LRB-5092/1
JAM:cdc
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
December 8, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Binsfeld, Moses, Michalski,
Allen, Armstrong, Bodden, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Gustafson,
Magnafici, Maxey, Murphy, O'Connor, Schmidt and Edming, cosponsored by
Senator Knodl. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
AB817,1,2
1An Act to create 36.39 of the statutes;
relating to: the provision of absentee
2ballots to nonresident students at the University of Wisconsin System.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
to provide to all first-year students at its institutions with electronic or paper notice
that includes an application to request an absentee ballot from the student's home
state and accurate and clear instructions regarding how the nonresident student
may complete and submit the absentee ballot to the appropriate authority in the
student's home state. The board shall ensure that any voter registration or voter
education partnership or contract it enters into results in the provision of absentee
ballot information to nonresident students. Under the bill, the board is also required
to develop and implement policies that ensure compliance with the bill's provisions,
and to biennially review the policies for effectiveness and relevance. The board is
required to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the implementation
of the provisions of the bill.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB817,1
3Section 1
. 36.39 of the statutes is created to read:
AB817,2,3
136.39 Nonresident student absentee ballots. (1) Definition. In this
2section, “nonresident student” means a student who is not a resident of the state as
3determined under s. 36.27.
AB817,2,6
4(2) Nonresident student absentee ballots. (a) The board shall ensure that
5a nonresident student receives during the student's first-year student orientation
6an electronic or paper notice that includes all of the following:
AB817,2,77
1. An application to request an absentee ballot from the student's home state.
AB817,2,108
2. Accurate, up-to-date, easily-understandable, and clear instructions
9regarding how the nonresident student may complete and submit the absentee ballot
10to the appropriate authority in the student's home state.
AB817,2,1611
(b) The board shall ensure that any voter registration or voter education
12partnership or contract between the board and a private entity or between an
13institution and a private entity results in the provision of absentee ballot information
14to nonresident students. Any such contracts entered into, modified, or renewed on
15or after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], shall clearly note
16the requirement of providing absentee ballot information to nonresident students.
AB817,2,1917
(c) The board shall develop and implement policies that ensure compliance
18with this section and biennially review and update the policies for effectiveness and
19relevance.
AB817,2,2120
(d) The board may contract with a 3rd-party for the provision of the notice
21required under par. (a).
AB817,3,222
(e) Beginning one year after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts
23date], and annually thereafter, the board shall submit to the governor and to the
24appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) a report
25detailing the previous year's implementation of this section, perceived challenges to
1implementing this section, and number of nonresidents students that were provided
2with absentee ballots as required under par. (a).
