tax. The treatment of section 77.52 (2) (a) 5. of the statutes takes effect
10on the first day of the 2nd month beginning after publication.
AB1048,20,14 11(2) Discontinuation of license fee. The repeal of section 76.38 of the statutes,
12the treatment of section 76.28 (4), (5) and (6) and subchapter II (title) of chapter 76
13of the statutes and the repeal and recreation of sections 20.913 (1) (b), 71.26 (3) (f),
1473.01 (4) (a) and (5) (a) and 227.03 (1) of the statutes take effect on May 1, 1998.
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