AB977,43,175 195.28 (3) Maintenance costs. Except as otherwise provided in this
6subsection, the cost of maintaining crossing protection devices ordered under sub. (1)
7shall be the responsibility of the railroad or railroad historical society. Any railroad
8company or railroad historical society that incurs expenses for maintenance of
9signals or other safety devices may file a claim for reimbursement with the
10department regardless of the date of installation of the signals or devices. At the
11close of each fiscal year the department shall reimburse claimants under this
12subsection for 50% 50 percent of the costs, as determined by the office department,
13incurred for maintenance of railroad crossing protection devices from the
14appropriations under s. 20.395 (2) (gj) and (gq). If the amount in the appropriations
15under s. 20.395 (2) (gj) and (gq) is not adequate to fund maintenance reimbursement
16under this subsection, the amount shall be prorated in the manner determined by
17the office department.
AB977, s. 136 18Section 136. 195.28 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,43,2119 195.28 (4) Previous office orders. Subsection (3) applies to maintenance costs
20for all crossing protection devices regardless of any prior order of the office
21apportioning maintenance costs.
AB977, s. 137 22Section 137. 195.285 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,44,1323 195.285 (1) Upon the petition of a railroad corporation , the department, or the
24governing body of any city, village, town or county asserting that the stopping of
25vehicles under s. 346.45 at a railroad crossing is hazardous to human life, or upon

1its own motion,
the office department shall hold a hearing on the matter as provided
2under s. 195.04. Notice of petition shall be served upon the department, which shall
3be an interested party, and any recommendations it may file with the office regarding
4the hazardous effect of vehicles stopping at such crossings shall be considered as
5evidence in the proceedings. Upon the recommendation of the department and
6concurrence by the office, the petition may be dismissed without holding a hearing.
7 If, upon the public hearing, the office department determines that it would be in the
8public interest to exempt vehicles specified in s. 346.45 from stopping at such grade
9crossing, it may order the public body having jurisdiction over the highway to erect
10signs, signals, markings or other devices exempting such vehicles from stopping at
11the crossing. If an interested party objects to the department's order and requests
12a hearing, the department shall refer the matter to the division of hearings and
13appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 138 14Section 138. 195.285 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,44,1715 195.285 (2) Signs placed upon the order of the office department under this
16section shall exempt vehicles from stopping as required under s. 346.45, unless a
17train or engine is occupying or approaching the crossing.
AB977, s. 139 18Section 139. 195.285 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,44,2319 195.285 (3) The department shall establish standards for the type of signs,
20signals, markings or other devices for exempting vehicles from stopping as required
21under s. 346.45 and their location in relation to the highway and railroad track. The
22office department may upon petition or its own motion, with or without a hearing,
23order the removal of a sign exempting vehicles from stopping at a crossing.
AB977, s. 140 24Section 140. 195.286 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,45,3
1195.286 (2) Signs described. Such signs shall be round and of a size, color and
2message as specified by the department and approved by the office. Any change in
3these signs shall not be retroactive.
AB977, s. 141 4Section 141. 195.286 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,45,95 195.286 (5) Other signs prohibited. No other sign of the general size or
6appearance of the signs provided for in this section shall be placed or permitted upon
7any highway, nor any sign between such advance signs except signs or signals
8required by law or permitted by the office department for protection at railway
9crossings.
AB977, s. 142 10Section 142. 195.286 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,45,1411 195.286 (8) Prosecutions. The district attorney shall prosecute any person
12violating this section, or begin and maintain any civil action necessary for its
13enforcement upon the demand of any county highway commissioner, or the
14department, or the office.
AB977, s. 143 15Section 143. 195.29 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,46,1816 195.29 (1) Petition, hearing, order. Upon petition by the common council or
17board of any city, village, town or county within or bordering upon which a highway
18or street crosses a railroad, or a highway or street is proposed to be laid out across
19a railroad, or a public highway bridge across a railroad is required to connect existing
20streets or highways, or upon petition by any railroad whose track crosses or is about
21to cross, or is crossed or about to be crossed by a street or highway, or upon petition
22by the department
its own motion, in cases where provision has been made for the
23improvement of the highway adjacent to such crossing under any state aid or federal
24aid law, that public safety requires an alteration in such crossing, its approaches, the
25method of crossing, the location of the highway or crossing, or the closing of the

1crossing, and the substitution of another therefor at grade or not at grade, or the
2removal of obstructions to the view at such crossing, the relocation of the highway,
3or requires the determination of the manner of making such new crossing, or of
4making the proposed improvement or promoting the public safety or public
5convenience through any other reasonable method, and praying that the same may
6be ordered, the office department shall give notice to the parties in interest and
7proceed to investigate the same and to order a hearing thereon in the manner
8provided by s. 195.04. The office department shall determine what, if anything, shall
9be done to promote the public safety and the means by which it shall be accomplished,
10whether by the relocation of the highway, the alteration in such crossing, approaches,
11mode of crossing, location of highway crossing, closing of highway crossing, with or
12without the substitution of another therefor, the construction of a public highway
13bridge, the removal of obstructions to sight at crossing, or by the use of other
14reasonable methods, and by whom the same shall be made, and in case of new
15crossings the advisability of allowing such crossings to be established and manner
16of making them. If an interested party objects to the department's order and requests
17a hearing, the department shall refer the matter to the division of hearings and
18appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 144 19Section 144. 195.29 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,47,320 195.29 (2) Apportionment of expense. The office department shall fix the
21proportion of the cost and expense of alterations, removals and new crossings, or any
22other work ordered, including the damages to any person whose land is taken, and
23the special damages which the owner of any land adjoining the public street or
24highway shall sustain by reason of a change in the grade of such street or highway,
25or by reason of the removal of obstructions to view at such crossings, to be paid or

1borne by the railroad companies and the municipalities in interest. In fixing such
2proportion, the office department may order such cost and expense so apportioned
3to be paid by the parties against which the apportionment shall be made.
AB977, s. 145 4Section 145. 195.29 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,47,165 195.29 (3) Restoration of spur tracks. Whenever the office department shall
6have ordered a separation of the grade of a railway from the grade of a street or
7highway, it may, if safe and practicable and if a necessity exists therefor, order the
8alteration, restoration and connection of any track serving an industry. Demand for
9such restoration shall be in writing and filed with the office department within 90
10days after the date of the order for the separation of grades, and any such track for
11which no such demand shall have been made shall be deemed abandoned. If the
12office department shall order the alteration, restoration and connection of any such
13track, it shall by its order apportion the cost thereof between the owner of the
14industry served and the railway company, in such proportion as to the office
15department may seem just and equitable; and the office department shall in its order
16prescribe the terms and conditions for securing the payment of such cost.
AB977, s. 146 17Section 146. 195.29 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,48,1818 195.29 (4) Grade separation in Milwaukee County. The office department may
19upon petition of any town, city or village, or upon its own motion, when the interests
20of the public demand it and it is found practicable so to do, establish the grade of the
21tracks of any railroad, or of all the railroads throughout any county having a
22population of 500,000 or more, or any part thereof, and the grades of the streets or
23highways, or any of them, where they cross such railroad track or tracks, in
24anticipation of the future separation of grades of the railroad tracks from the grades
25of such streets or highways. The office department, before making any such order,

1shall mail notice to the railroad company or companies affected, the owners or
2occupants of any building abutting on that part of the railroad the grade of which is
3to be established, all 1st class cities in the county, and if the grades to be established
4are outside the 1st class city, the towns, cities or villages in which such grades are
5to be established, of the filing of such petition or that the office department
6contemplates establishing such grades, and fixing a time at which the 1st class cities
7and such other towns, cities or villages and the railroad company or companies
8affected thereby and any other person or corporation interested therein may be
9heard. The grades so established under this subsection shall be described by
10reference to a base or datum line to be established by the office department, from
11which all elevations and the height of all grades shall be measured, and the grades
12so established shall be such that when brought to the established grade the railroad
13tracks will cross the streets and highways above or below the same. Such order shall
14not necessarily require a present change in grade but the office department may at
15any time order the railroad track or tracks and the street and highways brought to
16the grade established or any street or highways closed by the order, in accordance
17with sub. (1), and may, at the time of making the order, apportion the cost of
18separating the grades as provided in sub. (2).
AB977, s. 147 19Section 147. 195.29 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,49,1320 195.29 (5) Elimination of grade crossings, costs. Upon its own motion or upon
21petition of the department, or of the common council or board of any city, village,
22town, or county, alleging that one or more of them have undertaken or propose to
23undertake to relocate or improve an existing highway or to construct a new highway
24in such manner as to eliminate a highway grade crossing with any railroad or so as
25to permanently divert a material portion of the highway traffic from a highway grade

1crossing with any railroad, the office department shall issue notice of investigation
2and hearing, as provided in s. 195.04. If upon such hearing the office department
3finds that the public safety will be promoted by the highway relocation,
4improvement, or new construction, the office department shall order the old
5crossings closed and new crossings opened as are deemed necessary for public safety.
6The order shall require the railroad company or companies to pay to the interested
7municipality or municipalities such sum as the office department finds to be an
8equitable portion of the cost of the highway relocation, improvement, or new
9construction, if the work is performed by the municipalities; or to the secretary of
10administration if the work is performed by the state; or to the proper county
11treasurer if the work is performed by the county. The sum shall be added to the joint
12fund available for the improvement and may be expended in like manner as the other
13portions of the fund.
AB977, s. 148 14Section 148. 195.29 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,50,1415 195.29 (6) View at crossings; trees and brush near crossings; forfeiture.
16Every railroad shall keep its right-of-way clear of brush or trees for a distance of not
17less than 330 feet in each direction from the center of its intersection at grade with
18any public highway, and for such further distance as is necessary to provide an
19adequate view of approaching trains, from the highway. Every municipality shall
20keep the public highways within its jurisdiction clear of brush and shall adequately
21trim all trees within 330 feet of the center of any railroad highway grade crossing.
22Every person or corporation owning or occupying any land adjacent to any railroad
23highway grade crossing shall keep all brush cut and adequately trim all trees on the
24land within the triangles bounded on 2 sides by the railway and the highway, and on
25the 3rd side by a line connecting points on the center lines of the railway and the

1highway, 330 feet from the intersection of the center lines. The office department,
2upon its own motion, or upon any complaint to the effect that any work required by
3this subsection has not been performed, after due notice and hearing, may order the
4corporation, municipality or person at fault to perform the work; provided, however,
5that if the physical conditions at any crossing are such that the performance of the
6required work will not materially improve the view for highway traffic, or, if
7unreasonable loss would be caused thereby, the office department may excuse the
8party in interest from performing the same. The office department may also order
9the cutting of brush and the trimming of trees at private farm crossings as may be
10necessary and reasonable. If any person shall violate any provision of this section,
11or shall fail, neglect or refuse to obey any order made by the office department under
12this section, or any judgment, order, or decree made by the division of hearings and
13appeals or
any court upon such an order, for every such violation, failure or refusal
14such person shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $150.
AB977, s. 149 15Section 149. 195.29 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,50,1916 195.29 (7) Structure requirements. Whenever the office department shall
17order the construction or reconstruction of a crossing not at grade, it may direct that
18the structure required shall be of such character and constructed of such materials
19as it shall deem appropriate to the situation and necessary for the public interest.
AB977, s. 150 20Section 150. 195.29 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
AB977,50,2321 195.29 (9) Review of department orders. If a petitioner, railroad or any
22interested party objects to an order under this section, the department shall refer the
23order to the division of hearings and appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 151 24Section 151. 195.30 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,51,15
1195.30 (1) Upon its own motion or upon a petition by the common council of any
2city, or the board of any village, town or county within which a railroad crosses
3another railroad at grade, or by any such railroad, that public safety requires an
4alteration in the crossing or the installation of protective appliances, the office
5department shall give notice to the parties in interest, and proceed to investigate the
6same and may order a hearing on the matter. The office department shall determine
7what alteration in such crossing, if any, shall be made, and by whom made and
8maintained, or what protective appliances shall be installed, operated and
9maintained at the crossing and by whom installed, operated and maintained. The
10office department shall fix the proportion of the cost and expense of such change in
11grade and maintenance of the crossing or of the installation, operation and
12maintenance of the safety appliance which shall be paid by the railroad companies,
13respectively. If an interested party objects to the department's order and requests
14a hearing, the department shall refer the matter to the division of hearings and
15appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 152 16Section 152. 195.31 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,52,20 17195.31 Bridges made safe. Whenever a complaint is lodged with the office
18department by the common council of any city, the village board of any village, a
19member of a town board, or a supervisor of highways, or by 5 or more electors and
20taxpayers in any town, or 5 or more electors of the county in which such bridge is
21located, and who are users of such bridge or railway, to the effect that a bridge erected
22over a stream intersecting a public highway or highways upon which a railway is
23constructed and operated, is unsafe and dangerous to travelers over such highway
24or highways or bridge or railroad, and that public safety requires the alteration, the
25repair or reconstruction of such bridge, or the substitution of another bridge therefor,

1it shall be the duty of the office department to give notice to the party or parties in
2interest, other than the petitioners, of the filing of such complaint, and to furnish a
3copy of the complaint to the party or parties in interest other than the petitioners,
4and to order a hearing thereon, in the manner provided for hearings in ss. 195.04 to
5195.043. The office department may proceed in a similar manner in the absence of
6a petition when, in the opinion of the office department, public safety requires the
7alteration, repair or reconstruction of a bridge or the substitution of another bridge
8for the bridge in question. After the hearing, the office department shall determine
9what alteration or repair or reconstruction of such bridge, and the approaches
10thereto, shall be made, or if it shall determine that public safety requires the
11substitution of a new bridge, it shall determine the character, manner of construction
12and location of such bridge and the approaches thereto. The office department shall
13fix the proportion of the cost and expense of such alteration, repair, reconstruction
14or substitution of a new bridge, including the damage to any person whose land is
15taken, and the special damage which the owner of any land adjoining the approaches
16to said bridge shall sustain by reason of the alteration, repair, reconstruction or
17substitution of a new bridge, to be paid by the railroad company and the city, village
18or town in interest. If an interested party objects to the department's order under this
19section and requests a hearing, the department shall refer the matter to the division
20of hearings and appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 153 21Section 153. 195.32 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,53,11 22195.32 Safety gates on drawbridges. Whenever a complaint is filed with
23the office department to the effect that any drawbridge is not equipped with gates
24or other safety devices, the office department may notify the proper party or parties
25in interest of the complaint, and may proceed to investigate the complaint and to hold

1a hearing on the matter in the manner provided for hearings in ss. 195.04 to 195.043.
2If after the investigation the office department determines that public safety
3requires the erection and maintenance of gates or other safety devices at the points
4mentioned in the complaint, it may order the county, city, village, town, corporation
5or person whose duty it is to maintain such bridge to erect and maintain at such
6points such gates or other safety devices as the office department prescribes. The
7office department may conduct the investigations, hold the hearings and make the
8orders provided for in this section upon its own motion in the same manner and with
9the same effect as though a complaint were filed. If an interested party objects to the
10department's order under this section, the department shall refer the order to the
11division of hearings and appeals for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 154 12Section 154. 195.325 of the statutes is created to read:
AB977,53,17 13195.325 Review of certain orders of the department. If an order of the
14department under s. 84.05, 192.324, 195.28, 195.285, 195.29, 195.30, 195.31, 195.32,
15195.37, or 195.38 is referred to the division of hearings and appeals for review, the
16division of hearings and appeals shall review the order applying the same standards
17applicable to the department.
AB977, s. 155 18Section 155. 195.34 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,54,4 19195.34 Reports of accidents, investigation. Every water carrier shall
20report to the office department all accidents resulting in injury to persons arising
21from its operation. The office department may issue rules concerning the reporting
22of accidents by water carriers and may also, if public interests require, cause an
23investigation of any accident. Every railroad shall submit to the office department
24a copy of any accident or injury report provided by the railroad to the applicable
25federal authority for all collisions, derailments or other accidents resulting in injury

1to persons, equipment, or roadway arising from its operation. The office department
2may issue rules concerning the submission of copies of federal reports under this
3section and may also, to the extent permitted by federal law, participate in any
4accident investigation.
AB977, s. 156 5Section 156. 195.36 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,54,16 6195.36 General penalty upon railroads and water carriers. If any
7railroad or water carrier shall violate any provision of this chapter, or shall do any
8act herein prohibited, or shall fail or refuse to perform any duty enjoined upon it, for
9which a penalty has not been provided, or shall fail, neglect or refuse to obey any
10lawful requirement or order made by the office department, or any judgment or
11decree made by any court upon its application, for every such violation, failure or
12refusal in respect to any matter prescribed by this chapter such railroad or water
13carrier shall forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $10,000. The act, omission or
14failure of any officer, agent or other person employed by any railroad or water carrier,
15acting within the scope of his or her employment, shall be deemed to be the act,
16omission or failure of such railroad or water carrier.
AB977, s. 157 17Section 157. 195.37 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,55,518 195.37 (1) Complaints, investigations, hearings, findings, refund. The office
19department may investigate the complaint of any person aggrieved that the charge
20exacted by a water carrier for the transportation of property between points in this
21state, or for any service in connection with transportation of property, or that the
22charge exacted by a water carrier for the storage of such property, or that any charge
23exacted by a water carrier is erroneous, illegal, unusual or exorbitant and shall set
24the complaint for hearing as provided in s. 195.04 (2) to (4). If the office department
25finds that the rate or charge exacted by a water carrier is erroneous, illegal, unusual

1or exorbitant, it shall find what would have been a reasonable rate or charge for such
2service. If the rate or charge so found is less than the charge exacted, the carrier shall
3refund the excess. If an interested party objects to the department's order under this
4section, the department shall refer the order to the division of hearings and appeals
5for review as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 158 6Section 158. 195.37 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,55,147 195.37 (2) Actions; findings as evidence, defenses. In an action to recover the
8amount of such excess charge, the findings of the office department shall be prima
9facie evidence of the truth of the facts found by it, and no carrier shall be permitted
10to avail itself of the defense that the shipment involved was in fact made on the
11published tariff rate in force at the time such shipment was made, but no carrier
12making a refund upon the order of the office department or the judgment of a court
13shall be liable for any penalty or subject to any prosecution on account of making such
14refund.
AB977, s. 159 15Section 159. 195.37 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,55,1816 195.37 (3) Limitation for filing claim. All complaints provided for in sub. (1),
17except those for straight overcharges, shall be filed with the office department within
182 years after delivery of the shipment of property at destination, subject to sub. (6).
AB977, s. 160 19Section 160. 195.37 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,55,2120 195.37 (4) (a) In this subsection, "straight overcharge" means a charge in
21excess of those applicable under the lawful tariffs on file with the office department.
AB977, s. 161 22Section 161. 195.38 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,56,11 23195.38 Water carrier freight bills; examination; refunds. Within 3 years
24after the delivery of any shipment of property at destination by a water carrier, any
25person, firm or corporation may submit to the office department, by mail or in person,

1any water carrier expense bill or receipt showing charges paid for transportation of
2such property by freight for the purpose of having the expense bill or receipt
3examined with respect to the correctness of weights, rates and charges indicated
4thereon. Upon receipt of any such expense bill or receipt, the office department may
5make such examination as is necessary, and if it is found that any such weights, rates
6or charges are incorrect, the office department shall order the water carrier in error
7to refund to the person, firm or corporation which submitted such expense bills or
8receipts, any over or excessive charges paid by such person, firm or corporation. If
9an interested party objects to the department's order under this section, the
10department shall refer the order to the division of hearings and appeals for review
11as provided in s. 195.325.
AB977, s. 162 12Section 162. 195.45 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,56,1713 195.45 (1) No person shall operate as a common carrier of passengers or
14property by water except in accordance with the terms and conditions of a certificate
15of public convenience and necessity issued by the office department. The office
16department shall issue any certificate upon a finding that the service proposed to be
17performed is in the public interest and required by public convenience and necessity.
AB977, s. 163 18Section 163. 195.45 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,56,2119 195.45 (2) Application for the certificate shall be made on forms furnished by
20the office department and shall contain such information as the office department
21requires.
AB977, s. 164 22Section 164. 195.45 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,56,2423 195.45 (4) The office department may promulgate rules for the operation of this
24section.
AB977, s. 165 25Section 165. 195.50 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,57,13
1195.50 (1) Any officer, agent or employee of any railroad or water carrier who
2fails to fill out and return any forms required by this chapter, or fails to answer any
3question therein, or knowingly gives a false answer to any such question, or evades
4the answer to any such question where the fact inquired of is within his or her
5knowledge, or who, upon proper demand, fails to exhibit to the office or department
6or the division of hearings and appeals or any person authorized to examine the
7same, any book, paper, account, record or memoranda of such railroad or water
8carrier which is in the possession or under control of the officer, agent or employee,
9or who fails to properly use and keep the system of accounting prescribed by the office
10department, or who refuses to do any act or thing in connection with such system of
11accounting when so directed by the office or its department, the division of hearings
12and appeals, or their
authorized representatives, shall forfeit not less than $100 nor
13more than $1,000 for each offense.
AB977, s. 166 14Section 166. 195.60 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,57,16 15195.60 (title) Payment of office department expenses by railroads and
16water carriers.
AB977, s. 167 17Section 167. 195.60 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,58,1918 195.60 (1) Whenever the office department in a proceeding upon its own
19motion, on complaint, or upon an application to it deems it necessary in order to carry
20out the duties imposed upon it by law to investigate the books, accounts, practices
21and activities of, or make appraisals of the property of any railroad or water carrier
22or to render any engineering or accounting services to any railroad or water carrier,
23the railroad or water carrier shall pay the expenses attributable to such
24investigation, appraisal or service. The office department shall ascertain such
25expenses, and shall render a bill therefor, by mail, to the railroad or water carrier,

1either at the conclusion of the investigation, appraisal or services, or during its
2progress. The bill shall constitute notice of assessment and demand of payment
3thereof. The railroad or water carrier shall, within 30 days after the mailing thereof,
4pay to the office department the amount of the special expense for which it is billed.
5Ninety percent of the The payment shall be deposited in the general fund and
6credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.155 (2) (g) 20.395 (2) (gg). The total
7amount, in any one calendar year, for which any railroad or water carrier becomes
8liable, by reason of costs incurred by the office department within such calendar year,
9shall not exceed four-fifths of one percent of its gross operating revenues derived
10from intrastate operations in the last preceding calendar year. Where, under this
11subsection, costs are incurred within any calendar year, which are in excess of
12four-fifths of one percent of such gross operating revenues, the excess costs shall not
13be chargeable as part of the remainder under sub. (2) but shall be paid out of the
14general appropriation to the office department. Nothing in this subsection shall
15prevent the office department from rendering bills in one calendar year for costs
16incurred within a previous year. For the purpose of calculating the costs of
17investigations, appraisals and other services under this subsection, 90 percent all of
18the costs determined shall be costs of the office and 10 percent of the costs determined
19shall be costs of state government operations
department.
AB977, s. 168 20Section 168. 195.60 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,59,1621 195.60 (2) The office department shall annually, within 90 days after the close
22of each fiscal year, ascertain the total of its expenditures during such year which are
23reasonably attributable to the performance of its duties relating to railroads and
24water carriers. For purposes of such calculation, 90 percent all of the expenditures
25so determined shall be expenditures of the office and 10 percent of the expenditures

1so determined shall be expenditures for state government operations
department.
2The office department shall deduct therefrom all amounts chargeable to railroads
3and water carriers under sub. (1) and s. 201.10 (3). A sum equal to the remainder
4plus 10 percent of the remainder shall be assessed by the office department to the
5several railroads and water carriers in proportion to their respective gross operating
6revenues during the last calendar year, derived from intrastate operations. Such
7assessment shall be paid within 30 days after the bill has been mailed to the several
8railroads and water carriers, which bill shall constitute notice of assessment and
9demand of payment thereof. The total amount which may be assessed to the
10railroads and water carriers under authority of this subsection shall not exceed 1.85
11percent of the total gross operating revenues of such railroads and water carriers,
12during such calendar year, derived from intrastate operations. Ninety percent of the
13The payment shall be deposited in the general fund and credited to the appropriation
14account under s. 20.155 (2) (g) 20.395 (2) (gg). The railroads and water carriers shall
15furnish such financial information as the office department requires for purposes of
16this section.
AB977, s. 169 17Section 169. 195.60 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,60,718 195.60 (3) If any railroad or water carrier against which a bill has been
19rendered under sub. (1) or (2) within 30 days after the rendering of such bill neglects
20or refuses to pay the same or fails to file objections to the bill with the office division
21of hearings and appeals
, the office department shall transmit to the secretary of
22administration a certified copy of the bill, together with notice of neglect or refusal
23to pay the bill, and on the same day the office department shall mail to the railroad
24or water carrier against which the bill has been rendered a copy of the notice which
25it has transmitted to the secretary of administration. Within 10 days after the

1receipt of such notice and certified copy of such bill, the secretary of administration
2shall levy the amount stated on such bill to be due, with interest, by distress and sale
3of any goods and chattels, including stocks, securities, bank accounts, evidences of
4debt, and accounts receivable belonging to such delinquent railroad or water carrier.
5Such levy by distress and sale shall be governed by the provisions of s. 74.10, 1985
6stats., except that it shall be made by the secretary of administration and that said
7goods and chattels anywhere within the state may be levied upon.
AB977, s. 170 8Section 170. 195.60 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,60,219 195.60 (4) (a) Within 30 days after the date of the mailing of any bill as provided
10by subs. (1) and (2), the railroad or water carrier against which such bill has been
11rendered may file with the office division of hearings and appeals objections setting
12out in detail the grounds upon which the objector regards the bill to be excessive,
13erroneous, unlawful or invalid. The office division of hearings and appeals, after
14notice to the objector and the department, shall hold a hearing upon such objections,
15not less than 5 nor more than 10 days after such notice. If after such hearing the
16office division of hearings and appeals finds any part of the bill to be excessive,
17erroneous, unlawful or invalid it shall record its findings upon its minutes with
18respect to the objections
and transmit to the objector and the department an
19amended bill, in accordance with such findings. The amended bill shall have in all
20ways the same force and effect under this section as an original bill rendered under
21subs. (1) and (2).
AB977,60,2422 (b) If after the hearing the office division of hearings and appeals finds the
23entire bill unlawful or invalid, it shall notify the objector and the department of such
24determination, in which case the original bill shall be deemed void.
AB977,61,4
1(c) If after the hearing the office division of hearings and appeals finds that the
2bill as rendered is neither excessive, erroneous, unlawful or invalid, either in whole
3or in part, it shall record such findings upon its minutes, and transmit to the objector
4and the department notice of such finding findings.
AB977,61,155 (d) If any bill against which objections have been filed is not paid within 10 days
6after notice of a finding that such objections have been overruled and disallowed by
7the office division of hearings and appeals has been mailed to the objector, the office
8department shall give notice of such delinquency to the secretary of administration
9and to the objector, in the manner provided in sub. (3). The secretary of
10administration shall then proceed to collect the amount of the bill as provided in sub.
11(3). If an amended bill is not paid within 10 days after a copy thereof is mailed to the
12objector by registered mail, the office department shall notify the secretary of
13administration and the objector as in the case of delinquency in the payment of an
14original bill. The secretary of administration shall then proceed to collect the amount
15of the bill as provided in the case of an original bill.
AB977, s. 171 16Section 171. 195.60 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,62,317 195.60 (5) No suit or proceeding shall be maintained in any court for the
18purpose of restraining or in any way delaying the collection or payment of any bill
19rendered under subs. (1) and (2). Every railroad or water carrier against which a bill
20is rendered shall pay the amount thereof, and after such payment may in the manner
21herein provided, at any time within 2 years from the date the payment was made,
22sue the state in an action at law to recover the amount paid with legal interest
23thereon from the date of payment, upon the ground that the assessment was
24excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid in whole or in part. If it is finally
25determined in such action that any part of the bill for which payment was made was

1excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid, the secretary of administration shall
2make a refund to the claimant as directed by the court, which shall be charged to the
3appropriations to the office department.
AB977, s. 172 4Section 172. 195.60 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,62,115 195.60 (6) No action for recovery of any amount paid under this section shall
6be maintained in any court unless objections have been filed with the office division
7of hearings and appeals
as provided in this section. In any action for recovery of any
8payments made under this section the claimant shall be entitled to raise every
9relevant issue of law, but the office's findings of fact of the division of hearings and
10appeals
made pursuant to this section shall be prima facie evidence of the facts
11therein stated.
AB977, s. 173 12Section 173. 195.60 (7) (intro.) of the statutes is repealed.
AB977, s. 174 13Section 174. 195.60 (7) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 195.60 (7) and
14amended to read:
AB977,62,1715 195.60 (7) Determinations of fact expressed in bills rendered under this
16section; and shall be considered to be findings of fact of the department, within the
17meaning of this section.
AB977, s. 175 18Section 175. 195.60 (7) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB977, s. 176 19Section 176. 201.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,62,2220 201.01 (1) "Commission" means the office of the commissioner of railroads
21department of transportation in the case of water carriers and the public service
22commission in the case of other public service corporations.
AB977, s. 177 23Section 177. 226.025 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,63,1024 226.025 (3) The appointment of the department of financial institutions or the
25designation of a resident agent as attorney for the service of summons, notice,

1pleadings or process under s. 180.1507 shall be applicable only to actions or
2proceedings against the foreign corporations described in this section (unless such
3corporations have been admitted to this state for purposes other than those
4mentioned in this section) where the cause of action or proceeding arises out of
5transactions between such foreign corporations and public utilities operating in this
6state with which such foreign corporations are affiliated; and to actions or
7proceedings by or before the public service commission or office of the commissioner
8of railroads
involving the transactions described in sub. (1), or involving the relation
9between such foreign corporations and public utilities operating in this state with
10which they are affiliated.
AB977, s. 178 11Section 178. 227.01 (13) (s) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB977,63,1412 227.01 (13) (s) Prescribes or relates to a uniform system of accounts for any
13person, including a municipality, that is regulated by the office of the commissioner
14of railroads or the
public service commission.
AB977, s. 179 15Section 179. 227.43 (1) (bk) of the statutes is created to read:
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