AB899,33 14Section 33. 5.05 (2m) (k) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,16,1715 5.05 (2m) (k) The commission's power of the secretary of state to initiate civil
16actions under this subsection for the enforcement of chs. 5 to 10 or 12 shall be the
17exclusive remedy for alleged civil violations of chs. 5 to 10 or 12.
AB899,34 18Section 34. 5.05 (2q) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,17,1719 5.05 (2q) Supplemental funding for ongoing investigations. The commission
20secretary of state may request supplemental funds to be credited to the
21appropriation account under s. 20.510 (1) 20.575 (2) (be) for the purpose of continuing
22an ongoing investigation initiated under sub. (2m). A request under this subsection
23shall be filed with the secretary of administration and the cochairpersons of the joint
24committee on finance in writing and shall contain a statement of the action
25requested, the purposes therefor, the statutory provision authorizing or directing the

1performance of the action, and information about the nature of the investigation for
2which the commission secretary of state seeks supplemental funds, excluding the
3name of any individual or organization that is the subject of the investigation. If the
4cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the secretary of
5administration that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of
6reviewing the request within 14 working days after the commission secretary of state
7filed the request, the secretary of administration shall supplement the appropriation
8under s. 20.510 (1) 20.575 (2) (be) from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (d) in
9an amount not to exceed the amount the commission secretary of state requested.
10If, within 14 working days after the commission secretary of state filed the request,
11the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance notify the secretary of
12administration
that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of
13reviewing the commission's secretary of state's request under this subsection, the
14secretary of administration may supplement the appropriation under s. 20.510 (1)
1520.575 (2) (be) only with the committee's approval. The committee and the secretary
16of administration shall notify the commission secretary of state of all their actions
17taken under this subsection.
AB899,35 18Section 35. 5.05 (2w) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,17,2019 5.05 (2w) Elections commission Secretary of state. The elections commission
20secretary of state has the responsibility for the administration of chs. 5 to 10 and 12.
AB899,36 21Section 36. 5.05 (3d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,18,422 5.05 (3d) Administrator Personnel. The commission shall appoint an
23administrator in the manner provided under s. 15.61 (1) (b). The administrator shall
24be outside the classified service.
The administrator secretary of state shall appoint
25such other personnel as he or she requires to carry out the duties of the commission

1office of the secretary of state in the administration of chs. 5 to 10 and 12 and may
2designate a commission an employee to serve as the commission's legal counsel. The
3administrator shall perform such duties as the commission assigns to him or her in
4the administration of chs. 5 to 10 and 12.
AB899,37 5Section 37. 5.05 (3g) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,18,76 5.05 (3g) Chief election officer. The commission administrator secretary of
7state
shall serve as the chief election officer of this state.
AB899,38 8Section 38. 5.05 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,18,109 5.05 (4) Employees. All employees of the commission office of the secretary of
10state involved in the administration of chs. 5 to 10 and 12
shall be nonpartisan.
AB899,39 11Section 39. 5.05 (5e) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,19,212 5.05 (5e) Annual report. The commission office of the secretary of state shall
13submit an annual report under s. 15.04 (1) (d) and shall include in its annual report
14the names and duties of all individuals employed by the commission office and a
15summary of its determinations and advisory opinions issued under sub. (6a). Except
16as authorized or required under sub. (5s) (f), the commission office shall make
17sufficient alterations in the summaries to prevent disclosing the identities of
18individuals or organizations involved in the decisions or opinions. The commission
19office shall identify in its report the statutory duties of the commission administrator
20secretary of state, together with a description of the manner in which those duties
21are being fulfilled. Notwithstanding sub. (5s) and s. 12.13 (5), the commission office
22of the secretary of state
shall also specify in its report the total number of
23investigations conducted by the commission office since the last annual report and
24a description of the nature of each investigation. The commission office shall make

1such further reports on the matters within its jurisdiction and such
2recommendations for further legislation as it deems desirable.
AB899,40 3Section 40. 5.05 (5f) of the statutes is repealed.
AB899,41 4Section 41. 5.05 (5fm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB899,19,125 5.05 (5fm) Advice to the secretary of state. The standing committees in each
6house of the legislature with jurisdiction over election administration shall be
7advisory to the secretary of state on all matters relating to the operation of the office
8of the secretary of state with regard to the administration of chs. 5 to 10 and 12.
9Except for action related to the internal operations and procedures of the office, the
10office of the secretary of state may take no action with regard to the administration
11of chs. 5 to 10 and 12 without getting prior approval from the standing committees
12in each house of the legislature with jurisdiction over election administration.
AB899,42 13Section 42. 5.05 (5s) (intro.), (a), (am), (b), (bm), (c), (d), (e) (intro.), 1., 2. and
14(f) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB899,19,1815 5.05 (5s) Access to records. (intro.) Records obtained or prepared by the
16commission office of the secretary of state in connection with an investigation,
17including the full text of any complaint received by the commission office, are not
18subject to the right of inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1), except as follows:
AB899,20,919 (a) The commission office shall permit inspection of records that are distributed
20or discussed in the course of a meeting or hearing by the commission office in open
21session. The commission office shall post on its Internet site website the draft
22minutes of each meeting or hearing conducted by the commission office in open
23session no later than 48 hours after the completion of the meeting or hearing. The
24commission office shall post minutes approved by the commission office no later than
2548 hours after the minutes are approved. The commission office may indicate

1whether minutes posted on its Internet site website have been approved by the
2commission office or are in draft form. Minutes posted pursuant to this paragraph
3shall include a summary of every action that the commission voted on, a record of
4each member's vote for or against every action requiring a vote, a record of all
5motions and seconds made by each member, including the full text of each motion
6debated and voted on by the commission, and a record of each member's status as
7being present or absent for any part of a meeting or hearing
taken by the office. The
8commission office shall maintain all minutes published under this paragraph on its
9Internet site website so that the minutes are accessible to the public at all times.
AB899,20,1210 (am) The commission office shall provide to the joint committee on finance
11records obtained or prepared by the commission office in connection with an ongoing
12investigation when required under sub. (2q).
AB899,20,1413 (b) Investigatory records of the commission office may be made public in the
14course of a prosecution initiated under chs. 5 to 10 or 12.
AB899,20,1715 (bm) The commission office shall provide investigatory records to the state
16auditor and the employees of the legislative audit bureau to the extent necessary for
17the bureau to carry out its duties under s. 13.94.
AB899,20,2118 (c) The commission office shall provide information from investigation and
19hearing records that pertains to the location of individuals and assets of individuals
20as requested under s. 49.22 (2m) by the department of children and families or by a
21county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5).
AB899,21,222 (d) If the commission office commences a civil prosecution of a person for an
23alleged violation of chs. 5 to 10 or 12 as the result of an investigation, the person who
24is the subject of the investigation may authorize the commission office to make
25available for inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1) records of the investigation

1pertaining to that person if the records are available by law to the subject person and
2the commission office shall then make those records available.
AB899,21,43 (e) (intro.) The following records of the commission office are open to public
4inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1):
AB899,21,65 1. Any record of the action of the commission office authorizing the filing of a
6civil complaint under sub. (2m) (c) 6.
AB899,21,87 2. Any record of the action of the commission office referring a matter to a
8district attorney or other prosecutor for investigation or prosecution.
AB899,21,139 (f) The commission office shall make public formal and informal advisory
10opinions and records obtained in connection with requests for formal or informal
11advisory opinions relating to matters under the jurisdiction of the commission office,
12including the identity of individuals requesting such opinions or organizations or
13governmental bodies on whose behalf they are requested.
AB899,43 14Section 43. 5.05 (5t) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,21,2115 5.05 (5t) Guidance following binding court decisions. Within 2 months
16following the publication of a decision of a state or federal court that is binding on
17the commission secretary of state and this state, the commission secretary of state
18shall issue updated guidance or formal advisory opinions, commence the
19rule-making procedure to revise administrative rules promulgated by the
20commission
secretary of state, or request an opinion from the attorney general on the
21applicability of the court decision.
AB899,44 22Section 44. 5.05 (6a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,22,1223 5.05 (6a) Advisory opinions. (a) 1. Any individual, either personally or on
24behalf of an organization or governmental body, may make a request of the
25commission the secretary of state in writing, electronically, or by telephone for a

1formal or informal advisory opinion regarding the propriety under chs. 5 to 10 or 12
2of any matter to which the person is or may become a party. Any appointing officer,
3with the consent of a prospective appointee, may request of the commission secretary
4a formal or informal advisory opinion regarding the propriety under chs. 5 to 10 or
512 of any matter to which the prospective appointee is or may become a party. The
6commission secretary shall review a request for an advisory opinion and may issue
7a formal or informal written or electronic advisory opinion to the person making the
8request. Except as authorized or required for opinions specified in sub. (5s) (f), the
9commission's deliberations and actions of the secretary and the office of the secretary
10upon such requests shall be in meetings not open to the public. A member of the
11commission may, by written request, require the commission to review an advisory
12opinion.
AB899,22,1913 2. To have legal force and effect, each formal and informal advisory opinion
14issued by the commission secretary of state must be supported by specific legal
15authority under a statute or other law, or by specific case or common law authority.
16Each formal and informal advisory opinion shall include a citation to each statute
17or other law and each case or common law authority upon which the opinion is based,
18and shall specifically articulate or explain which parts of the cited authority are
19relevant to the commission's conclusion of the secretary and why they are relevant.
AB899,22,2320 3. No person acting in good faith upon a formal or informal advisory opinion
21issued by the commission secretary of state under this subsection is subject to
22criminal or civil prosecution for so acting, if the material facts are as stated in the
23opinion request.
AB899,23,1024 4. At each regular meeting of the commission, the administrator shall review
25informal advisory opinions requested of and issued by the administrator and that

1relate to recurring issues or issues of first impression for which no formal advisory
2opinion has been issued.
The commission secretary of state may determine to issue
3a formal advisory opinion adopting or modifying the informal advisory opinion. If
4the commission secretary disagrees with a formal or informal advisory opinion that
5has been issued by or on behalf of the commission secretary, the commission
6secretary may withdraw the opinion, issue a revised formal or informal advisory
7opinion, or request an opinion from the attorney general. No person acting after the
8date of the withdrawal or issuance of the revised advisory opinion is exempted from
9prosecution under this subsection if the opinion upon which the person's action is
10based has been withdrawn or revised in relevant degree.
AB899,23,1411 5. Except as authorized or required under sub. (5s) (f), no member or employee
12of the commission office of the secretary of state may make public the identity of the
13individual requesting a formal or informal advisory opinion or of individuals or
14organizations mentioned in the opinion.
AB899,23,2015 (b) 1. The commission may authorize the commission administrator or his or
16her designee to issue an informal written advisory opinion or transmit an informal
17advisory opinion electronically on behalf of the commission, subject to such
18limitations as the commission deems appropriate.
Every informal advisory opinion
19shall be consistent with applicable formal advisory opinions issued by the
20commission secretary of state, statute or other law, and case law.
AB899,24,221 2. Any individual may request in writing, electronically, or by telephone an
22informal advisory opinion from the commission secretary of state under this
23paragraph. The commission's designee secretary shall provide a written response,
24a written reference to an applicable statute or law, or a written reference to a formal

1advisory opinion of the commission secretary to the individual, or shall refer the
2request to the commission for review and the issuance of a formal advisory opinion
.
AB899,24,53 3. Any person receiving an informal advisory opinion under this paragraph
4may, at any time, request a formal advisory opinion from the commission secretary
5of state
on the same matter.
AB899,24,156 (c) 1. Any individual may request in writing, electronically, or by telephone a
7formal advisory opinion from the commission secretary of state or the review or
8modification of a formal advisory opinion issued by the commission secretary under
9this paragraph. The individual making the request shall include all pertinent facts
10relevant to the matter, but shall not ask for an opinion based on a purely hypothetical
11matter
. The commission secretary shall review a request for a formal advisory
12opinion and may issue a formal advisory opinion to the individual making the
13request. Except as authorized or required for opinions specified in sub. (5s) (f), the
14commission's deliberations and actions of the secretary and the office of the secretary
15of state
upon such requests shall be in meetings not open to the public.
AB899,24,1916 2. Any person requesting a formal advisory opinion under this paragraph may
17request a public or private hearing before the commission secretary of state to
18discuss the opinion. The commission secretary shall grant a request for a public or
19private hearing under this paragraph.
AB899,24,2320 3. Promptly upon issuance of each formal advisory opinion, the commission
21secretary of state shall publish the opinion together with the information specified
22under sub. (5s) (f) on the commission's Internet site website of the office of the
23secretary of state and promulgate a rule to implement the opinion
.
AB899,25,224 4. If the commission secretary of state declines to issue a formal advisory
25opinion, it the secretary may refer the matter to the attorney general or to and the

1standing legislative oversight committees so that the attorney general and the
2committees may confer on addressing the matter
.
AB899,45 3Section 45. 5.05 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,25,144 5.05 (7) Administrative meetings and conferences. The commission office of
5the secretary of state
shall conduct regular information and training meetings at
6various locations in the state for county and municipal clerks and other election
7officials. Administrative meetings shall be designed to explain the election laws and
8the forms and rules of the commission office, to promote uniform procedures and to
9assure that clerks and other officials are made aware of the integrity and importance
10of the vote of each citizen. The commission office may conduct conferences relating
11to election laws, practice, and procedure. The commission office may charge persons
12attending the administrative meetings and conferences for its costs incurred in
13conducting the meetings and conferences at a rate not exceeding the per capita cost
14incurred by the commission office.
AB899,46 15Section 46. 5.05 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,25,1916 5.05 (9) Standing. The commission secretary of state has standing to
17commence or intervene in any civil action or proceeding for the purpose of enforcing
18the laws regulating the conduct of elections or election campaigns, other than laws
19regulating campaign financing, or ensuring their proper administration.
AB899,47 20Section 47. 5.05 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,26,721 5.05 (10) State election administration plan. With the approval of the joint
22committee on finance as provided in this subsection, the commission secretary of
23state
shall adopt and modify as necessary a state plan that meets the requirements
24of P.L. 107-252 to enable participation by this state in federal financial assistance
25programs authorized under that law. The commission secretary shall adopt the plan

1and any modifications only after publishing a class 1 notice under ch. 985 or posting
2on the Internet a statement describing the proposed plan or modification and
3receiving public comment thereon. After approval of the proposed plan or any
4modification of the plan by the commission secretary, the commission secretary shall
5submit the proposed plan or modification to the joint committee on finance for the
6approval of the committee. The commission secretary may adopt the proposed plan
7or modification only if the committee approves the proposed plan or modification.
AB899,48 8Section 48. 5.05 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,26,209 5.05 (11) Aids to counties and municipalities. From the appropriations under
10s. 20.510 (1) 20.575 (2) (t) and (x), the commission secretary of state may provide
11financial assistance to eligible counties and municipalities for election
12administration costs in accordance with the plan adopted under sub. (10). As a
13condition precedent to receipt of assistance under this subsection, the commission
14secretary shall enter into an agreement, as prescribed by rule, with the county or
15municipality receiving the assistance specifying the intended use of the assistance
16and shall ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. Each agreement shall
17provide that if the federal government objects to the use of any assistance moneys
18provided to the county or municipality under the agreement, the county or
19municipality shall repay the amount of the assistance provided to the commission
20secretary.
AB899,49 21Section 49. 5.05 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,27,222 5.05 (12) Voter education. The commission secretary of state may conduct or
23prescribe requirements for educational programs to inform electors about voting
24procedures, voting rights, and voting technology. The commission secretary shall
25conduct an educational program for the purpose of educating electors who cast paper

1ballots, ballots that are counted at a central counting location, and absentee ballots
2of the effect of casting excess votes for a single office.
AB899,50 3Section 50. 5.05 (13) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,27,84 5.05 (13) (a) The commission secretary of state shall maintain one or more
5toll-free telephone lines for electors to report possible voting fraud and voting rights
6violations, to obtain general election information, and to access information
7concerning their registration status, current polling place locations, and other
8information relevant to voting in elections.
AB899,51 9Section 51. 5.05 (13) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,27,1310 5.05 (13) (b) The commission secretary of state may maintain a free access
11system under which an elector who votes under s. 6.96 or 6.97 may ascertain current
12information concerning whether the elector's vote has been counted, and, if the vote
13will not be counted, the reason that it will not be counted.
AB899,52 14Section 52. 5.05 (13) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,27,1815 5.05 (13) (c) The commission secretary of state shall maintain a freely
16accessible system under which a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1), or an
17overseas elector who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has
18been received by the appropriate municipal clerk.
AB899,53 19Section 53. 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,27,2220 5.05 (13) (d) (intro.) The commission secretary of state shall designate and
21maintain at least one freely accessible means of electronic communication which
22shall be used for the following purposes:
AB899,54 23Section 54. 5.05 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,28,224 5.05 (14) Information from county and municipal clerks. (a) The commission
25secretary of state may request information from county and municipal clerks

1relating to election administration, performance of electronic voting systems and
2voting machines, and use of paper ballots in elections.
AB899,28,53 (b) The commission office of the secretary of state shall establish a subscription
4service whereby a person may electronically access the absentee ballot information
5provided under s. 6.33 (5) (a), including semiweekly updates of such information.
AB899,28,86 (c) On election night the commission office of the secretary of state shall provide
7a link on its Internet site website to the posting of each county's election returns on
8each county's Internet site website.
AB899,55 9Section 55. 5.05 (15) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,28,1510 5.05 (15) Registration list. The commission office of the secretary of state is
11responsible for the design and maintenance of the official registration list under s.
126.36. The commission secretary of state shall require all municipalities to use the
13list in every election and may require any municipality to adhere to procedures
14established by the commission office of the secretary of state for proper maintenance
15of the list.
AB899,56 16Section 56. 5.05 (16) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,28,2117 5.05 (16) Policies and procedures. (a) Annually, the commission office of the
18secretary of state
shall adopt written policies and procedures in order to govern its
19internal operations and management and shall annually report such policies and
20procedures to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172
21(3).
AB899,29,222 (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), the commission office of the secretary of state may
23reconsider at any time any policy or procedure adopted as provided under par. (a).
24If, upon reconsideration, the commission office revises a previously reported policy

1or procedure, the commission office shall report the revision to the appropriate
2standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).
AB899,29,63 (c) The commission secretary of state may reconsider at any time any written
4directives or written guidance provided to the general public or to any person subject
5to the provisions of chs. 5 to 10 and 12 with regard to the enforcement and
6administration of those provisions.
AB899,57 7Section 57. 5.05 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,29,128 5.05 (17) Payments. The commission office of the secretary of state may accept
9payment by credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment mechanism for any
10amounts owed pursuant to the administration of chs. 5 to 10 or 12, and may charge
11a surcharge to the payer to recover charges associated with the acceptance of that
12electronic payment.
AB899,58 13Section 58. 5.05 (18) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,29,1914 5.05 (18) Electronic poll lists. The commission secretary of state may
15facilitate the creation and maintenance of electronic poll lists for purposes of s. 6.79
16including entering into contracts with vendors and establishing programs for
17development and testing. The secretary of state shall report all actions taken under
18this subsection to the standing legislative oversight committees as soon as
19practicable after taking such actions.
AB899,59 20Section 59. 5.055 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,30,8 215.055 Election assistance commission standards board. The commission
22administrator
secretary of state shall, in consultation with the commission, appoint
23an individual to represent this state as a member of the federal election assistance
24commission standards board. The administrator secretary shall also conduct and
25supervise a process for the selection of an election official by county and municipal

1clerks and boards of election commissioners to represent local election officials of this
2state as a member of the federal election assistance commission standards board.
3The administrator secretary shall ensure that the members of the federal election
4assistance commission standards board representing this state shall at no time be
5members of the same political party. Upon appointment or election of any new
6member of the federal election assistance commission standards board representing
7this state, the administrator secretary shall transmit a notice of that member's
8appointment or election to the officer or agency designated by federal law.
AB899,60 9Section 60. 5.056 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,30,16 105.056 Matching program with secretary of transportation. The
11commission administrator secretary of state shall enter into the agreement with the
12secretary of transportation specified under s. 85.61 (1) to match personally
13identifiable information on the official registration list maintained by the
14commission secretary of state under s. 6.36 (1) and the information specified in s. 6.34
15(2m) with personally identifiable information maintained by the department of
16transportation.
AB899,61 17Section 61. 5.06 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,31,818 5.06 (1) Whenever any elector of a jurisdiction or district served by an election
19official believes that a decision or action of the official or the failure of the official to
20act with respect to any matter concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates,
21voting qualifications, including residence, ward division and numbering, recall,
22ballot preparation, election administration or conduct of elections is contrary to law,
23or the official has abused the discretion vested in him or her by law with respect to
24any such matter, the elector may file a written sworn complaint with the commission
25secretary of state requesting that the official be required to conform his or her

1conduct to the law, be restrained from taking any action inconsistent with the law
2or be required to correct any action or decision inconsistent with the law or any abuse
3of the discretion vested in him or her by law. The complaint shall set forth such facts
4as are within the knowledge of the complainant to show probable cause to believe
5that a violation of law or abuse of discretion has occurred or will occur. The complaint
6may be accompanied by relevant supporting documents. The commission secretary
7may conduct a hearing on the matter in the manner prescribed for treatment of
8contested cases under ch. 227 if it he or she believes such action to be appropriate.
AB899,62 9Section 62. 5.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,31,1810 5.06 (2) No person who is authorized to file a complaint under sub. (1), other
11than the attorney general or a district attorney, may commence an action or
12proceeding to test the validity of any decision, action, or failure to act on the part of
13any election official with respect to any matter specified in sub. (1) without first filing
14a complaint under sub. (1), nor prior to disposition of the complaint by the
15commission secretary of state. A complaint is deemed disposed of if the commission
16secretary fails to transmit an acknowledgment of receipt of the complaint within 5
17business days from the date of its receipt or if the commission secretary concludes
18its an investigation without a formal decision.
AB899,63 19Section 63. 5.06 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,31,2520 5.06 (4) The commission may, on its own motion, secretary of state shall
21investigate and determine whether any election official, with respect to any matter
22concerning nominations, qualifications of candidates, voting qualifications,
23including residence, ward division and numbering, recall, ballot preparation,
24election administration or conduct of elections, has failed to comply with the law or
25abused the discretion vested in him or her by law or proposes to do so.
AB899,64
1Section 64. 5.06 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB899,32,82 5.06 (5) Upon receipt of a complaint under sub. (1), or upon its own motion at
3his or her discretion
, the commission secretary of state may order any election official
4to immediately transfer to its his or her possession any original documents in the
5custody of the official which the commission secretary finds to be necessary and
6relevant to permit review of compliance with the laws concerning nominations,
7qualifications of candidates, ward division and numbering, recall or ballot
8preparation or the proper administration of such laws.
AB899,65 9Section 65. 5.06 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
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