AB755: Bill Text

AB755,19,11 (3) If a law requires a record to be in writing, an electronic record satisfies that requirement in that law.

AB755,19,13 (4) If a law requires a signature, an electronic signature satisfies that requirement in that law.

AB755,19,21 137.16 Provision of information in writing; presentation of records. (1) If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction by electronic means and a law requires a person to provide, send, or deliver information in writing to another person, a party may satisfy the requirement with respect to that transaction if the information is provided, sent, or delivered, as the case may be, in an electronic record capable of retention by the recipient at the time of receipt. An electronic record is not capable of retention by the recipient if the sender or its information processing system inhibits the ability of the recipient to print or store the electronic record.

AB755,19,25 (2) If a law other than this subchapter requires a record to be posted or displayed in a certain manner, to be sent, communicated, or transmitted by a specified method, or to contain information that is formatted in a certain manner, then:

AB755,20,2 (a) The record shall be posted or displayed in the manner specified in the other law.

AB755,20,4 (b) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (4) (b), the record shall be sent, communicated, or transmitted by the method specified in the other law.

AB755,20,6 (c) The record shall contain the information formatted in the manner specified in the other law.

AB755,20,8 (3) If a sender inhibits the ability of a recipient to store or print an electronic record, the electronic record is not enforceable against the recipient.

AB755,20,9 (4) The requirements of this section may not be varied by agreement, but:

AB755,20,13 (a) To the extent a law other than this subchapter requires information to be provided, sent, or delivered in writing but permits that requirement to be varied by agreement, the requirement under sub. (1) that the information be in the form of an electronic record capable of retention may also be varied by agreement; and

AB755,20,16 (b) A requirement under a law other than this subchapter to send, communicate, or transmit a record by 1st-class or regular mail or with postage prepaid may be varied by agreement to the extent permitted by the other law.

AB755,20,22 137.17 Attribution and effect of electronic records and electronic signatures. (1) An electronic record or electronic signature is attributable to a person if the electronic record or electronic signature was created by the act of the person. The act of the person may be shown in any manner, including a showing of the efficacy of any security procedure applied to determine the person to which the electronic record or electronic signature was attributable.

AB755,21,2 (2) The effect of an electronic record or electronic signature that is attributed to a person under sub. (1) is determined from the context and surrounding circumstances at the time of its creation, execution, or adoption, including the parties' agreement, if any, and otherwise as provided by law.

AB755,21,4 137.18 Effect of change or error. (1) If a change or error in an electronic record occurs in a transmission between parties to a transaction, then:

AB755,21,9 (a) If the parties have agreed to use a security procedure to detect changes or errors and one party has conformed to the procedure, but the other party has not, and the nonconforming party would have detected the change or error had that party also conformed, the conforming party may avoid the effect of the changed or erroneous electronic record.

AB755,21,14 (b) In an automated transaction involving an individual, the individual may avoid the effect of an electronic record that resulted from an error made by the individual in dealing with the electronic agent of another person if the electronic agent did not provide an opportunity for the prevention or correction of the error and, at the time the individual learns of the error, the individual:

AB755,21,16 1. Promptly notifies the other person of the error and that the individual did not intend to be bound by the electronic record received by the other person;

AB755,21,20 2. Takes reasonable steps, including steps that conform to the other person's reasonable instructions, to return to the other person or, if instructed by the other person, to destroy the consideration received, if any, as a result of the erroneous electronic record; and

AB755,21,22 3. Has not used or received any benefit or value from the consideration, if any, received from the other person.

AB755,21,24 (2) If neither sub. (1) (a) nor (b) applies, the change or error has the effect provided by other law, including the law of mistake, and the parties' contract, if any.

AB755,21,25 (3) Subsections (1) (b) and (2) may not be varied by agreement.

AB755,22,6 137.19 Notarization and acknowledgement. If a law requires a signature or record to be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the requirement is satisfied if the electronic signature of the person authorized to administer the oath or to make the notarization, acknowledgment, or verification, together with all other information required to be included by other applicable law, is attached to or logically associated with the signature or record.

AB755,22,9 137.20 Retention of electronic records; originals. (1) If a law requires that a record be retained, the requirement is satisfied by retaining the information set forth in the record as an electronic record which:

AB755,22,11 (a) Accurately reflects the information set forth in the record after it was first generated in its final form as an electronic record or otherwise; and

AB755,22,12 (b) Remains accessible for later reference.

AB755,22,15 (2) A requirement to retain a record in accordance with sub. (1) does not apply to any information the sole purpose of which is to enable the record to be sent, communicated, or received.

AB755,22,17 (3) A person may comply with sub. (1) by using the services of another person if the requirements of that subsection are satisfied.

AB755,22,21 (4) Except as provided in sub. (6), if a law requires a record to be presented or retained in its original form, or provides consequences if the record is not presented or retained in its original form, a person may comply with that law by using an electronic record that is retained in accordance with sub. (1).

AB755,22,24 (5) If a law requires retention of a check, that requirement is satisfied by retention of an electronic record containing the information on the front and back of the check in accordance with sub. (1).

AB755,23,5 (6) A record retained as an electronic record in accordance with sub. (1) satisfies a law requiring a person to retain a record for evidentiary, audit, or like purposes, unless a law enacted after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], specifically prohibits the use of an electronic record for the specified purpose.

AB755,23,8 (7) This section does not preclude a governmental unit of this state from specifying additional requirements for the retention of any record subject to the jurisdiction of that governmental unit.

AB755,23,10 137.21 Admissibility in evidence. In a proceeding, a record or signature may not be excluded as evidence solely because it is in electronic form.

AB755,23,11 137.22 Automated transactions. In an automated transaction:

AB755,23,14 (1) A contract may be formed by the interaction of electronic agents of the parties, even if no individual was aware of or reviewed the electronic agent's actions or the resulting terms and agreements.

AB755,23,19 (2) A contract may be formed by the interaction of an electronic agent and an individual, acting on the individual's own behalf or for another person, including by an interaction in which the individual performs actions that the individual is free to refuse to perform and which the individual knows or has reason to know will cause the electronic agent to complete the transaction or performance.

AB755,23,21 (3) The terms of a contract under sub. (1) or (2) are governed by the substantive law applicable to the contract.

AB755,23,23 137.23 Time and place of sending and receipt. (1) Unless otherwise agreed between the sender and the recipient, an electronic record is sent when it:

AB755,24,2 (a) Is addressed properly or otherwise directed properly to an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving electronic records or information of the type sent and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic record;

AB755,24,3 (b) Is in a form capable of being processed by that system; and

AB755,24,7 (c) Enters an information processing system outside the control of the sender or of a person that sent the electronic record on behalf of the sender or enters a region of the information processing system designated or used by the recipient which is under the control of the recipient.

AB755,24,9 (2) Unless otherwise agreed between a sender and the recipient, an electronic record is received when:

AB755,24,13 (a) It enters an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving electronic records or information of the type sent and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic record; and

AB755,24,14 (b) It is in a form capable of being processed by that system.

AB755,24,17 (3) Subsection (2) applies even if the place where the information processing system is located is different from the place where the electronic record is deemed to be received under sub. (4).

AB755,24,21 (4) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the electronic record or agreed between the sender and the recipient, an electronic record is deemed to be sent from the sender's place of business and to be received at the recipient's place of business. For purposes of this subsection:

AB755,24,24 (a) If the sender or recipient has more than one place of business, the place of business of that person is the place having the closest relationship to the underlying transaction.

AB755,25,2 (b) If the sender or the recipient does not have a place of business, the place of business is the sender's or recipient's residence, as the case may be.

AB755,25,4 (5) An electronic record is received under sub. (2) even if no individual is aware of its receipt.

AB755,25,7 (6) Receipt of an electronic acknowledgment from an information processing system described in sub. (2) establishes that a record was received but, by itself, does not establish that the content sent corresponds to the content received.

AB755,25,12 (7) If a person is aware that an electronic record purportedly sent under sub. (1), or purportedly received under sub. (2), was not actually sent or received, the legal effect of the sending or receipt is determined by other applicable law. Except to the extent permitted by the other law, the requirements of this subsection may not be varied by agreement.

AB755,25,15 137.24 Transferable records. (1) In this section, "transferable record" means an electronic record that would be a note under ch. 403 or a record under ch. 407 if the electronic record were in writing.

AB755,25,18 (1m) An electronic record qualifies as a transferable record under this section only if the issuer of the electronic record expressly has agreed that the electronic record is a transferable record.

AB755,25,21 (2) A person has control of a transferable record if a system employed for evidencing the transfer of interests in the transferable record reliably establishes that person as the person to which the transferable record was issued or transferred.

AB755,25,24 (3) A system satisfies the requirements of sub. (2), and a person is deemed to have control of a transferable record, if the transferable record is created, stored, and assigned in such a manner that:

AB755,26,2 (a) A single authoritative copy of the transferable record exists which is unique, identifiable, and, except as otherwise provided in pars. (d) to (f), unalterable;

AB755,26,6 (b) The authoritative copy identifies the person asserting control as the person to which the transferable record was issued or, if the authoritative copy indicates that the transferable record has been transferred, the person to which the transferable record was most recently transferred;

AB755,26,8 (c) The authoritative copy is communicated to and maintained by the person asserting control or its designated custodian;

AB755,26,10 (d) Copies or revisions that add or change an identified assignee of the authoritative copy can be made only with the consent of the person asserting control;

AB755,26,12 (e) Each copy of the authoritative copy and any copy of a copy is readily identifiable as a copy that is not the authoritative copy; and

AB755,26,14 (f) Any revision of the authoritative copy is readily identifiable as authorized or unauthorized.

AB755,26,22 (4) Except as otherwise agreed, a person having control of a transferable record is the holder, as defined in s. 401.201 (20), of the transferable record and has the same rights and defenses as a holder of an equivalent record or writing under chs. 401 to 411, including, if the applicable statutory requirements under s. 403.302 (1), 407.501, or 409.330 are satisfied, the rights and defenses of a holder in due course, a holder to which a negotiable record of title has been duly negotiated, or a purchaser, respectively. Delivery, possession, and endorsement are not required to obtain or exercise any of the rights under this subsection.

AB755,26,25 (5) Except as otherwise agreed, an obligor under a transferable record has the same rights and defenses as an equivalent obligor under equivalent records or writings under chs. 401 to 411.

AB755,27,6 (6) If requested by a person against which enforcement is sought, the person seeking to enforce the transferable record shall provide reasonable proof that the person is in control of the transferable record. Proof may include access to the authoritative copy of the transferable record and related business records sufficient to review the terms of the transferable record and to establish the identity of the person having control of the transferable record.

AB755, s. 14 Section 14. 137.26 of the statutes is created to read:

AB755,27,14 137.26 Interoperability. If a governmental unit of this state adopts standards regarding its receipt of electronic records or electronic signatures under s. 137.25, the governmental unit shall promote consistency and interoperability with similar standards adopted by other governmental units of this state and other states and the federal government and nongovernmental persons interacting with governmental units of this state. Any standards so adopted may include alternative provisions if warranted to meet particular applications.

AB755, s. 15 Section 15. 224.30 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,27,19 224.30 (2) Electronic forms records and signatures. The department shall promulgate rules regarding the submission of written documents electronic records and electronic signatures to the department under s. 137.05 and the use and verification of electronic signatures under s. 137.06 s. 137.25.

AB755, s. 16 Section 16. 228.01 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,28,10 228.01 Recording of documents and public records by mechanical process authorized. Whenever any officer of any county having a population of 500,000 or more is required or authorized by law to file, record, copy, recopy or replace any document, court order, plat, paper, written instrument, writings, record or book of record, on file or of record in his or her office, notwithstanding any other provisions in the statutes, the officer may do so by photostatic, photographic, microphotographic, microfilm, optical imaging, electronic formatting or other mechanical process which produces a clear, accurate and permanent copy or reproduction of the original document, court order, plat, paper, written instrument, writings, record or book of record in accordance with the applicable standards specified under ss. 16.61 (7) and 16.612. Any such officer may also reproduce by such processes or transfer from optical disk or electronic storage any document, court order, plat, paper, written instrument, writings, record or book of record which has previously been filed, recorded, copied or recopied. Optical imaging or electronic formatting of any document is subject to authorization under s. 59.52 (14) (a).

AB755, s. 17 Section 17. 228.03 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,29,6 228.03 (2) Any photographic reproduction of an original record meeting the applicable standards prescribed in s. 16.61 (7) or copy of a record generated from an original record stored in optical disk or electronic format in compliance with the applicable standards under ss. 16.61 and 16.612 shall be taken as and stand in lieu of and have all of the effect of the original record and shall be admissible in evidence in all courts and all other tribunals or agencies, administrative or otherwise, in all cases where the original document is admissible. A transcript, exemplification or certified copy of such a reproduction of an original record, or certified copy of a record generated from an original record stored in optical disk or electronic format, for the purposes specified in this subsection, is deemed to be a transcript, exemplification or certified copy of the original. The custodian of a photographic reproduction shall place the reproduction or optical disk in conveniently accessible storage and shall make provision for preserving, examining and using the reproduction of the record or generating a copy of the record from optical disk or electronic storage. An enlarged copy of a photographic reproduction of a record made in accordance with the applicable standards specified in s. 16.61 (7) or an enlarged copy of a record generated from an original record stored in optical disk or electronic format in compliance with the applicable standards under ss. 16.61 and 16.612 that is certified by the custodian as provided in s. 889.18 (2) has the same effect as an actual-size copy.

AB755, s. 18 Section 18. 889.29 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,29,25 889.29 (1) If any business, institution or member of a profession or calling in the regular course of business or activity has kept or recorded any memorandum, writing, entry, print, representation or combination thereof, of any act, transaction, occurrence or event, and in the regular course of business has caused any or all of the same to be recorded, copied or reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, microcard, miniature photographic, or other process which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for so reproducing the original, or to be recorded on an optical disk or in electronic format, the original may be destroyed in the regular course of business, unless its preservation is required by law. Such reproduction or optical disk record, when reduced to comprehensible format and when satisfactorily identified, is as admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding whether the original is in existence or not and an enlargement or facsimile of such reproduction of a record or an enlarged copy of a record generated from an original record stored in optical disk or electronic format is likewise admissible in evidence if the original reproduction is in existence and available for inspection under direction of court. The introduction of a reproduced record, enlargement or facsimile, does not preclude admission of the original. This subsection does not apply to records governed by s. 137.20.

AB755, s. 19 Section 19. 910.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,30,5 910.01 (1) Writings and recordings. "Writings" and "recordings" consist of letters, words or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostating, photographing, magnetic impulse, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data compilation or recording.

AB755, s. 20 Section 20. 910.02 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,30,9 910.02 Requirement of original. To prove the content of a writing, recording or photograph, the original writing, recording or photograph is required, except as otherwise provided in chs. 901 to 911, s. 137.21, or by other statute.

AB755, s. 21 Section 21. 910.03 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB755,30,15 910.03 Admissibility of duplicates. A duplicate is admissible to the same extent as an original unless (1) a genuine question is raised as to the authenticity of the original or (2) in the circumstances it would be unfair to admit the duplicate in lieu of the original. This section does not apply to records of transactions governed by s. 137.21.

AB755, s. 22 Section 22. Initial applicability.

AB755,30,19 (1) This act first applies to electronic records or electronic signatures that are created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or initially stored on the effective date of this subsection.

AB755,30,20 (End)