227.20 History
History: 1985 a. 182;
1993 a. 214.
227.20 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
902.03 for provision for judicial notice of administrative rules.
227.21
227.21
Publication of rules; incorporation by reference. 227.21(1)(1) All rules that agencies are directed by this chapter to file with the revisor shall be published in the code and register as required under
s. 35.93.
227.21(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
s. 601.41 (3) (b), to avoid unnecessary expense an agency may, with the consent of the revisor and the attorney general, adopt standards established by technical societies and organizations of recognized national standing by incorporating the standards in its rules by reference to the specific issue or issues of the publication in which they appear, without reproducing the standards in full.
227.21(2)(b)
(b) The revisor and the attorney general shall consent to incorporation by reference only in a rule of limited public interest and in a case where the incorporated standards are readily available in published form. Each rule containing an incorporation by reference shall state how the material incorporated may be obtained and, except as provided in
s. 601.41 (3) (b), that the standards are on file at the offices of the agency, the secretary of state, and the revisor.
227.21(3)
(3) A rule promulgated jointly by 2 or more agencies need not be published in more than one place in the code.
227.21(4)
(4) Agency materials that are exempt from the requirements of this chapter under
s. 227.01 (13) may be published, either verbatim or in summary form, if the promulgating agency and the revisor determine that the public interest would be served by publication.
227.22
227.22
Effective date of rules. 227.22(1)
(1) In this section, "date of publication" means the first date on which an issue of the register is mailed to any person entitled under
s. 35.84 to receive it.
227.22(2)
(2) A rule is effective on the first day of the month commencing after the date of publication unless one of the following occurs:
227.22(2)(a)
(a) The statute under which the rule was promulgated prescribes a different effective date for the rule.
227.22(2)(b)
(b) A later date is prescribed by the agency in a statement filed with the rule.
227.22(2)(c)
(c) The rule is promulgated under
s. 227.24, in which case it becomes effective at the time prescribed in that section.
227.22(2)(d)
(d) The date of publication of the issue of the register in which the rule is printed occurs after the date designated under
s. 35.93 (3) for publication of the register, in which case the rule becomes effective as provided in
sub. (4).
227.22(2)(e)
(e) The rule has a significant economic impact on small businesses, as defined in
s. 227.114 (1), in which case the rule applies to small businesses on the first day of the 3rd month commencing after the date of publication of the rule.
227.22(3)
(3) The revisor may prescribe in the manual prepared under
s. 227.15 (7) the monthly date prior to which a rule must be filed in order to be included in that month's issue of the register. The revisor shall compute the effective date of each rule submitted for publication in the register and shall publish it in a note at the end of each section. For the purpose of computing the effective date, the revisor may presume that an issue of the register will be published during the month in which it is designated for publication.
227.22(4)
(4) If an issue of the register or the notice section of the register is published after the date designated under
s. 35.93 (3) for its publication, the department of administration shall stamp the date of publication on the title page of each copy of that issue. A rule or notice contained in that issue of the register is not effective earlier than the day following the date stamped on the title page.
227.23
227.23
Forms. A form imposing a requirement which meets the definition of a rule shall be treated as a rule for the purposes of this chapter, except that:
227.23(1)
(1) Its promulgation need not be preceded by notice and public hearing.
227.23(2)
(2) It need not be promulgated by the board or officer charged with ultimate rule-making authority but may be promulgated by any employee of the agency authorized by the board or officer.
227.23(3)
(3) It need not be published in the code and register in its entirety, but may be listed by title or description together with a statement as to how it may be obtained.
227.23 History
History: 1985 a. 182.
227.23 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
Ins 7, Wis. adm. code.
227.24
227.24
Emergency rules; exemptions. 227.24(1)(a)(a) An agency may promulgate a rule as an emergency rule without complying with the notice, hearing and publication requirements under this chapter if preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates putting the rule into effect prior to the time it would take effect if the agency complied with the procedures.
227.24(1)(c)
(c) A rule promulgated under
par. (a) takes effect upon publication in the official state newspaper or on any later date specified in the rule and, except as provided under
sub. (2), remains in effect only for 150 days.
227.24(1)(d)
(d) A rule promulgated under
par. (b) takes effect upon publication in the official state newspaper or on any later date specified in the rule and remains in effect for one year or until it is suspended or the proposed rule corresponding to it is objected to by the joint committee for review of administrative rules, whichever is sooner. If a rule under
par. (b) is suspended or a proposed rule under
s. 186.235 (21),
215.02 (18) or
220.04 (8) is objected to by the joint committee for review of administrative rules, any person may complete any transaction entered into or committed to in reliance on that rule and shall have 45 days to discontinue other activity undertaken in reliance on that rule.
227.24(1)(e)
(e) An agency that promulgates a rule under this subsection shall do all of the following:
227.24(1)(e)1.
1. Prepare a plain language analysis of the rule in the format prescribed under
s. 227.14 (2) and print the plain language analysis with the rule when it is published.
227.24(1)(e)2.
2. Prepare a fiscal estimate of the rule in the format prescribed under
s. 227.14 (4) and mail the fiscal estimate to each member of the legislature not later than 10 days after the date on which the rule is published.
227.24(2)(a)(a) At the request of an agency, the joint committee for review of administrative rules may, at any time prior to the expiration date of a rule promulgated under
sub. (1) (a), extend the effective period of the emergency rule or part of the emergency rule for a period specified by the committee not to exceed 60 days. Any number of extensions may be granted under this paragraph, but the total period for all extensions may not exceed 120 days.
227.24(2)(am)
(am) Any request by an agency to extend the effective period of the emergency rule or part of the emergency rule must be made in writing to the joint committee for review of administrative rules no later than 30 days before the initial expiration date of the emergency rule. At the time that the agency submits the written request to the joint committee for review of administrative rules, the agency shall submit a copy of the written request to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature and to the appropriate committees of each house of the legislature, as determined by the presiding officer of each house of the legislature. The presiding officer of each house of the legislature shall enter a statement in the journal of his or her house that the agency has submitted a request to extend the effective period of the emergency rule or part of the emergency rule. This paragraph shall not apply to any subsequent request by the agency to extend the same emergency rule or part of the emergency rule.
227.24(2)(b)
(b) In making the request for an extension, the agency shall provide the committee with the following:
227.24(2)(b)1.
1. Evidence that there is a threat to the public peace, health, safety or welfare that can be avoided only by extension of the emergency rule or part of the emergency rule.
227.24(2)(b)2.
2. Evidence that it is impossible for the agency to promulgate a permanent rule prior to the expiration date of the emergency rule under
sub. (1) (c).
227.24(2)(c)
(c) Whenever the committee extends an emergency rule or part of an emergency rule under
par. (a), it shall file a statement of its action with the agency promulgating the emergency rule, the presiding officer of each house of the legislature, the appropriate committees of each house of the legislature, as determined by the presiding officer of each house of the legislature, the secretary of state and the revisor of statutes. The statement shall identify the specific emergency rule or part of an emergency rule to which it relates. The presiding officer of each house of the legislature shall enter a statement in the journal of his or her house that the emergency rule or part of the emergency rule has been extended.
227.24(3)
(3) Filing. An agency shall file a rule promulgated under
sub. (1) as provided in
s. 227.20, shall mail a copy to the chief clerk of each house and to each member of the legislature at the time that the rule is filed and shall take any other step it considers feasible to make the rule known to persons who will be affected by it. The revisor shall insert in the notice section of each issue of the register a brief description of each rule under
sub. (1) that is currently in effect. Each copy, notice or description of a rule promulgated under
sub. (1) (a) shall be accompanied by a statement of the emergency finding by the agency or by a statement that the rule is promulgated at the direction of the joint committee for review of administrative rules under
s. 227.26 (2) (b).
227.24(3m)
(3m) Review by the small business regulatory review board. On the same day that the agency files a rule under
sub. (3) that may have a significant economic impact on small businesses, as defined in
s. 227.114 (1), the agency shall submit a copy of the rule to the small business regulatory review board. The board may use cost-benefit analysis to determine the fiscal effect of the emergency rule on small businesses and shall determine whether the agency complied with
ss. 227.114 (2) and
(3) and
227.14 (2m). If the board determines that the agency failed to comply with
s. 227.114 (2) or
(3) or
227.14 (2m), the board shall notify the agency of that determination and ask the agency to comply with any of those provisions. In addition, the board may submit suggested changes in the proposed rule to the agency and may include a request that the agency do any of the following:
227.24(3m)(a)
(a) Explain how the agency has responded to comments received from small businesses regarding the emergency rule.
227.24(3m)(b)
(b) Verify that the emergency rule does not conflict with, overlap, or duplicate other rules or federal regulations.
227.24(4)
(4) Public hearing. Notwithstanding
sub. (1) (a) and
(b), an agency shall hold a public hearing within 45 days after it promulgates a rule under
sub. (1). If within that 45-day period the agency submits to the legislative council staff under
s. 227.15 a proposed rule corresponding to the rule under
sub. (1), it shall hold a public hearing on both rules within 90 days after promulgation of the rule under
sub. (1), or within 30 days after the agency receives the report on the proposed rule prepared by the legislative council under
s. 227.15 (2), whichever occurs later.
227.25(1)(1) The revisor shall, in cooperation with the legislative council staff under
s. 227.15 (7), prepare a manual informing agencies about the form, style and placement of rules in the code.
227.25(2)
(2) The revisor shall, upon request, furnish an agency with advice and assistance on the form and mechanics of rule drafting.
227.25(3)
(3) An agency may request an advance commitment as to the title or numbering of a proposed rule by submitting a copy of the proposed rule indicating the requested title and numbering to the revisor prior to filing. As soon as possible after that, the revisor shall either approve the request or inform the agency of any change necessary to preserve uniformity in the code. If the title or numbering of a rule is revised, the revisor shall verify that a certified copy of the revised version has been filed with the secretary of state.
227.25(4)
(4) The revisor may, prior to publication, edit the analysis of a proposed rule and any other material submitted for publication in the code and register, may refer to the fact that those materials are on file or may eliminate them and any reference to them in the code and register if he or she believes they do not appreciably add to an understanding of the rule. The revisor shall submit the edited version of any material to the agency for its comments prior to publication.
227.25 History
History: 1985 a. 182.
227.26
227.26
Legislative review after promulgation; joint committee for review of administrative rules. 227.26(1)
(1)
Definition. In this section, "rule" means all or any part of a rule which has taken effect as provided under
s. 227.22 (2).
227.26(2)(a)(a)
Purpose. The joint committee for review of administrative rules shall promote adequate and proper rules, statements of general policy and interpretations of statutes by agencies and an understanding upon the part of the public respecting the rules, statements and interpretations.
227.26(2)(b)
(b)
Requirement for promulgation. If the committee determines that a statement of policy or an interpretation of a statute meets the definition of a rule, it may direct the agency to promulgate the statement or interpretation as an emergency rule under
s. 227.24 (1) (a) within 30 days after the committee's action.
227.26(2)(c)
(c)
Public hearings. The committee shall hold a public hearing to investigate any complaint with respect to a rule if it considers the complaint meritorious and worthy of attention.
227.26(2)(d)
(d)
Temporary suspension of rules. The committee may suspend any rule by a majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A rule may be suspended only on the basis of testimony in relation to that rule received at a public hearing and only for one or more of the reasons specified under
s. 227.19 (4) (d).
227.26(2)(e)
(e)
Notice. When the committee suspends a rule, it shall publish a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, of the suspension in the official state newspaper and give any other notice it considers appropriate.
227.26(2)(f)
(f)
Introduction of bills. If any rule is suspended, the committee shall, within 30 days after the suspension, introduce in each house of the legislature, for consideration at any regular session, a bill to repeal the suspended rule.
227.26(2)(g)
(g)
Committee report required. No bill required by this subsection may be considered by the legislature until the committee submits a written report on the proposed bill. The report shall be printed as an appendix to the bills introduced under
par. (f). The report shall contain all of the following:
227.26(2)(g)1.
1. An explanation of the issue regarding the suspended rule and the factual situation out of which the issue arose.
227.26(2)(g)2.
2. Arguments presented for and against the suspension action at the public hearing held under
par. (c).
227.26(2)(g)3.
3. A statement of the action taken by the committee regarding the rule.
227.26(2)(g)4.
4. A statement and analysis of the grounds upon which the committee relies for suspending the rule.
227.26(2)(h)
(h)
Legislative procedure. Upon the introduction of bills by the committee under this subsection, the presiding officer of each house of the legislature shall refer the bill introduced in that house to the appropriate committee, to the calendar scheduling committee or directly to the calendar. If the committee to which a bill is referred makes no report within 30 days after referral, the bill shall be considered reported without recommendation. No later than 40 days after referral, the bills shall be placed on the calendar of each house of the legislature according to its rule governing the placement of proposals on the calendar. A bill introduced under this subsection which is received in the 2nd house shall be referred, reported and placed on the calendar in the same manner as an original bill introduced under this subsection.
227.26(2)(i)
(i)
Timely introduction of bills; effect. If both bills required under this subsection are defeated, or fail to be enacted in any other manner, the rule remains in effect and the committee may not suspend it again. If either bill becomes law, the rule is repealed and may not be promulgated again unless a subsequent law specifically authorizes such action. This paragraph applies to bills that are introduced on or after the day specified under
s. 13.02 (1) for the legislature to convene and before February 1 of an even-numbered year.
227.26(2)(j)
(j)
Late introduction of bills; effect. If the bills required under
par. (f) are introduced on or after February 1 of an even-numbered year and before the next regular session of the legislature commences, as provided under
s. 13.02 (2), unless either house adversely disposes of either bill, the committee shall reintroduce the bills on the first day of the next regular session of the legislature. If the committee is required to reintroduce the bills, the rule to which the bills pertain remains suspended except as provided in
par. (i). If either house adversely disposes of either bill, the rule remains in effect and the committee may not suspend it again. In this paragraph, "adversely disposes of" has the meaning given under
s. 227.19 (5) (g).
227.26(2)(k)
(k)
Biennial report. The committee shall submit a biennial report of its activities to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2), and to the governor and include recommendations.
227.26(3)
(3) Public hearings by state agencies. By a majority vote of a quorum of the committee, the committee may require any agency to hold a public hearing in respect to recommendations made under
sub. (2) and to report its action to the committee within the time specified by the committee. The agency shall publish a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, of the hearing in the official state newspaper and give any other notice which the committee directs. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with
s. 227.18 and shall be held not more than 60 days after receipt of notice of the requirement.
227.26 History
History: 1985 a. 182 ss.
1,
3,
50;
1987 a. 186.
227.26 Annotation
Rule suspension under sub. (2) (d) does not violate the separation of powers doctrine. Martinez v. DILHR,
165 Wis. 2d 687,
478 N.W.2d 582 (1992).
227.26 Annotation
Legislative committee review of administrative rules in Wisconsin. Bunn and Gallagher. 1977 WLR 935.
227.27
227.27
Construction of administrative rules. 227.27(2)
(2) The code shall be prima facie evidence in all courts and proceedings as provided by
s. 889.01, but this does not preclude reference to or, in case of a discrepancy, control over a rule filed with the revisor and the secretary of state, and the certified copy of a rule shall also and in the same degree be prima facie evidence in all courts and proceedings.
227.27 History
History: 1983 a. 544;
1985 a. 182 ss.
22,
55 (2), (3); Stats. 1985 s. 227.27.
227.30
227.30
Review of administrative rules or guidelines. 227.30(1)(1) The small business regulatory review board may review the rules and guidelines of any state agency to determine whether any of those rules or guidelines place an unnecessary burden on the ability of small businesses, as defined in
s. 227.114 (1), to conduct their affairs. If the board determines that a rule or guideline places an unnecessary burden on the ability of a small business to conduct its affairs, the board shall submit a report and recommendations regarding the rule or guideline to the joint committee for review of administrative rules.
227.30(2)
(2) When reviewing the report, the joint committee for review of administrative rules shall consider all of the following:
227.30(2)(a)
(a) The continued need for the rule or guideline.
227.30(2)(b)
(b) The nature of the complaints and comments received from the public regarding the rule or guideline.
227.30(2)(d)
(d) The extent to which the rule or guideline overlaps, duplicates, or conflicts with federal regulations, other state rules, or local ordinances.
227.30(2)(e)
(e) The length of time since the rule or guideline has been evaluated.
