LRBs0029/1
JTK:wlj:md
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1,
TO 2009 ASSEMBLY BILL 63
May 22, 2009 - Offered by Representative Dexter.
AB63-ASA1,1,5 1An Act to renumber and amend 11.01 (16) (b); to amend 11.06 (2); and to
2create
11.001 (1m), 11.01 (12v), 11.01 (12w), 11.01 (13), 11.01 (14), 11.01 (16)
3(a) 3., 11.01 (16) (a) 4., 11.01 (16) (b) 2., 11.05 (3) (s) and 11.38 (1m) of the
4statutes; relating to: the scope of regulated activity under the campaign
5finance law.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, individuals who accept contributions, organizations that make or
accept contributions, and individuals who or organizations that incur obligations or
make disbursements for the purpose of influencing an election for state or local office
are generally required to register with the appropriate filing officer and to file
financial reports with that officer, regardless of whether they act in conjunction with
or independently of any candidate who is supported or opposed.
With certain exceptions, this substitute amendment imposes registration and
reporting requirements, in addition, upon any individual who and organization that,
within 60 days of an election, makes any mass communication, including an
electronic communication, a mass distribution, or a mass telephoning, that includes
a reference to a candidate at that election, an office to be filled at that election, or a
political party. The substitute amendment imposes registration and reporting

requirements upon any individual who or organization that, at any time, makes any
mass communication that refers to a candidate for judicial office and either focuses
on and takes a position for or against a judicial candidate's position on an issue or
takes a position on that judicial candidate's character, qualifications, or fitness for
office. The substitute amendment also requires an individual who or organization
that becomes subject to a registration requirement by making such a communication
to report, upon registration, the information that would have been required to be
reported if the individual or organization had been registered with respect to any
obligation incurred or disbursement made for the purpose of making such a
communication prior to registration. The substitute amendment, however, does not
require registration and reporting if the communication is made by a corporation,
cooperative, or nonpolitical voluntary association and is limited to the corporation's,
cooperative's, or association's members, shareholders, or subscribers. In addition,
the substitute amendment exempts from registration and reporting the cost of
making a communication that 1) does not support or oppose a candidate's record on
an issue; 2) does not mention an election, a candidacy, an opposing candidate, a
political party, or voting by the general public; and 3) does not take a position on a
candidate's or officeholder's character, qualifications, or fitness for office, and either
a) focuses on and takes a position on a legislative or executive matter or issue and
urges the public to adopt the position and to contact one or more public officials about
the matter or issue, or b) proposes a commercial transaction, unless the
communication is susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as an
appeal to vote for or against a candidate for state or local office whose name is
certified to appear on the ballot at the election.
The change in the scope of reportable activity under the substitute amendment
also applies to contribution and disbursement (spending) limitations and
restrictions by causing reportable "contributions," "obligations," and
"disbursements" to include the cost of all reportable communications.
Violators of registration and reporting requirements are subject to a forfeiture
(civil penalty) of not more than $500 for each violation. In addition, any person who
is delinquent in filing a report is subject to a forfeiture of not more than $50 or 1
percent of the annual salary of the office for which a candidate is being supported or
opposed, whichever is greater, for each day of delinquency. Intentional violators of
the registration requirements and persons who intentionally file false reports or
statements may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than six
months, or both, if the violation does not exceed $100 in amount or value, and may
be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than three years and six
months, or both, if the violation exceeds $100 in amount or value.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB63-ASA1, s. 1 1Section 1. 11.001 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,3,7
111.001 (1m) The legislature finds and declares that the function of judges and
2justices, who must independently apply the law, is fundamentally distinct from that
3of elective legislative and executive branch officials who take positions on issues that
4are influenced by, and represent the will of, their constituencies. The legislature
5therefore finds that because it is improper for a mass communication to seek to
6persuade a judge or justice to take a position on an issue, any such communication
7should be deemed to have been made for a political purpose.
AB63-ASA1, s. 2 8Section 2. 11.01 (12v) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,3,139 11.01 (12v) "Mass communication" means a message that is disseminated by
10means of one or more communications media, a mass electronic communication, a
11mass distribution, or a mass telephoning, but not including a bona fide poll
12conducted for the purpose of objectively identifying or collecting data concerning the
13attitudes or preferences of electors.
AB63-ASA1, s. 3 14Section 3. 11.01 (12w) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,3,1615 11.01 (12w) "Mass distribution" means the distribution of 50 or more pieces of
16substantially identical material.
AB63-ASA1, s. 4 17Section 4. 11.01 (13) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,3,2018 11.01 (13) "Mass electronic communication" means the transmission of 50 or
19more pieces of substantially identical material by means of electronic mail or
20facsimile transmission.
AB63-ASA1, s. 5 21Section 5. 11.01 (14) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,3,2322 11.01 (14) "Mass telephoning" means the making of 50 or more telephone calls
23conveying a substantially identical message.
AB63-ASA1, s. 6 24Section 6. 11.01 (16) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,4,6
111.01 (16) (a) 3. Except for purposes of s. 11.38 (1m), a mass communication,
2other than a communication that is exempt from reporting under s. 11.29, that is
3made during the period beginning on the 60th day preceding an election and ending
4on the date of that election, and that includes a reference to a candidate whose name
5is certified under s. 7.08 (2) (a) or 8.50 (1) (d) to appear on the ballot at that election,
6a reference to an office to be filled at that election, or a reference to a political party.
AB63-ASA1, s. 7 7Section 7. 11.01 (16) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,4,118 11.01 (16) (a) 4. A mass communication that refers to a judicial office and either
9focuses on and takes a position for or against a judicial candidate's position on an
10issue or takes a position on that judicial candidate's character, qualifications, or
11fitness for office.
AB63-ASA1, s. 8 12Section 8. 11.01 (16) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 11.01 (16) (b) (intro.) and
13amended to read:
AB63-ASA1,4,1514 11.01 (16) (b) (intro.) A "political purpose" does not include expenditures any
15of the following:
AB63-ASA1,4,18 161. An expenditure made for the purpose of supporting or defending a person
17who is being investigated for, charged with or convicted of a criminal violation of state
18or federal law, or an agent or dependent of such a person.
AB63-ASA1, s. 9 19Section 9. 11.01 (16) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,4,2520 11.01 (16) (b) 2. Unless the communication is susceptible of no reasonable
21interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a candidate whose name
22is certified to appear on a ballot at an election, a mass communication that either
23focuses on and takes a position on a legislative or executive issue and urges the public
24to adopt the position and to contact one or more public officials about the issue or
25proposes a commercial transaction and does not do any of the following:
AB63-ASA1,4,26
1a. Support or oppose a candidate's record on an issue.
AB63-ASA1,5,32 b. Mention an election, a candidacy, an opposing candidate, a political party,
3or voting by the general public.
AB63-ASA1,5,44 c. Take a position on a candidate's character, qualifications, or fitness for office.
AB63-ASA1, s. 10 5Section 10. 11.05 (3) (s) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,5,106 11.05 (3) (s) In the case of a registrant that has made a mass communication
7identified in s. 11.01 (16) (a) 3. or 4., a report containing the information specified in
8s. 11.06 (1) with respect to any obligation to make a disbursement incurred or any
9disbursement made for the purpose of making such a communication prior to
10registration.
AB63-ASA1, s. 11 11Section 11. 11.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB63-ASA1,5,2212 11.06 (2) Disclosure of certain indirect disbursements. Notwithstanding
13sub. (1), if a disbursement is made or obligation incurred by an individual other than
14a candidate or by a committee or group which is not primarily organized for political
15purposes, and the disbursement does not constitute a contribution to any candidate
16or other individual, committee, or group, and the disbursement is not made or the
17obligation is not incurred for the purpose of making a mass communication specified
18in s. 11.01 (16) (a) 3.,
the disbursement or obligation is required to be reported only
19if the purpose is to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified
20candidate or the adoption or rejection of a referendum. The exemption provided by
21this subsection shall in no case be construed to apply to a political party, legislative
22campaign, personal campaign, or support committee.
AB63-ASA1, s. 12 23Section 12. 11.38 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB63-ASA1,6,224 11.38 (1m) (a) No corporation or association specified in sub. (1) (a) 1. may
25make a disbursement for the purpose of making a mass communication that is made

1by means of one or more communications media, other than a communication that
2is exempt from reporting under s. 11.29, and that:
AB63-ASA1,6,73 1. Is made during the period beginning on the 60th day preceding an election
4and ending on the date of that election, and that includes a reference to a candidate
5whose name is certified under s. 7.08 (2) (a) or 8.50 (1) (d) to appear on the ballot at
6that election, a reference to an office to be filled at that election, or a reference to a
7political party; or
AB63-ASA1,6,108 2. Refers to a judicial office and either focuses on and takes a position for or
9against a judicial candidate's position on an issue or takes a position on that judicial
10candidate's character, qualifications, or fitness for office.
AB63-ASA1,6,1911 (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a mass communication that either focuses
12on and takes a position on a legislative or executive issue and urges the public to
13adopt the position and to contact one or more public officials about the issue or
14proposes a commercial transaction and does not 1) support or oppose a candidate's
15record on an issue, 2) mention an election, a candidacy, an opposing candidate, a
16political party, or voting by the general public, or 3) take a position on a candidate's
17character, qualifications, or fitness for office, unless the communication is
18susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or
19against a candidate whose name is certified to appear on the ballot at an election.
AB63-ASA1, s. 13 20Section 13. Initial applicability.
AB63-ASA1,7,221 (1) The treatment of sections 11.01 (12v), (12w), (13), (14), and (16) (a) 3. and
224. and 11.06 (2) of the statutes, the renumbering and amendment of section 11.01 (16)
23(b) of the statutes, and the creation of section 11.01 (16) (b) 2. of the statutes first

1apply with respect to reporting periods that begin on or after the effective date of this
2subsection.
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