AB150: Bill Text

AB150, s. 5138 Section 5138. 195.001 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB150,1717,10 195.001 (3) "Secretary" means the secretary of transportation.

AB150, s. 5139 Section 5139. 195.03 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1717,13 195.03 (title) Office Department; powers and duties, general enumeration.

AB150, s. 5140 Section 5140. 195.03 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1717,17 195.03 (1) Practice rules. The office department may take testimony and administer oaths and may promulgate rules to govern its proceedings and to regulate the mode and manner of all hearings. All hearings shall be open to the public.

AB150, s. 5141 Section 5141. 195.03 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1717,22 195.03 (2) (title) Office Department initiative. In any matter within its jurisdiction under ch. 192 or this chapter, the office department may initiate, investigate and order a hearing at its discretion upon such notice as it considers proper.

AB150, s. 5142 Section 5142. 195.03 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1718,3 195.03 (7) Study carrier business, demand information. The office department may inquire into the management of the business of all railroads, and shall keep itself informed as to the manner in which the same is conducted, and may obtain from any railroad all necessary information to enable the office department to perform the duties and carry out the objects for which it is responsible.

AB150, s. 5143 Section 5143. 195.03 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1718,12 195.03 (8) Questionnaires, answers compulsory. The office department shall prepare blanks for the purpose of obtaining the information which it may deem necessary or useful to the proper exercise of its functions, which shall conform as nearly as practicable to the forms prescribed by the interstate commerce commission, and shall furnish such blanks to railroads, and every railroad receiving such blanks, shall cause the same to be properly filled out and verified under oath by its proper officer and returned to the office department within the time fixed by the office department.

AB150, s. 5144 Section 5144. 195.03 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1718,20 195.03 (9) Examine books and files of carriers. The commissioner of railroads secretary or any person employed by the office department for that purpose shall, upon demand, have the right to inspect the books and papers of any railroad and to examine under oath any officer, agent or employe of such railroad in relation to its business and affairs; provided that any person other that than the commissioner of railroads secretary who makes such demand shall produce his or her authority under the hand and seal of the office secretary.

AB150, s. 5145 Section 5145. 195.03 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1719,2 195.03 (10) Production of records and files kept out of state. The office department may, by an order or subpoena to be served in the manner that a circuit court summons is served, require the production within this state, at such time and place as it may designate, of any books, papers or accounts kept by any railroad without the state, or verified copies in lieu thereof, if the office department shall so order.

AB150, s. 5146 Section 5146. 195.03 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1719,9 195.03 (11) Uniform system of accounting. The office department may prescribe a uniform system of keeping and rendering accounts of all railroad business transacted in this state, and the time within which railroads shall adopt such system; provided that all forms of accounts which may be prescribed by the office department shall conform as nearly as practicable to similar forms prescribed by federal authority.

AB150, s. 5147 Section 5147. 195.03 (12) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5148 Section 5148. 195.03 (13) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5149 Section 5149. 195.03 (14) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5150 Section 5150. 195.03 (15) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5151 Section 5151. 195.03 (16) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5152 Section 5152. 195.03 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1719,19 195.03 (17) Private tracks. The office department shall have control of private railroad tracks insofar as the same are used by common carriers for the transportation of freight, in all respects the same as though such tracks were part of a public railroad.

AB150, s. 5153 Section 5153. 195.03 (18) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1719,23 195.03 (18) Safety devices. The office department may make reasonable rules, regulations, specifications and standards for the installation, operation and maintenance of all safety devices and measures.

AB150, s. 5154 Section 5154. 195.03 (19) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1720,2 195.03 (19) Railroad structures. The office department may order the repair or reconstruction of any inadequate or unsafe railroad track or structure.

AB150, s. 5155 Section 5155. 195.03 (25) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1720,6 195.03 (25) Distribution of orders. The office department shall upon application furnish certified copies, under its seal, of any order made by it, which shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

AB150, s. 5156 Section 5156. 195.03 (28) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1720,10 195.03 (28) Title. The office may sue and be sued in that name, and may confer with or participate in any proceedings before any regulatory agency of any other state or of the federal government.

AB150, s. 5157 Section 5157. 195.03 (28) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:

AB150,1720,15 195.03 (28) Title. The department may confer with or participate in any proceedings before any regulatory agency of any other state or of the federal government.

****Note: This is reconciled s. 195.03 (28). This Section has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-2136 and LRB-2494.

AB150, s. 5158 Section 5158. 195.03 (29) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1720,21 195.03 (29) Train privileges. The employes authorized by the office department to perform railroad inspection duties may, in the performance of such duties, ride in and upon any engine, car or train of any class, of any railroad, upon payment of the lawful passenger fare, but such railroad shall not thereby be deemed to become a common carrier of passengers other than on passenger cars.

AB150, s. 5159 Section 5159. 195.04 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5160 Section 5160. 195.041 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5161 Section 5161. 195.042 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5162 Section 5162. 195.043 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5163 Section 5163. 195.044 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5164 Section 5164. 195.045 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5165 Section 5165. 195.046 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5166 Section 5166. 195.047 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5167 Section 5167. 195.05 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5168 Section 5168. 195.055 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5169 Section 5169. 195.06 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5170 Section 5170. 195.07 (1) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5171 Section 5171. 195.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1721,16 195.07 (2) Attorney general and district attorney to prosecute. Upon request of the office department, the attorney general or the district attorney of the proper county shall aid in any investigation, hearing or trial had under, and shall institute and prosecute all necessary actions or proceedings for the enforcement of, laws relating to railroads.

AB150, s. 5172 Section 5172. 195.08 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5173 Section 5173. 195.09 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5174 Section 5174. 195.10 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5175 Section 5175. 195.11 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5176 Section 5176. 195.12 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5177 Section 5177. 195.13 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5178 Section 5178. 195.14 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5179 Section 5179. 195.15 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5180 Section 5180. 195.16 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5181 Section 5181. 195.17 of the statutes is repealed.

AB150, s. 5182 Section 5182. 195.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1722,13 195.19 (1) Passenger. Every railroad shall provide and maintain adequate passenger depots equipped with proper toilet facilities at its regular stations for the accommodation of passengers, and said depots shall be kept clean, well-lighted and warmed, for the comfort and accommodation of the traveling public, and shall be kept open continuously from not less than 20 minutes before any train carrying passengers is scheduled to arrive and until such train has departed and for such longer period in any case as the office department may determine is necessary for the convenience and accommodation of the public. Where the office department determines that the service of certain trains in making stops on signals is in excess of reasonably adequate service, the provisions of this section shall not apply in connection with the rendition of such service.

AB150, s. 5183 Section 5183. 195.19 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1723,2 195.19 (3) Union depot. In every city or village or town in which 2 or more railroads maintain passenger depots, it shall be the duty of such railroads to construct, maintain and use an adequate union passenger depot, whenever practical and required by public convenience and necessity. If, after investigation, the office department shall determine that it is practicable and that public convenience and necessity required the construction, maintenance and use of a union passenger depot in any such city or village or town the office department may order such railroads to construct, maintain and use an adequate union passenger depot, and shall in such order fix the location of such depot. If the railroads shall be unable to agree upon an apportionment of the original cost of such union passenger depot, and the expense of maintaining the same, within 20 days after the service of such order, the office department may, after a hearing, issue a supplemental order declaring the apportionment of such original cost and the expense of maintaining such depot.

AB150, s. 5184 Section 5184. 195.20 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1723,13 195.20 Joint use of railroad property. Whenever, upon complaint and after hearing had, the office department finds that public convenience and necessity require the use by one or more railroads of the tracks, wires, poles, rights-of-way, switches, bridges or other property belonging to another railroad over or on any street, railroad, railway, right-of-way, bridge or viaduct, upon or over which said railroads have a right to operate, and that such use will not prevent the owners or other users thereof from performing their public duties, nor result in irreparable injury to such owners or other users thereof, the office department may, by order, direct that such use be permitted, and prescribe a reasonable compensation and reasonable terms and conditions for such joint use.

AB150, s. 5185 Section 5185. 195.21 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1724,5 195.21 Warehouses. Any person proposing to erect or maintain a public elevator or public warehouse for the purchase, sale, storage, receiving or shipping of grain, or other personal property, to be received from or transported upon any railroad, shall be furnished by such railroad at a reasonable rental, a site upon its right-of-way or depot grounds, within the yard limits of any station or terminal of such railroad; and any private elevator or warehouse situated upon such grounds may be converted into a public elevator or warehouse at the option of the owner, upon notice in writing to the railroad and thereby be permitted to remain thereon under the same conditions as provided herein for a public elevator or warehouse; and the office department shall, upon application by such owner, if the public interest so requires, by order, direct the railroad to furnish such site and the office department shall make reasonable regulations therefor and in case of disagreement, the office department shall determine the rental therefor. Elevators and warehouses erected or maintained under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be subject to such rules and regulations as to charges and the manner of conducting business as the office department shall prescribe.

AB150, s. 5186 Section 5186. 195.26 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1724,13 195.26 Safety devices; block system. Every railroad shall adopt reasonably adequate safety measures and install, operate and maintain reasonably adequate safety devices for the protection of life and property. If after investigation the office department shall determine that public safety requires it, the office department may order the railroad to install, operate and maintain a block system or other safety device or measure as may be necessary to render the operation of such railroad reasonably safe.

AB150, s. 5187 Section 5187. 195.27 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1724,22 195.27 Safe tracks and bridges. Every railroad shall construct and maintain its tracks, bridges and line structures in a reasonably adequate and safe manner. The office may direct the department to investigate complaints in the manner provided by s. 195.04. If, upon complaint or upon its own motion and after hearing, the office the department determines that the track or structures of any railroad are inadequate or unsafe for the operation of its railroad, the office shall order the railroad to reconstruct or repair the inadequate or unsafe track or structures.

AB150, s. 5188 Section 5188. 195.28 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1726,2 195.28 (1) (title) Petition; hearing; order. Upon petition of the department, city a city council, village board, town board, superintendent of highways or by 5 or more electors in any town, village or city, or of any railroad corporation or railroad historical society, to determine whether a public highway and railroad grade crossing protects and promotes public safety, or upon its own motion, the office department may investigate and issue an appropriate order without a public hearing. The department shall issue its order on the basis of investigation and criteria promulgated by rule with respect to the adequacy of grade crossing protection. The rule may include programming criteria relating to the priority of grade crossings in need of protection. If the petitioner, railroad, railroad historical society or any interested party objects to the order and requests a hearing within 20 days after the date that the order is issued, the office department shall proceed under s. 195.04 refer the order to the division of hearings and appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325. Notice of an investigation or hearing the review shall be served upon the department, which shall be an interested party, and any recommendation it may file with the office at or prior to a hearing, if there is one, regarding crossing protection shall be considered as evidence in the proceeding. The office department or division of hearings and appeals shall determine whether the existing warning devices at such crossing are adequate to protect and promote public safety. If the office department or division of hearings and appeals determines, either without or after a hearing, that protection is not adequate, it may order the railroad company or railroad historical society to keep a flagman at the crossing or to install automatic signals or other suitable safety device at specific locations at such crossing. The office department or division of hearings and appeals may order the relocation of existing signals and devices to improve protection at a crossing. Any crossing protection installed or maintained as approved by the office department or division of hearings and appeals, whether by order or otherwise, shall be deemed adequate and appropriate protection for the crossing.

AB150, s. 5189 Section 5189. 195.28 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1726,15 195.28 (3) Maintenance costs. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the cost of maintaining crossing protection devices ordered under sub. (1) shall be the responsibility of the railroad or railroad historical society. Any railroad company or railroad historical society that incurs expenses for maintenance of signals or other safety devices may file a claim for reimbursement with the department regardless of the date of installation of the signals or devices. At the close of each fiscal year the department shall reimburse claimants under this subsection for 50% of the costs, as determined by the office department, incurred for maintenance of railroad crossing protection devices from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (gq). If the amount in the appropriation under s. 20.395 (2) (gq) is not adequate to fund maintenance reimbursement under this subsection, the amount shall be prorated in the manner determined by the office department.

AB150, s. 5190 Section 5190. 195.28 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1726,19 195.28 (4) (title) Previous office orders. Subsection (3) applies to maintenance costs for all crossing protection devices regardless of any prior order of the office apportioning maintenance costs.

AB150, s. 5191 Section 5191. 195.285 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1727,12 195.285 (1) Upon If, upon its own motion or upon the petition of a railroad corporation, the department, or the governing body of any city, village, town or county asserting that the stopping of vehicles under s. 346.45 at a railroad crossing is hazardous to human life, the office shall hold a hearing on the matter as provided under s. 195.04. Notice of petition shall be served upon the department, which shall be an interested party, and any recommendations it may file with the office regarding the hazardous effect of vehicles stopping at such crossings shall be considered as evidence in the proceedings. Upon the recommendation of the department and concurrence by the office, the petition may be dismissed without holding a hearing. If, upon the public hearing, the office department determines that it would be in the public interest to exempt vehicles specified in s. 346.45 from stopping at such grade crossing, it may order the public body having jurisdiction over the highway to erect signs, signals, markings or other devices exempting such vehicles from stopping at the crossing, without a hearing. If a petitioner or interested party objects to an order under this subsection within 20 days after the date that the order is issued, the department shall refer the order to the division of hearings and appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.

AB150, s. 5192 Section 5192. 195.285 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1727,17 195.285 (2) Signs placed upon the order of the office department or the division of hearings and appeals under this section shall exempt vehicles from stopping as required under s. 346.45, unless a train or engine is occupying or approaching the crossing.

AB150, s. 5193 Section 5193. 195.285 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150,1727,23 195.285 (3) The department shall establish standards for the type of signs, signals, markings or other devices for exempting vehicles from stopping as required under s. 346.45 and their location in relation to the highway and railroad track. The office department may upon petition or its own motion, with or without a hearing, order the removal of a sign exempting vehicles from stopping at a crossing.

AB150, s. 5194 Section 5194. 195.286 (2) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB150,1728,5 195.286 (2) Description and location. The signs shall be constructed, erected and located as specified by the manual adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e). This subsection does not apply to any sign complying with s. 195.286 (2) and (3), 1993 stats., on the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], until such time as the sign is replaced or relocated.

AB150, s. 5195 Section 5195. 195.286 (3) of the statutes is repealed.