SB294,111 Section 111. 9.01 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,51,11 9.01 (5) (a) The board of canvassers or the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee shall keep complete minutes of all proceedings before the board of canvassers or the chairperson or designee. The minutes shall include a record of objections and offers of evidence. If the board of canvassers or the commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee receives exhibits from any party, the board of canvassers or the chairperson or designee shall number and preserve the exhibits. The board of canvassers or the chairperson or chairperson's designee shall make specific findings of fact with respect to any irregularity raised in the petition or discovered during the recount. Any member of the board of canvassers or the chairperson or chairperson's designee may administer oaths, certify official acts, and issue subpoenas for purposes of this section. Witness fees shall be paid by the county. In the case of proceedings before the commission chairperson of the board or chairperson's designee, witness fees shall be paid by the board commission.

SB294,112 Section 112. 9.01 (5) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,51,24 9.01 (5) (bm) Upon the completion of its proceedings, a board of canvassers shall deliver to the board commission one copy of the minutes of the proceedings kept under par. (a). In addition, in the case of a recount of an election for state or national office, for each candidate whose name appears on the ballot for that office under the name of a political party, the board of canvassers shall deliver one copy of the minutes to the chief officer, if any, who is named in any registration statement filed under s. 11.05 (1) by the state committee of that political party, and in the case of a recount of an election for county office, for each candidate whose name appears on the ballot for that office under the name of a political party, the board of canvassers shall deliver one copy of the minutes to the chief officer, if any, who is named in any registration statement filed under s. 11.05 (1) by the county committee of that political party.

SB294,113 Section 113. 9.01 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,52,14 9.01 (5) (c) If the recount is made by a municipal or county board of canvassers and the result is required to be reported to a county board of canvassers or to the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee, the board of canvassers making the initial recount shall immediately certify the results to the county board of canvassers or to the commission chairperson of the board or designee. If a county board of canvassers receives such results, it shall then convene not later than 9 a.m. on the next business day following receipt to examine the returns and determine the results. If the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee receives such results, the chairperson or designee shall publicly examine the returns and determine the results not later than 9 a.m. on the 3rd business day following receipt, but if that day is earlier than the latest day permitted for that election under s. 7.70 (3) (a), the commission chairperson of the board or designee may examine the returns and determine the results not later than the day specified in s. 7.70 (3) (a).

SB294,114 Section 114. 9.01 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,53,6 9.01 (6) (a) Within 5 business days after completion of the recount determination by the board of canvassers in all counties concerned, or within 5 business days after completion of the recount determination by the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee whenever a determination is made by the chairperson or designee, any candidate, or any elector when for a referendum, aggrieved by the recount may appeal to circuit court. The appeal shall commence by serving a written notice of appeal on the other candidates and persons who filed a written notice of appearance before each board of canvassers whose decision is appealed, or in the case of a statewide recount, before the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee. The appellant shall also serve notice on the board commission if the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee is responsible for determining the election. The appellant shall serve the notice by certified mail or in person. The appellant shall file the notice with the clerk of circuit court together with an undertaking and surety in the amount approved by the court, conditioned upon the payment of all costs taxed against the appellant.

SB294,115 Section 115. 9.01 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,53,14 9.01 (7) (a) The court with whom an appeal is filed shall forthwith issue an order directing each affected county or, municipal clerk, or board, and the commission, to transmit immediately all ballots, papers and records affecting the appeal to the clerk of court or to impound and secure such ballots, papers and records, or both. The order shall be served upon each affected county or, municipal clerk, or board, the commission, and all other candidates and persons who filed a written notice of appearance before any board of canvassers involved in the recount.

SB294,116 Section 116. 9.01 (8) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,53,18 9.01 (8) (a) Unless the court finds a ground for setting aside or modifying the determination of the board of canvassers or the commission chairperson of the board or chairperson's designee, it shall affirm the determination.

SB294,117 Section 117. 9.01 (8) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,54,6 9.01 (8) (c) The court may not receive evidence not offered to the board of canvassers or the commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee except for evidence that was unavailable to a party exercising due diligence at the time of the recount or newly discovered evidence that could not with due diligence have been obtained during the recount, and except that the court may receive evidence not offered at an earlier time because a party was not represented by counsel in all or part of a recount proceeding. A party who fails to object or fails to offer evidence of a defect or irregularity during the recount waives the right to object or offer evidence before the court except in the case of evidence that was unavailable to a party exercising due diligence at the time of the recount or newly discovered evidence that could not with due diligence have been obtained during the recount or evidence received by the court due to unavailability of counsel during the recount.

SB294,118 Section 118. 9.01 (8) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,54,17 9.01 (8) (d) The court shall set aside or modify the determination of the board of canvassers or the commission chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee if it finds that the board of canvassers or the chairperson or chairperson's designee has erroneously interpreted a provision of law and a correct interpretation compels a particular action. If the determination depends on any fact found by the board of canvassers or the commission chairperson or the chairperson's designee, the court may not substitute its judgment for that of the board of canvassers or the chairperson or designee as to the weight of the evidence on any disputed finding of fact. The court shall set aside the determination if it finds that the determination depends on any finding of fact that is not supported by substantial evidence.

SB294,119 Section 119. 9.01 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,54,25 9.01 (10) Standard forms and methods. The government accountability board commission shall prescribe standard forms and procedures for the making of recounts under this section. The procedures prescribed by the government accountability board commission shall require the boards of canvassers in recounts involving more than one board of canvassers to consult with the government accountability board commission staff prior to beginning any recount in order to ensure that uniform procedures are used, to the extent practicable, in such recounts.

SB294,120 Section 120. 10.06 (1) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,55,2 10.06 (1) (title) Government accountability board Elections commission.

SB294,121 Section 121. 11.01 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,55,4 11.01 (4m) "Commission" means the ethics commission.

SB294,122 Section 122. 11.09 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,55,16 11.09 Duplicate reports required in certain cases. (3) Each registrant whose filing officer is the board commission, who or which makes disbursements in connection with elections for offices which serve or referenda which affect only one county or portion thereof, except a candidate, personal campaign committee, political party committee or other committee making disbursements in support of or in opposition to a candidate for state senator, representative to the assembly, court of appeals judge or circuit judge, shall file a duplicate original of each financial report filed with the board commission with the county clerk or board of election commissioners of the county in which the elections in which the registrant participates are held. Such reports shall be filed no later than the dates specified under s. 11.20 (2) and (4) for the filing of each report with the board commission.

SB294,55,20 (4) In every case where a duplicate report is filed by the board commission or by any person under sub. (3), the board commission shall transmit a certified duplicate copy of the registration statement to each county clerk or board of election commissioners with whom a duplicate report is filed.

SB294,123 Section 123. 11.21 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,55,23 11.21 (title) Duties of the government accountability board ethics commission.

SB294,124 Section 124. 11.21 (7) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,56,2 11.21 (7) (intro.) Include in its biennial annual report under s. 15.04 (1) (d) 19.47 (5) compilations of any of the following in its discretion: