Chapter 16

subch. I of ch. 16 SUBCHAPTER I

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

16.001 16.001 Organization of department.

16.001(1) (1) Purposes. The purposes of this chapter are to conserve the state’s resources by coordinating management services and providing effective aid to agencies of the state government; to present clearly defined alternatives and objectives of state programs and policies so that the state’s agencies, the governor and the legislature may plan cooperatively and finance the services which the state will provide for its citizens; to help the state’s agencies furnish the agreed upon services as efficiently and effectively as possible, avoiding any duplication of effort or waste of money; to assure the legislature and the governor that the services are being provided to the public at the agreed upon quantity, quality and cost; and to anticipate and resolve administrative and financial problems faced by the agencies, governor and legislature of the state.

16.001(2) (2) Liberal construction of statutes. Statutes applicable to the department of administration shall be construed liberally in aid of the purposes declared in sub. (1).

16.002 16.002 Definitions. In this chapter:

16.002(1) (1) “Department” means the department of administration.

16.002(2) (2) “Departments” means constitutional offices, departments, and independent agencies and includes all societies, associations, and other agencies of state government for which appropriations are made by law, but not including authorities created in subch. II of ch. 114 or in ch. 231, 232, 233, 234, 237, 238, or 279.

16.002(3) (3) “Position” means a group of duties and responsibilities in either the classified or the unclassified divisions of the civil service, which require the services of an employee on a part-time or full-time basis.

16.002(4) (4) “Secretary” means the secretary of administration.

16.002 History History: 1977 c. 196; 1983 a. 27, 189; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 74, 335; 2007 a. 20, 97; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 7, 10, 229; 2013 a. 20, 165.

16.003 16.003 Department of administration.

16.003(1) (1) Purpose. The department shall carry out the purposes of this chapter by improving the techniques used for such management specialties, not limited by enumeration, as budgeting, accounting, engineering, purchasing, records management and fleet management; by coordinating and providing services which are used by more than one agency, and by reviewing agencies’ programs and management to identify problems and suggest improvements.

16.003(2) (2) Staff. Except as provided in ss. 16.548, 978.03 (1), (1m) and (2), 978.04 and 978.05 (8) (b), the secretary shall appoint the staff necessary for performing the duties of the department. All staff shall be appointed under the classified service except as otherwise provided by law.

16.003 History History: 1971 c. 270; 1977 c. 196; 1979 c. 34; 1983 a. 27; 1989 a. 31, 117; 1991 a. 39; 2015 a. 55.

16.004 16.004 Secretary, powers and duties.

16.004(1) (1) Rules. The secretary shall promulgate rules for administering the department and performing the duties assigned to it.

16.004(2) (2) Information; reports; recommendations. The secretary shall furnish all information requested by the governor or by any member of the legislature.

16.004(3) (3) Investigations and hearings.

16.004(3)(a) (a) The department, when directed by the governor, shall investigate any irregularities, and all phases of operating cost and functions, of executive or administrative agencies so as to determine the feasibility of consolidating, creating or rearranging agencies for the purpose of effecting the elimination of unnecessary state functions, avoiding duplication, reducing the cost of administration and increasing efficiency.

16.004(3)(b) (b) The secretary may hold either public or private hearings to inform the secretary of any matters relating to the secretary’s functions and for that purpose shall be clothed with the powers relating to witnesses given by s. 885.01 (4) and s. 885.12 shall apply.

16.004(4) (4) Freedom of access. The secretary and such employees of the department as the secretary designates may enter into the offices of state agencies and authorities created under subch. II of ch. 114 and under chs. 231, 233, 234, 237, 238, and 279, and may examine their books and accounts and any other matter that in the secretary’s judgment should be examined and may interrogate the agency’s employees publicly or privately relative thereto.

16.004(5) (5) Agencies and employees to cooperate. All state agencies and authorities created under subch. II of ch. 114 and under chs. 231, 233, 234, 237, 238, and 279, and their officers and employees, shall cooperate with the secretary and shall comply with every request of the secretary relating to his or her functions.

16.004(6) (6) Management audits. The secretary shall periodically make management audits of agencies, utilizing teams of specialists in the fields of purchasing, personnel, accounting, budgeting, space utilization, forms design and control, records management, and any other specialties necessary to effectively appraise all management practices, operating procedures and organizational structures.

16.004(7) (7) Personnel management information system.

16.004(7)(a) (a) The secretary shall establish and maintain a personnel management information system which shall be used to furnish the governor, the legislature and the division of personnel management in the department with current information pertaining to authorized positions, payroll and related items for all civil service employees, except employees of the office of the governor, the courts and judicial branch agencies, and the legislature and legislative service agencies. It is the intent of the legislature that the University of Wisconsin System provide position and other information to the department and the legislature, which includes appropriate data on each position, facilitates accountability for each authorized position and traces each position over time. Nothing in this paragraph may be interpreted as limiting the authority of the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System to allocate and reallocate positions by funding source within the legally authorized levels.

16.004(7)(b) (b) When requested by the joint committee on finance, the secretary shall report to the committee on the compliance of each agency in the executive branch in providing the data necessary for operation of the personnel management information system.

16.004(8) (8) State-owned housing rentals.

16.004(8)(a) (a) In this subsection, “agency” has the meaning given in s. 16.52 (7).

16.004(8)(am) (am) The secretary shall maintain a system of rental policies for state-owned housing administered by all agencies and shall periodically review the system for possible changes. Whenever the secretary proposes to change rental policies other than rental rates, the secretary shall submit a report relating to the system to the joint committee on finance. The report shall include any changes in rental policies recommended by the secretary.

16.004(8)(b) (b) The joint committee on finance, following its review, may approve or disapprove rental policies submitted under par. (am). Any changes in rental policies shall be effective upon approval or at such time following approval as may be specified in the secretary’s submittal.

16.004(8)(c) (c) Notwithstanding par. (b), if the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the secretary that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the recommended changes in rental policies contained in the report submitted under par. (am) within 14 working days after the date of the secretary’s submittal, the secretary may implement any recommended changes in rental policies contained in the report. If, within 14 working days after the date of the secretary’s submittal, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the secretary that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the recommended changes in rental policies contained in the report, the secretary may implement the recommended changes only with the approval of the committee.

16.004(8)(d) (d) The system established under par. (am) shall include a procedure for review of the need to retain state-owned housing units and possible disposition of such units. The secretary shall submit recommendations regarding the disposition of any housing units to the building commission.

16.004(8)(e) (e)

16.004(8)(e)1. 1. In this paragraph, “consumer price index” means the average of the consumer price index over each 12-month period, all items, U.S. city average, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the U.S. department of labor.

16.004(8)(e)2. 2. No later than July 1 of the 2nd year following each federal decennial census, the secretary shall obtain appraisals of the fair market value of all state-owned housing rental units administered by agencies. The secretary shall determine and fix rental rates for such units based on the appraisals, which shall take effect on the following August 15.

16.004(8)(e)3. 3. If the secretary determines that a state-owned housing rental unit has been affected by a major renovation, the secretary may order a reappraisal of the fair market value of the unit. Whenever a reappraisal of the fair market value of a unit is obtained, the secretary shall determine and fix a new rental rate for that unit based on the reappraisal. If the reappraisal is obtained prior to July 1 of any year, the rate shall take effect on August 15 of that year; otherwise it shall take effect on August 15 of the following year.

16.004(8)(e)4. 4. If no appraisal of a state-owned housing rental unit is made during the 24-month period ending on July 1 of any even-numbered year, the current rental rate for the unit shall be subject to a biennial cost-of-living adjustment. To determine the adjustment, the secretary shall calculate the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the 12-month period ending on December 31 of the preceding year and the consumer price index for the base period, calendar year 1991. The secretary shall increase the rental rate by that percentage, rounded to the nearest whole dollar, which amount shall take effect on August 15.

16.004(8)(e)5. 5. The secretary shall charge the cost of the appraisal of each state-owned housing rental unit to the appropriation specified in s. 16.40 (19) or, if there is no such appropriation, to the appropriation or appropriations which fund the program in connection with which the housing is utilized.

16.004(9) (9) Agreements to maintain an accounting for operating notes. The secretary may enter into agreements to maintain an accounting of, forecast and administer those moneys that are in the process of collection by the state and that are pledged for the repayment of operating notes issued under subch. III of ch. 18, in accordance with resolutions of the building commission authorizing the issuance of the operating notes.

16.004(10) (10) Recycling proposal. The secretary shall develop a proposal for funding recycling in this state. That proposal shall distribute the burden of funding so that the portion paid by business, industry and citizens reflects their contribution to the waste stream. The secretary shall submit its proposal to the joint committee on finance on or before January 31, 1991.

16.004(11) (11) Risk management program supplementation. Prior to transferring moneys from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (2) (a) to the appropriation under s. 20.505 (2) (k), the secretary shall notify in writing the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance of his or her proposed action.

16.004(12) (12) Rules on surveillance of state employees.

16.004(12)(a) (a) In this subsection, “state agency” means an association, authority, board, department, commission, independent agency, institution, office, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature, the office of the governor, and the courts, but excluding the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority, the Lower Fox River Remediation Authority, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the Fox River Navigational System Authority.

16.004(12)(b) (b) The department shall promulgate rules that apply to all state agencies governing surveillance by a state agency of the state agency’s employees.

16.004(15) (15) Legal services.

16.004(15)(a) (a) In this subsection, “state agency” means any office, department, or independent agency in the executive branch of state government.

16.004(15)(b) (b)

16.004(15)(b)1. 1. At its own discretion, the department may provide legal services to any state agency that has a secretary who serves at the pleasure of the governor and shall assess the state agency for legal services provided by the division of legal services.

16.004(15)(b)2. 2. At the request of any state agency that does not have a secretary who serves at the pleasure of the governor, the department may provide legal services to the state agency and shall assess the state agency for legal services provided by the division of legal services.

16.004(15)(b)3. 3. The department shall credit all moneys received from state agencies under this paragraph to the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (1) (kr).

16.004(15)(bm) (bm) In the report submitted under s. 16.705 (8), the department shall document the division’s success in reducing the state’s use of contracted employees.

16.004(17) (17) Business intelligence and data warehousing system. The department may implement an enterprise-wide reporting, data warehousing, and data analysis system applicable to every agency, as defined in s. 16.70 (1e), other than the legislative and judicial branches of state government.

16.004(18) (18) Intergovernmental affairs offices. The secretary may maintain intergovernmental affairs offices to conduct public outreach and promote coordination between agencies, as defined in s. 16.70 (1e), and authorities, as defined in s. 16.70 (2).

16.004(20) (20) Shared services agencies.

16.004(20)(a) (a) In this subsection, “shared services agency” means any of the following:

16.004(20)(a)1. 1. A department created in subch. II of ch. 15 except the department of employee trust funds, the department of justice, the department of public instruction, and the department of military affairs.

16.004(20)(a)2. 2. An independent agency created under subch. III of ch. 15 except the investment board, the public defender board, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, and the technical college system board.

16.004(20)(b) (b) Subject to par. (c), the division of personnel management in the department shall administer for each shared service agency its responsibilities to provide human resources services and payroll and benefit services. Subject to par. (c), the department may charge shared services agencies for services provided under this paragraph.

16.004(20)(c) (c)

16.004(20)(c)1. 1. The department shall prepare an annual report that includes the following:

16.004(20)(c)1.a. a. Information identifying the assessments that the department intends to charge each shared services agency under par. (b) in the upcoming fiscal year.

16.004(20)(c)1.b. b. The number of positions that the department is using to administer human resources services and payroll and benefits services under par. (b).

16.004(20)(c)1.c. c. The number of vacant and filled positions that the department no longer needs to administer human resources services and payroll and benefits services under par. (b).

16.004(20)(c)1.d. d. The cost savings to the state due to the administration of human resources services and payroll and benefits services by the department.

16.004(20)(c)1.e. e. Metrics evaluating the effectiveness of human resources services and payroll and benefits services provided to shared services agencies by the department in the previous fiscal year, as well as a comparison of the metrics for the previous fiscal year to similar metrics in previous reports.

16.004(20)(c)2. 2. On April 15 of each year, the department shall submit the report under subd. 1. to the joint committee on finance. If the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the report within 14 working days after the date of the submission, the department may provide the human resources services and payroll and benefits services as proposed in the report and may charge the assessments as proposed in the report. If within 14 working days after the date of the notification, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the report, the department may provide the human resources services and payroll and benefits services proposed in the report and charge the assessments proposed in the report only upon approval of the committee.

16.004(21) (21) Payment to local exposition district.

16.004(21)(a) (a) Annually, as grants, the secretary shall remit the amounts appropriated under s. 20.855 (4) (cr) and (dr) to a local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229 to assist in the development and construction of sports and entertainment arena facilities, as defined in s. 229.41 (11g). The secretary may not remit moneys under this subsection until the secretary has determined that the sponsoring municipality has provided at least $47,000,000 for the development and construction of sports and entertainment arena facilities and the local exposition district has issued debt to fund the development and construction of sports and entertainment arena facilities. The secretary may not remit from the appropriation account under s. 20.855 (4) (dr) to a local exposition district more than a cumulative total of $80,000,000.

16.004(21)(b) (b) The legislature finds and determines that sports and entertainment arena facilities, as defined in s. 229.41 (11g), encourage economic development and tourism in this state, reduce unemployment in this state, preserve business activities within this state, and bring needed capital into this state for the benefit and welfare of people throughout the state. It is therefore in the public interest and will serve a public purpose, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist a local exposition district in the development and construction of sports and entertainment arena facilities under subch. II of ch. 229.

Effective date note NOTE: Sub. (21) is repealed eff. 6-30-36 by 2015 Wis. Act 60.

16.004(22) (22) Endowment fund for WisconsinEye.

16.004(22)(a) (a) In this section, “WisconsinEye” means the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, Inc.

16.004(22)(b) (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.855 (4) (dt), if the joint committee on finance approves a request for funding made jointly by the secretary and WisconsinEye, the secretary shall make a payment in the form of a grant to WisconsinEye for the establishment of an endowment fund.

16.004(22)(c) (c) The department is prohibited from making a payment under par. (b) unless prior to June 1, 2025, WisconsinEye has raised for the endowment fund from nonstate funding sources total amounts that at least equal the amount of the payment, up to $10,000,000.

16.004(22)(d) (d) If, after a payment under par. (b), WisconsinEye ever ceases operations and divests its assets, WisconsinEye shall pay to the secretary for deposit into the general fund an amount equal to the total amount paid under par. (b).

16.004(22)(e) (e) As a condition for receiving any payment under par. (b), WisconsinEye is prohibited from charging any fee for access.

16.004(24) (24) School district employee health care. Annually, the secretary shall report to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) the information it receives from school districts under s. 120.12 (24) (b).

16.004 History History: 1971 c. 270; 1973 c. 333; 1975 c. 39 s. 732 (1); 1975 c. 224; 1977 c. 196 ss. 21, 130 (3); 1977 c. 272; 1979 c. 34, 221, 357; 1981 c. 20 ss. 3v, 55d, 55m; 1983 a. 27 ss. 58, 2202 (49) (a); 1983 a. 524; 1985 a. 29; 1985 a. 332 s. 251 (3); 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 335; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1993 a. 496; 1995 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33 ss. 140 to 141f, 9160; 2005 a. 25, 74, 335; 2007 a. 20, 97; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 7, 10; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55, 60; 2017 a. 59; 2023 a. 19.

16.004 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also Adm, Wis. adm. code.

16.005 16.005 Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corporation. This chapter does not apply to the Bradley Center Sports and Entertainment Corporation except where expressly otherwise provided.

16.005 History History: 1985 a. 26; 1991 a. 39.

16.006 16.006 Treatment of classified employees. Those individuals holding positions in the classified service in the department who are engaged in legislative text processing functions and who achieved permanent status in class on August 9, 1989, shall retain, while serving in the unclassified service in the legislature or any legislative branch agency, those protections afforded employees in the classified service under ss. 230.34 (1) (a) and 230.44 (1) (c) relating to demotion, suspension, discharge, layoff, or reduction in base pay except that the applicability of any reduction in base pay of such an employee shall be determined on the basis of the base pay received by the employee on August 9, 1989, plus the total amount of any subsequent general economic increases provided in the compensation plan under s. 230.12 for nonrepresented employees in the classified service. Such employees shall also have reinstatement privileges to the classified service as provided under s. 230.33 (1). Employees of the department holding positions in the classified service on August 9, 1989, who are engaged in legislative text processing functions and who have not achieved permanent status in class in any position in the department on that date are eligible to receive the protections and privileges preserved under this section if they successfully complete service equivalent to the probationary period required in the classified service for the positions which they hold.

16.006 History History: 1989 a. 31; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 16 s. 373; Stats. 2001 s. 16.006.

16.007 16.007 Claims board.

16.007(1) (1) Purpose. The claims board shall receive, investigate and make recommendations on all claims of $10 or more presented against the state which are referred to the board by the department. No claim or bill relating to such a claim shall be considered by the legislature until a recommendation thereon has been made by the claims board.

16.007(2) (2) Rules. Except as provided in s. 901.05, the board shall not be bound by common law or statutory rules of evidence, but shall admit all testimony having reasonable probative value, excluding that which is immaterial, irrelevant or unduly repetitious. The board may take official notice of any generally recognized fact or established technical or scientific fact, but parties shall be notified either before or during hearing or by full reference in preliminary reports, or otherwise, of the facts so noticed, and the parties shall be afforded an opportunity to contest the validity of the official notice.

16.007(3) (3) Procedure. When a claim has been referred to the claims board, the board may upon its own motion and shall upon request of the claimant, schedule such claim for hearing, giving the claimant at least 10 days’ written notice of the date, time and place thereof. Those claims described under sub. (6) (b) shall not be heard or decided by the claims board. The board shall keep a record of its proceedings, but such proceedings may be recorded by a permanent recording device without transcription. It may require sworn testimony and may summon and compel attendance of witnesses and the production of documents and records. Any member of the board may sign and issue a subpoena.