19.07(1)(a)(a) The surety bond of any civil service employe of a city, village, town or county may be canceled in the manner provided by
sub. (3).
19.07(1)(b)
(b) Any number of officers, department heads or employes may be combined in a schedule or blanket bond, where such bond is to be filed in the same place, and in the event such bond is executed by a corporate surety company, payment of the premium therefor is to be made from the same fund or appropriation prescribed in
s. 19.01.
19.07(2)
(2) Continuation of obligation. Unless canceled pursuant to this section, every such bond shall continue in full force and effect.
19.07(3)(a)(a) Any city, village, town or county by their respective governing body may cancel such bond or bonds of any one employe or any number of employes by giving written notice to the surety by registered mail, such cancellation to be effective 15 days after receipt of such notice.
19.07(3)(b)
(b) When a surety, either personal or corporate, on such bond, shall desire to be released from such bond, the surety may give notice in writing that the surety desires to be released by giving written notice by registered mail, to the clerk of the respective city, village, town or county, and such cancellation shall be permitted if approved by the governing body thereof, such cancellation to be effective 15 days after receipt of such notice. This section shall not be construed to operate as a release of the sureties for liabilities incurred previous to the expiration of the 15 days' notice.
19.07(3)(c)
(c) Whenever a surety bond is canceled in the manner provided by this section, a proportional refund shall be made of the premium paid thereon.
19.10
19.10
Oaths. Each of the officers enumerated in
s. 8.25 (4) (a) or
(5) shall take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by
article IV, section 28, of the constitution, as follows: The governor and lieutenant governor, before entering upon the duties of office; the secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, state superintendent and each district attorney, within 20 days after receiving notice of election and before entering upon the duties of office.
19.11
19.11
Official bonds. 19.11(1)(1) The secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general shall each furnish a bond to the state, at the time each takes and subscribes the oath of office required of that officer, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of the office, and the officer's duties as a member of the board of commissioners of public lands, and in the investment of the funds arising therefrom. The bond of each of said officers shall be further conditioned for the faithful performance by all persons appointed or employed by the officer in his or her office of their duties and trusts therein, and for the delivery over to the officer's successor in office, or to any person authorized by law to receive the same, of all moneys, books, records, deeds, bonds, securities and other property and effects of whatsoever nature belonging to the officer's offices.
19.11(2)
(2) Each of said bonds shall be subject to the approval of the governor and shall be guaranteed by resident freeholders of this state, or by a surety company as provided in
s. 632.17 (2). The amount of each such bond, and the number of sureties thereon if guaranteed by resident freeholders, shall be as follows: secretary of state, $25,000, with sufficient sureties; treasurer, $100,000, with not less than 6 sureties; and the attorney general, $10,000, with not less than 3 sureties.
19.11(3)
(3) The attorney general shall renew the bond required under this section in a larger amount and with additional security, and the treasurer shall give an additional bond, when required by the governor.
19.11(4)
(4) The governor shall require the treasurer to give additional bond, within such time, in such reasonable amount not exceeding the funds in the treasury, and with such security as the governor shall direct and approve, whenever the funds in the treasury exceed the amount of the treasurer's bond; or whenever the governor deems the treasurer's bond insufficient by reason of the insolvency, death or removal from the state of any of the sureties, or from any other cause.
19.11 History
History: 1975 c. 375 s.
44;
1991 a. 316.
19.12
19.12
Bond premiums payable from public funds. Any public officer required by law to give a suretyship obligation may pay the lawful premium for the execution of the obligation out of any moneys available for the payment of expenses of the office or department, unless payment is otherwise provided for or is prohibited by law.
19.12 History
History: 1977 c. 339.
PUBLIC RECORDS AND PROPERTY
19.21
19.21
Custody and delivery of official property and records. 19.21(1)(1) Each and every officer of the state, or of any county, town, city, village, school district, or other municipality or district, is the legal custodian of and shall safely keep and preserve all property and things received from the officer's predecessor or other persons and required by law to be filed, deposited, or kept in the officer's office, or which are in the lawful possession or control of the officer or the officer's deputies, or to the possession or control of which the officer or the officer's deputies may be lawfully entitled, as such officers.
19.21(2)
(2) Upon the expiration of each such officer's term of office, or whenever the office becomes vacant, the officer, or on the officer's death the officer's legal representative, shall on demand deliver to the officer's successor all such property and things then in the officer's custody, and the officer's successor shall receipt therefor to said officer, who shall file said receipt, as the case may be, in the office of the secretary of state, county clerk, town clerk, city clerk, village clerk, school district clerk, or clerk or other secretarial officer of the municipality or district, respectively; but if a vacancy occurs before such successor is qualified, such property and things shall be delivered to and be receipted for by such secretary or clerk, respectively, on behalf of the successor, to be delivered to such successor upon the latter's receipt.
19.21(3)
(3) Any person who violates this section shall, in addition to any other liability or penalty, civil or criminal, forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $2,000; such forfeiture to be enforced by a civil action on behalf of, and the proceeds to be paid into the treasury of the state, municipality, or district, as the case may be.
19.21(4)(a)(a) Any city council, village board or town board may provide by ordinance for the destruction of obsolete public records. Prior to the destruction at least 60 days' notice in writing of such destruction shall be given the historical society which shall preserve any such records it determines to be of historical interest. The historical society may, upon application, waive such notice. No assessment roll containing forest crop acreage may be destroyed without prior approval of the secretary of revenue. This paragraph does not apply to school records of a 1st class city school district.
19.21(4)(b)
(b) The period of time any town, city or village public record is kept before destruction shall be as prescribed by ordinance unless a specific period of time is provided by statute. The period prescribed in the ordinance may not be less than 2 years with respect to water stubs, receipts of current billings and customer's ledgers of any municipal utility, and 7 years for other records unless a shorter period has been fixed by the public records board under
s. 16.61 (3) (e) and except as provided under
sub. (7). This paragraph does not apply to school records of a 1st class city school district.
19.21(4)(c)
(c) Any local governmental unit or agency may provide for the keeping and preservation of public records kept by that governmental unit through the use of microfilm or another reproductive device, optical imaging or electronic formatting. A local governmental unit or agency shall make such provision by ordinance or resolution. Any such action by a subunit of a local governmental unit or agency shall be in conformity with the action of the unit or agency of which it is a part. Any photographic reproduction of a record authorized to be reproduced under this paragraph is deemed an original record for all purposes if it meets the applicable standards established in
ss. 16.61 (7) and
16.612. This paragraph does not apply to public records kept by counties electing to be governed by
ch. 228.
19.21(5)(a)(a) Any county having a population of 500,000 or more may provide by ordinance for the destruction of obsolete public records, except for court records subject to
SCR chapter 72.
19.21(5)(b)
(b) Any county having a population of less than 500,000 may provide by ordinance for the destruction of obsolete public records, subject to
s. 59.52 (4) (b) and
(c), except for court records governed by
SCR chapter 72.
19.21(5)(c)
(c) The period of time any public record shall be kept before destruction shall be determined by ordinance except that in all counties the specific period of time expressed within
s. 7.23 or
59.52 (4) (a) or any other law requiring a specific retention period shall apply. The period of time prescribed in the ordinance for the destruction of all records not governed by
s. 7.23 or
59.52 (4) (a) or any other law prescribing a specific retention period may not be less than 7 years, unless a shorter period is fixed by the public records board under
s. 16.61 (3) (e).
19.21(5)(d)1.1. Except as provided in
subd. 2., prior to any destruction of records under this subsection, except those specified within
s. 59.52 (4) (a), at least 60 days' notice of such destruction shall be given in writing, to the historical society, which may preserve any records it determines to be of historical interest. Notice is not required for any records for which destruction has previously been approved by the historical society or in which the society has indicated that it has no interest for historical purposes. Records which have a confidential character while in the possession of the original custodian shall retain such confidential character after transfer to the historical society unless the director of the historical society, with the concurrence of the original custodian, determines that such records shall be made accessible to the public under such proper and reasonable rules as the historical society promulgates.
19.21(5)(d)2.
2. Subdivision 1. does not apply to patient health care records, as defined in
s. 146.81 (4), that are in the custody or control of a local health department, as defined in
s. 250.01 (4).
19.21(5)(e)
(e) The county board of any county may provide, by ordinance, a program for the keeping, preservation, retention and disposition of public records including the establishment of a committee on public records and may institute a records management service for the county and may appropriate funds to accomplish such purposes.
19.21(5)(f)
(f) District attorney records are state records and are subject to
s. 978.07.
19.21(6)
(6) A school district may provide for the destruction of obsolete school records. Prior to any such destruction, at least 60 days' notice in writing of such destruction shall be given to the historical society, which shall preserve any records it determines to be of historical interest. The historical society may, upon application, waive the notice. The period of time a school district record shall be kept before destruction shall be not less than 7 years, unless a shorter period is fixed by the public records board under
s. 16.61 (3) (e) and except as provided under
sub. (7). This section does not apply to pupil records under
s. 118.125.
19.21(7)
(7) Notwithstanding any minimum period of time for retention set under
s. 16.61 (3) (e), any taped recording of a meeting, as defined in
s. 19.82 (2), by any governmental body, as defined under
s. 19.82 (1), of a city, village, town or school district may be destroyed no sooner than 90 days after the minutes have been approved and published if the purpose of the recording was to make minutes of the meeting.
19.21(8)
(8) Any metropolitan sewerage commission created under
ss. 66.88 to
66.918 may provide for the destruction of obsolete commission records. No record of the metropolitan sewerage district may be destroyed except by action of the commission specifically authorizing the destruction of that record. Prior to any destruction of records under this subsection, the commission shall give at least 60 days' prior notice of the proposed destruction to the state historical society, which may preserve records it determines to be of historical interest. Upon the application of the commission, the state historical society may waive this notice. Except as provided under
sub. (7), the commission may only destroy a record under this subsection after 7 years elapse from the date of the record's creation, unless a shorter period is fixed by the public records board under
s. 16.61 (3) (e).
19.21 History
History: 1971 c. 215;
1975 c. 41 s.
52;
1977 c. 202;
1979 c. 35,
221;
1981 c. 191,
282,
335;
1981 c. 350 s.
13;
1981 c. 391;
1983 a. 532;
1985 a. 180 ss.
22,
30m;
1985 a. 225;
1985 a. 332 s.
251 (1); Sup. Ct. Order, 136 W (2d) xi (1987);
1987 a. 147 ss.
20,
25;
1989 a. 248;
1991 a. 39,
185,
316;
1993 a. 27,
60,
172;
1995 a. 27,
201.
19.21 Annotation
Mandamus petition to inspect county hospital's statistical, administrative and other records not identifiable with individual patients, states cause of action under this section. State ex rel. Dalton v. Mundy, 80 W (2d) 190, 257 NW (2d) 877.
19.21 Annotation
Police daily arrest list must be open for public inspection. Newspapers, Inc. v. Breier, 89 W (2d) 417, 279 NW (2d) 179 (1979).
19.21 Annotation
See note to 968.26, citing In re Wis. Family Counseling Services v. State, 95 W (2d) 670, 291 NW (2d) 631 (Ct. App. 1980).
19.21 Annotation
Examination of birth records cannot be denied simply because the examiner has a commercial purpose. 58 Atty. Gen. 67.
19.21 Annotation
See note to 19.81, citing 60 Atty. Gen. 9.
19.21 Annotation
Inspection of public records obtained under official pledges of confidentiality may be denied where a clear pledge has been made in order to obtain the information, where the pledge was necessary to obtain the information, and where the custodian determines that the harm to the public interest resulting from inspection would outweigh the public interest in full access to public records. Custodian must permit inspection of information submitted under an official pledge of confidentiality where the official or agency had specific statutory authority to require its submission. 60 Atty. Gen. 284.
19.21 Annotation
The right to inspection and copying of public records in decentralized offices discussed. 61 Atty. Gen. 12.
19.21 Annotation
Public records subject to inspection and copying by any person would include list of students awaiting particular program in a VTAE (technical college) district school. 61 Atty. Gen. 297.
19.21 Annotation
The investment board can only deny members of the public from inspecting and copying portions of the minutes relating to the investment of state funds and documents pertaining thereto on a case-by-case basis where valid reasons for denial exist and are specially stated. 61 Atty. Gen. 361.
19.21 Annotation
Matters and documents in the possession or control of school district officials containing information concerning the salaries, including fringe benefits, paid to individual teachers are matters of public record. 63 Atty. Gen. 143.
19.21 Annotation
Common school districts are presently without authority to destroy records which fall within (1) and which are not pupil records under 118.125 (1). Where city school district is involved, city council could by ordinance provide for destruction of obsolete school district records under (5) (a). Meaning of public records as related to school districts discussed. 63 Atty. Gen. 272.
19.21 Annotation
Department of administration probably has authority under sub. (1) and s. 19.21 (2), 1979 stats., [now see 19.35] to provide private corporation with camera-ready copy of session laws which is product of printout of computer stored public records if costs are minimal. State cannot contract on a continuing basis for the furnishing of this service. 63 Atty. Gen. 302.
19.21 Annotation
Scope of the duty of the governor to allow members of the public to examine and copy public records in his custody discussed. 63 Atty. Gen. 400.
19.21 Annotation
Public's right to inspect land acquisition files of the department of natural resources and relationship with 66.77 discussed. 63 Atty. Gen. 573.
19.21 Annotation
Financial statements filed in connection with applications for motor vehicle dealers' and motor vehicle salvage dealers' licenses are public records under (2), subject to limitations. 66 Atty. Gen. 302.
19.21 Annotation
Sheriff's radio log, intradepartmental documents kept by sheriff and blood test records of deceased automobile drivers in hands of sheriff are public records under (2), subject to limitations. 67 Atty. Gen. 12.
19.21 Annotation
Plans and specifications filed with DILHR under 101.12 are public records under 16.61 and 19.21 and are available for public inspection. 67 Atty. Gen. 214.
19.21 Annotation
Under (1), district attorneys must preserve indefinitely papers of a documentary nature, evidencing activities of prosecutor's office. 68 Atty. Gen. 17.
19.21 Annotation
Right to privacy law, 895.50, does not affect duties of custodian of public records under 19.21. 68 Atty. Gen. 68.
19.21 Annotation
Right to examine and copy computer-stored information discussed. 68 Atty. Gen. 231.
19.21 Annotation
After transcript of court proceedings is filed with clerk of court, any person may examine or copy transcript. 68 Atty. Gen. 313.
19.21 Annotation
County under 500,000 may destroy obsolete case records maintained by county social services agency under 48.59 (1). 70 Atty. Gen. 196.
19.21 Annotation
VTAE (technical college) district is "school district" under (6). District may not maintain records on microfilm.
71 Atty. Gen. 9.
19.22
19.22
Proceedings to compel the delivery of official property. 19.22(1)(1) If any public officer refuses or neglects to deliver to his or her successor any official property or things as required in
s. 19.21, or if the property or things shall come to the hands of any other person who refuses or neglects, on demand, to deliver them to the successor in the office, the successor may make complaint to any circuit judge for the county where the person refusing or neglecting resides. If the judge is satisfied by the oath of the complainant and other testimony as may be offered that the property or things are withheld, the judge shall grant an order directing the person so refusing to show cause, within some short and reasonable time, why the person should not be compelled to deliver the property or things.
19.22(2)
(2) At the time appointed, or at any other time to which the matter may be adjourned, upon due proof of service of the order issued under
sub. (1), if the person complained against makes affidavit before the judge that the person has delivered to the person's successor all of the official property and things in the person's custody or possession pertaining to the office, within the person's knowledge, the person complained against shall be discharged and all further proceedings in the matter before the judge shall cease.
19.22(3)
(3) If the person complained against does not make such affidavit the matter shall proceed as follows:
19.22(3)(a)
(a) The judge shall inquire further into the matters set forth in the complaint, and if it appears that any such property or things are withheld by the person complained against the judge shall by warrant commit the person complained against to the county jail, there to remain until the delivery of such property and things to the complainant or until the person complained against be otherwise discharged according to law.
19.22(3)(b)
(b) If required by the complainant the judge shall also issue a warrant, directed to the sheriff or any constable of the county, commanding the sheriff or constable in the daytime to search such places as shall be designated in such warrant for such official property and things as were in the custody of the officer whose term of office expired or whose office became vacant, or of which the officer was the legal custodian, and seize and bring them before the judge issuing such warrant.
19.22(3)(c)
(c) When any such property or things are brought before the judge by virtue of such warrant, the judge shall inquire whether the same pertain to such office, and if it thereupon appears that the property or things pertain thereto the judge shall order the delivery of the property or things to the complainant.
19.23
19.23
Transfer of records or materials to historical society. 19.23(1)(1) Any public records, in any state office, that are not required for current use may, in the discretion of the public records board, be transferred into the custody of the historical society, as provided in
s. 16.61.
19.23(2)
(2) The proper officer of any county, city, village, town, school district or other local governmental unit, may under
s. 44.09 (1) offer title and transfer custody to the historical society of any records deemed by the society to be of permanent historical importance.
19.23(3)
(3) The proper officer of any court may, on order of the judge of that court, transfer to the historical society title to such court records as have been photographed or microphotographed or which have been on file for at least 75 years, and which are deemed by the society to be of permanent historical value.
19.23(4)
(4) Any other articles or materials which are of historic value and are not required for current use may, in the discretion of the department or agency where such articles or materials are located, be transferred into the custody of the historical society as trustee for the state, and shall thereupon become part of the permanent collections of said society.
19.24
19.24
Refusal to deliver money, etc., to successor. Any public officer whatever, in this state, who shall, at the expiration of the officer's term of office, refuse or wilfully neglect to deliver, on demand, to the officer's successor in office, after such successor shall have been duly qualified and be entitled to said office according to law, all moneys, records, books, papers or other property belonging to the office and in the officer's hands or under the officer's control by virtue thereof, shall be imprisoned not more than 6 months or fined not more than $100.
19.24 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
19.25
19.25
State officers may require searches, etc., without fees. The secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general, respectively, are authorized to require searches in the respective offices of each other and in the offices of the clerk of the supreme court, of the court of appeals, of the circuit courts, of the registers of deeds for any papers, records or documents necessary to the discharge of the duties of their respective offices, and to require copies thereof and extracts therefrom without the payment of any fee or charge whatever.
19.25 History
History: 1977 c. 187,
449.
19.31
19.31
Declaration of policy. In recognition of the fact that a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate, it is declared to be the public policy of this state that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employes who represent them. Further, providing persons with such information is declared to be an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of officers and employes whose responsibility it is to provide such information. To that end,
ss. 19.32 to
19.37 shall be construed in every instance with a presumption of complete public access, consistent with the conduct of governmental business. The denial of public access generally is contrary to the public interest, and only in an exceptional case may access be denied.
19.31 History
History: 1981 c. 335,
391.
19.31 Annotation
The Wisconsin public records law. 67 MLR 65 (1983).
19.31 Annotation
Municipal responsibility under the Wisconsin revised public records law. Maloney. WBB Jan. 1983.
19.31 Annotation
The public records law and the Wisconsin department of revenue. Boykoff. WBB Dec. 1983.
19.31 Annotation
The Wis. open records act: an update on issues. Trubek and Foley. WBB Aug. 1986.
