This bill creates a timeline for the board to hear and make a final determination
upon certain claims related to contracts and, in addition to current law, allows
claimants to bring actions against the state related to certain contract claims if
certain conditions are met. Under the bill, any claim referred to the board that
relates to a contract with the Department of Transportation for transportation
infrastructure improvement or that relates to a contract with DOA or the Board of
Regents of the University of Wisconsin System that is awarded under current law
for construction projects must be heard by the board, and the board must make a final
determination on the claim, within six months from the day that the claim was
referred to the board. If the board concludes that the facts of the claim would be more
properly adjudicated in a court of law or if the board fails to make a final
determination on the claim within six months from the date that the claim was
referred to the board, the bill allows the claimant to commence an action against the
state seeking judgment on the claim as provided under current law.
Transfer to the building trust fund
The bill transfers $32,000,000 from the general fund to the building trust fund
in fiscal year 2023-24.
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:
AB956,1
1Section 1. 13.48 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB956,4,82 13.48 (4) State agencies to report proposed projects. Whenever any state
3agency contemplates a project under the state building program it shall report the
4project to the building commission. The report shall be made on such date and in
5such manner as the building commission prescribes. Each state agency submitting
6a report to the building commission under this subsection shall at the same time
7submit the report to the joint committee on finance.
This subsection does not apply
8to projects identified in sub. (10) (c).
AB956,2 9Section 2. 13.48 (19) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,4,1110 13.48 (19) (am) 1. In this paragraph, “agency" has the meaning given in s. 16.52
11(7).
AB956,4,1512 2. For any project costing $200,000,000 or more, at the request of the agency
13for which the project is constructed, the building commission shall waive the
14requirements under s. 16.855 for the project, except s. 16.855 (13) and (14m) (a) to
15(c), as requested by the agency.
AB956,3 16Section 3 . 16.007 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,4,2317 16.007 (2m) Timeline for certain claims. Any claim referred to the board that
18relates to a contract with the department of transportation for transportation
19infrastructure improvement or to a contract with the department of administration
20or the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System that is awarded under
21s. 16.855 shall be heard by the claims board and the claims board shall make a final
22determination upon the claim within 6 months from the date that the claim was
23referred to the claims board.
AB956,4 24Section 4. 16.40 (20b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,5,4
116.40 (20b) Building program changes. Submit a quarterly report no later
2than the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter to the joint
3committee on finance and each voting member of the building commission that
4includes all of the following:
AB956,5,75 (a) An identification of each project for which the building commission
6approved during the quarter a budget increase under s. 20.924 (1) (d), including a
7description of the project and the amount of the increase.
AB956,5,118 (b) An identification of each project enumerated in the authorized state
9building program for which the department estimates a budget increase will be
10necessary for project completion, including a description of the project and the
11reasons for the project budget shortfall.
AB956,5 12Section 5. 16.855 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,5,1513 16.855 (3m) (a) In this subsection, “bidding period” means the period beginning
14on the date of first publication of the advertisement for proposals and ending on the
15date of bid opening.
AB956,5,1816 (b) At any time more than 2 days prior to the end of the bidding period, a bidder
17or potential bidder may submit a question to the department concerning the project
18being bid.
AB956,5,2119 (c) The department may issue addenda at any time during the bidding period
20to modify or clarify the drawings and specifications for the project being bid or to
21extend the bidding period.
AB956,6 22Section 6. 16.858 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,6,223 16.858 (3m) The department and the Board of Regents of the University of
24Wisconsin System shall collaborate with energy service companies to identify and

1execute pilot projects under this section using financing provided by the companies
2to upgrade facilities, reduce deferred maintenance, and increase sustainability.
AB956,7 3Section 7 . 16.867 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB956,6,74 16.867 (2) If the estimated cost of a construction project under the department's
5supervision is $7,400,000 $15,000,000 or more, the selection committee appointed
6under sub. (1) shall use a request-for-proposal process established by the
7department to select an architect or engineer for the project based on qualifications.
AB956,8 8Section 8 . 16.867 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,6,139 16.867 (3) A committee appointed under sub. (1) may not refuse to select an
10architect or engineer for a construction project that has an estimated cost of less than
11$2,000,000 because the architect or engineer operates an architect or engineering
12firm with only one responsible architect or engineer. The department may increase
13the threshold under this subsection as necessary, but may not exceed $15,000,000.
AB956,9 14Section 9. 16.899 of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,6,18 1516.899 Utilities-related costs. Each contract for construction work under
16this subchapter shall state which party to the contract is responsible for paying
17project utility service connection charges and which party is responsible for paying
18for costs related to the consumption of utility services at the project site.
AB956,10 19Section 10. 20.924 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB956,7,1220 20.924 (1) (d) Shall exercise considered judgment in supervising the
21implementation of the state building program, and may authorize limited changes
22in the project program, and in the project budget if the commission determines that
23unanticipated program conditions or bidding conditions require the change to
24effectively and economically construct the project. However, total state funds for
25major projects under the authorized state building program for each agency shall not

1be exceeded, and the building commission may not increase the budget of any project
2enumerated in the authorized state building program by more than 10 percent
3without providing notice of the proposed increase to the joint committee on finance.
4If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the building commission within
514 working days after the date of the building commission's notice of the proposed
6project budget increase, the project budget may be increased as proposed by the
7building commission. If, within 14 working days after the date of the building
8commission's notice of the proposed project budget increase, the cochairpersons of
9the committee notify the building commission that the committee has scheduled a
10meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed project budget increase, the
11project budget may be increased by more than 10 percent only upon approval of the
12committee
.
AB956,11 13Section 11 . 775.01 of the statutes is renumbered 775.01 (1) and amended to
14read:
AB956,7,2115 775.01 (1) Upon Subject to sub. (2), upon the refusal of the legislature to allow
16a claim against the state the claimant may commence an action against the state by
17service as provided in s. 801.11 (3) and by filing with the clerk of court a bond, not
18exceeding $1,000, with 2 or more sureties, to be approved by the attorney general,
19to the effect that the claimant will indemnify the state against all costs that may
20accrue in such action and pay to the clerk of court all costs, in case the claimant fails
21to obtain judgment against the state.
AB956,12 22Section 12 . 775.01 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
AB956,8,723 775.01 (2) Upon the conclusion of the claims board that the facts of a claim
24described under s. 16.007 (2m) would be more properly adjudicated in a court of law
25or upon the failure of the claims board to make a final determination on a claim

1described under s. 16.007 (2m) within 6 months from the date that the claim was
2referred to the claims board the claimant may commence an action against the state
3seeking judgment on the claim by service as provided in s. 801.11 (3) and by filing
4with the clerk of court a bond, not exceeding $1,000, with 2 or more sureties, to be
5approved by the attorney general, to the effect that the claimant will indemnify the
6state against all costs that may accrue in such action and pay to the clerk of court all
7costs, in case the claimant fails to obtain judgment against the state.
AB956,13 8Section 13. Fiscal changes.
AB956,8,119 (1) Transfer from the general fund to the state building trust fund. There
10is transferred from the general fund to the state building trust fund $32,000,000 in
11fiscal year 2023-24.
AB956,8,1212 (End)
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