13.82(1)(b)
(b) May conduct research and secure information or data on any subject concerning the government and general welfare of the state and of its political subdivisions.
13.82(1)(c)
(c) Shall make recommendations for legislative or administrative action on any subject or question it has considered and, with the approval of a majority of its membership, submit, for introduction, legislation recommended for passage by one of its committees under this section or
s. 13.83.
13.82(2)
(2) Public hearings. The council or any committee thereof when so authorized by the council may hold public hearings at such times and places within the state as are determined, and make such investigations and surveys as are deemed advisable or necessary to accomplish the purposes and intent of this section. Any member of the council or any legislative member of one of its committees may administer oaths to persons testifying before the council or any committee. By subpoena, issued over the signature of its chairperson or acting chairperson and served in the manner in which circuit court subpoenas are served, the council or any committee when authorized by the council, may summon and compel the attendance of witnesses. If any witness subpoenaed to appear before the council, or any committee thereof, refuses to appear or to answer inquiries propounded, the council or committee shall report the facts to the circuit court for Dane county, and that court shall compel obedience to the subpoena by attachment proceedings for contempt as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena issued from that court or a refusal to testify therein.
13.83
13.83
Permanent council committees. The joint legislative council shall in each biennium create the committees enumerated in this section.
13.83(1)(a)(a) Prior to June 1 of each odd-numbered year, the joint legislative council shall appoint a law revision committee consisting of members of the senate and assembly, including at least one member of the majority party and at least one member of the minority party from each house.
13.83(1)(b)
(b) The committee shall be assisted by the legislative council staff. The joint legislative council may request staff assistance from other legislative service agencies where appropriate.
13.83(1)(c)1.
1. Consider decisions and opinions referred to it by the revisor of statutes under
s. 13.93 (2) (d) to determine whether revisions are needed in the statutes or session laws.
13.83(1)(c)4.
4. Consider minor substantive remedial measures proposed by state agencies to improve the administration of their agencies or proposed by the committee, a standing committee of the legislature or a legislative service agency to improve the language or organization of the statutes or session laws.
13.83(1)(c)5.
5. Introduce legislation prepared under this paragraph directly into the legislature. Each such proposal shall include a note or series of notes providing an explanation of the proposed changes and an analysis by the legislative reference bureau.
13.83(1)(d)
(d) The committee may submit to the joint legislative council recommendations for major law revision projects. In developing the recommendations, the committee shall consider changes in the law suggested by the American law institute, the council of state governments, the U.S. advisory commission on intergovernmental relations, the commission on uniform state laws created under
s. 13.55, legislative committees and service agencies, state agencies, local governments and interested persons. The committee may specify in its recommendations which of the committees or agencies under
par. (e) should undertake the proposed law revision project.
13.83(1)(e)
(e) If the joint legislative council approves a major law revision project recommended under
par. (d), it shall specify which of the following should conduct the project:
13.83(1)(e)1.
1. The law revision committee or a subcommittee thereof established by the committee for this purpose.
13.83(1)(e)2.
2. A special or permanent committee appointed by the joint legislative council.
13.83(1)(e)4.
4. A standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature.
13.83(1)(f)1.1. If the joint legislative council approves a project under
par. (e) 1., it may appoint one or more public members to a subcommittee established for this purpose by the committee to assist in completing the revision project.
13.83(1)(f)2.
2. If the joint legislative council approves a project under
par. (e) 1. or
2., it may contract for a consultant or project staff director having expertise in the subject matter of the project and it shall specify the date for the final report of the project to the joint legislative council.
13.83(1)(f)3.
3. If the joint legislative council approves a project under
par. (e) 1.,
2. or
3., it may introduce legislation developed as a result of the project as provided in
s. 13.82 (1) (c).
13.83(1)(f)4.
4. If the joint legislative council approves a project under
par. (e) 3. or
4., it may request the appropriate standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature or legislative service agency to undertake the project.
13.83(1)(f)5.
5. Legislation developed as a result of a request under this paragraph to a standing or joint survey or other statutory committee or committees of the legislature may be introduced by that committee.
13.83(1)(g)1.
1. Serve as a repository for interstate agreements to which this state is or may become a party.
13.83(1)(g)2.
2. Compile and keep current a list of all interstate agreements having the force of law to which this state or any agency thereof is a party. The list shall cite laws or official documents of this state containing the text of any interstate agreement together with a listing of all other parties to each agreement; the date on which each party entered into the agreement with this state or any agency thereof; the status of each agreement in respect to withdrawals therefrom; and citations to any act or resolution of the congress of the United States consenting to any agreement. In addition, the list shall include the names, addresses and terms of office of the interstate agreement administrators, officials or members of the governing body who represent this state in the administration of each agreement. The list required to be kept under this paragraph also shall include any interstate agreements adopted by this state or any agency thereof but not in effect by reason of the absence of such other parties thereto as may be necessary to make the agreement effective and binding, and all other interstate agreements which are no longer in active operation due to the completion of the purpose for which they were intended but which must be retained in force as a permanent record thereof. Any amendment, supplementary agreement or administrative rule having the force of law which implements or modifies any agreement to which this state or any agency thereof is a party shall be listed in the same manner as the agreement itself.
13.83(1)(g)3.
3. Supply the revisor of statutes with the texts of and information relating to the parties to interstate agreements to which this state is a party.
13.83(1)(g)4.
4. Review existing or proposed interstate agreements and compacts and modifications thereof and make recommendations to the legislature concerning the agreements and compacts and modifications.
13.83(3)
(3) American Indian study committee. 13.83(3)(a)(a) The joint legislative council shall in each biennium create an American Indian study committee to study the problems and develop specific recommendations and legislative proposals relating to American Indians and the various Indian tribes in this state.
13.83(3)(b)
(b) The committee shall be composed of the following:
13.83(3)(b)1.
1. Six members appointed by the joint legislative council from names submitted by the Wisconsin Indian tribes and the Great Lakes inter-tribal council.
13.83(3)(b)2.
2. Eight legislator members of the senate and assembly, including at least one member of the majority party and at least one member of the minority party from each house, appointed by the joint legislative council.
13.83(3)(c)
(c) The actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the committee shall be paid as follows:
13.83(3)(c)1.
1. The joint legislative council shall pay the expenses incurred by the members appointed under
par. (b) 1., in performing their functions on the committee, from the appropriation under
s. 20.765 (3) (e).
13.83(3)(c)2.
2. The state departments shall pay the expenses of their representatives in connection with the work of the technical advisory committee under
par. (f).
13.83(3)(d)
(d) The committee shall study the problems of American Indians and Indian tribes in this state in such fields as taxation, public welfare, education, highways and law enforcement.
13.83(3)(e)
(e) The committee shall report from time to time its findings and legislative and other recommendations to the joint legislative council.
13.83(3)(f)
(f) The committee shall be assisted by a technical advisory committee composed of 7 members representing the following:
13.83(3)(f)2.
2. The department of industry, labor and job development.
Effective date note
NOTE: Subd. 5. is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
5. The department of public instruction.
13.83 History
History: 1971 c. 211;
1973 c. 333;
1975 c. 39;
1977 c. 31,
187,
325,
418; Sup. Ct. Order, 88 W (2d) xiii (1979);
1979 c. 8;
1979 c. 34 ss.
6r,
2100;
1979 c. 204,
221;
1981 c. 86 s.
71;
1981 c. 173;
1983 a. 27 ss.
14p,
2202 (45);
1983 a. 308;
1985 a. 29;
1989 a. 31;
1993 a. 52,
490;
1995 a. 27 ss.
9126 (19),
9130 (4),
9145 (1);
1995 a. 417.
13.83 Note
NOTE: 1979 Assembly Bill 657 contains a prefatory note explaining the duties of the law revision committee.
13.90
13.90
Duties and powers of the joint committee on legislative organization. 13.90(1)
(1) The joint committee on legislative organization shall be the policy-making board for the legislative reference bureau, the revisor of statutes bureau, the legislative fiscal bureau and the legislative audit bureau. The committee shall:
13.90(1)(a)
(a) Determine the types of tasks to be assigned to each legislative service bureau within statutory limitations, and the quantity and quality thereof.
13.90(1)(b)
(b) Consider and approve the budget of each bureau.
13.90(1)(c)
(c) Meet at such times as it may determine to carry out its policy-making duties, and for the purposes of this paragraph the committee may provide a method of procuring decisions by mail.
13.90(1)(d)
(d) Promulgate rules under
ch. 227 required for the proper operation of each legislative service bureau.
13.90(1)(f)
(f) Employ an outside staff of professional consultants for the purpose of studying ways to improve legislative staff services and organization. Without limitation because of enumeration, this study shall cover legislative service agencies, the management of legislative business, legislative compensation, legislative office space, and the increasing amounts of time required by legislative duties.
13.90(1)(g)
(g) Supervise the development of programs for computer use and approve and monitor computer operations in the legislative process. All contracts for legislative computer equipment and services shall be signed by the cochairpersons.
13.90(1)(gr)
(gr) Designate an officer of the senate or assembly or a director of a legislative service agency to administer expenses and supervise data processing staff paid from the appropriation under
s. 20.765 (3) (em).
13.90(1)(h)
(h) Determine the officer who has operational responsibility for legislative document sales and distribution under
s. 35.87.
13.90(1)(i)
(i) Determine and approve a parking plan for the state capitol park consistent with
s. 16.843.
13.90(1)(j)
(j) Recommend to the legislature a newspaper to serve as the official state newspaper as provided in
s. 985.04.
13.90(1)(k)
(k) Designate the individuals authorized to sign joint purchasing contracts for the senate and assembly and the legislative service agencies under
s. 16.74 (2).
13.90(1)(L)
(L) Determine the method of sale and prices for subscriptions to legislative documents and the operational responsibility for any legislative document subscription services provided under
s. 35.87.
13.90(1m)(a)(a) In this subsection, "legislative service agency" means the legislative council staff, the legislative audit bureau, the legislative fiscal bureau, the legislative reference bureau and the revisor of statutes bureau.
13.90(1m)(b)
(b) The joint committee on legislative organization shall select the head of each legislative service agency. The appointment of each legislative service agency head shall be made without regard to political affiliation in order to safeguard the nonpartisan character of each legislative service agency. In the case of the state auditor, the joint legislative audit committee shall make recommendations for the approval of the joint committee on legislative organization. The committee shall designate an employe of each legislative service agency to exercise the powers and authority of each legislative service agency head in case of absence or disability.
13.90(1m)(c)
(c) The director of the legislative council staff appointed by the council under s.
13.81 (4), 1985 stats., prior to August 1, 1987, shall continue to serve at the pleasure of the council for the duration of her tenure as director.
13.90(2)
(2) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization or their designated agent shall accept service made under
s. 806.04 (11). If the committee, the senate organization committee or the assembly organization committee, determines that the legislature should be represented in the proceeding, that committee shall designate the legislature's representative for the proceeding. The costs of participation in the proceeding shall be paid equally from the appropriations under
s. 20.765 (1) (a) and
(b), except that such costs incurred by the department of justice shall be paid from the appropriation under
s. 20.455 (1) (d).
13.90(3)
(3) The joint committee on legislative organization shall assign office space for legislative offices and the offices of the legislative service agencies as defined in
sub. (1m). The joint committee may assign any space in the capitol not reserved for other uses under
s. 16.835. Except as provided in
ss. 13.09 (6) and
13.45 (4) (c), the joint committee may locate any legislative office or the office of any legislative service agency outside the capitol at another suitable building in the city of Madison.
13.90(4)
(4) The cochairpersons of the joint committee on legislative organization shall authorize payment of fees entitling the legislature to membership in national organizations from the appropriation under
s. 20.765 (3) (fa).
13.90(5)
(5) The joint committee on legislative organization may contract for the services of persons to advise those building commission members who also are legislators on matters related to the state's issuance of state debt, revenue obligations and operating notes under
ch. 18.
13.90(6)
(6) The joint committee on legislative organization shall adopt, revise biennially and submit to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on information policy, the governor and the secretary of administration, no later than September 15 of each even-numbered year, a strategic plan for the utilization of information technology to carry out the functions of the legislature and legislative service agencies, as defined in
s. 16.70 (6). The plan shall address the business needs of the legislature and legislative service agencies and shall identify all resources relating to information technology which the legislature and legislative service agencies desire to acquire, contingent upon funding availability, the priority for such acquisitions and the justification for such acquisitions. The plan shall also identify any changes in the functioning of the legislature and legislative service agencies under the plan.
13.90(7)
(7) The joint committee on legislative organization shall contract for a bas-relief plaque, to be prepared by a suitable sculptor, to display a representation of Dr. H. Rupert Theobald honoring his public service, for placement in the assembly chamber.
13.905
13.905
Legislative conduct. The joint committee on legislative organization may inquire into alleged misconduct by members or employes of the legislature.
13.91
13.91
Legislative council staff. There is created a bureau known as the "Legislative Council Staff", headed by a director. The legislative council staff shall be strictly nonpartisan and shall at all times observe the confidential nature of the research and drafting requests received by it. The legislative council staff may call upon any state department, agency or officer, or any agency of any political subdivision, for such facilities and data as are available and such departments and agencies shall cooperate with the legislative council staff to the fullest possible extent.
13.91(1)
(1) Duties of the staff. The legislative council staff shall:
13.91(1)(a)
(a) Provide staff services to the joint legislative council under
s. 13.81 and to any of the committees appointed under
ss. 13.82 and
13.83.
13.91(1)(b)
(b) As directed by the joint legislative council, gather information and prepare written studies on topics referred to the council by the legislature or which seem desirable to the council.
13.91(1)(c)
(c) Perform the functions prescribed in
s. 227.15 for the review and resolution of problems relating to administrative rules.
13.91(2)
(2) Duties of the director. The director of the legislative council staff shall:
13.91(2)(a)
(a) Supervise and train the personnel assigned to him or her.
13.91(2)(b)
(b) Supervise all expenditures of the legislative council staff.
13.91(2)(c)
(c) Attend all scheduled meetings of the joint legislative council under
s. 13.81, and may attend meetings of any of its committees under
ss. 13.82 and
13.83.
