Chapter 66

66.0442(1) (1) In this section:

66.0442(1)(a) (a) “Level 1 charger” means a device with one or more charging ports and connectors for charging electric vehicles that operates on a circuit up to 120 volts and transfers alternating current electricity to a device in an electric vehicle that converts alternating current to direct current to recharge an electric vehicle battery.

66.0442(1)(b) (b) “Level 2 charger” has the meaning given for “AC Level 2” under 23 CFR 680.104.

66.0442(1)(c) (c) “Level 3 charger” means a direct current fast charger, as defined under 23 CFR 680.104, and analogous successor technologies.

66.0442(1)(d) (d) “Local governmental unit” means any of the following:

66.0442(1)(d)1. 1. A city, village, town, or county.

66.0442(1)(d)2. 2. A school district.

66.0442(1)(d)3. 3. A special purpose district in this state.

66.0442(1)(d)4. 4. An agency or corporation of an entity described in subd. 1. or 3.

66.0442(1)(d)5. 5. A combination or subunit of an entity described in this paragraph.

66.0442(1)(e) (e) “Municipal utility” has the meaning given in s. 16.957 (1) (q).

66.0442(2) (2) 

66.0442(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), no local governmental unit may own, operate, manage, or lease an electric vehicle charging station containing a Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 charger unless the charger is not available to the public and is used solely to charge vehicles owned or leased by the local governmental unit.

66.0442(2)(b) (b) A local governmental unit may own, operate, manage, or lease an electric vehicle charging station at which a Level 1 charger or Level 2 charger is available to the public if the local governmental unit makes all Level 1 chargers or Level 2 chargers installed before March 22, 2024, available for public use free of any charge.

66.0442(2)(c) (c) A local governmental unit may own, operate, manage, or lease an electric vehicle charging station at which a Level 1 charger or a Level 2 charger installed on or after March 22, 2024, is available to the public if the local governmental unit charges a reasonable fee for the electricity delivered or placed by all such Level 1 chargers and Level 2 chargers.

66.0442(3) (3) Notwithstanding sub. (2) and subject to sub. (4), a local governmental unit may authorize an electric provider, as defined in s. 16.957 (1) (f), or a person described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 8. to own and operate an electric vehicle charging station at which a Level 1 charger, Level 2 charger, or Level 3 charger is available to the public on property owned by the local governmental unit.

66.0442(3m) (3m) An electric provider, as defined in s. 16.957 (1) (f), or a person described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 8. who is authorized under sub. (3) to own and operate an electric vehicle charging station at which a Level 1 charger, Level 2 charger, or Level 3 charger is available to the public on property owned by a local governmental unit, shall charge a reasonable fee for the electricity delivered or placed by all such chargers.

66.0442(4) (4) Notwithstanding sub. (2), a municipal utility existing on March 22, 2024, may own and operate an electric vehicle charging station that is available to the public and may charge a fee for using the electric vehicle charging station that is based on the amount of kilowatt-hours of electricity that users consume if all of the following apply:

66.0442(4)(a) (a) The electric vehicle charging station receives any approvals from the public service commission required under ch. 196.

66.0442(4)(b) (b) No tax revenue subsidizes, directly or indirectly, any costs associated with the electric vehicle charging station. This paragraph does not prohibit a municipal utility from using grant money from this state that is distributed after approval by the joint committee on finance under s. 13.10 or the federal government to pay costs associated with constructing an electric vehicle charging station if the purpose of the grant is to expand the availability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

66.0442(4)(c) (c) Notwithstanding s. 66.0811 (2), no revenue generated by the electric vehicle charging station is transferred to the general fund of the municipality that owns the municipal utility or otherwise directly or indirectly supplements any portion of the municipality’s budget.

66.0442(5) (5) No local governmental unit may require a private developer to install an electric vehicle charging station or allow the installation of an electric vehicle charging station on the developer’s property as a condition of granting a building permit, conditional use permit, or other approval. This subsection does not apply to the enforcement of a voluntary contractual agreement between a developer and local governmental unit.

66.0442 History History: 2023 a. 121.

subch. V of ch. 66 SUBCHAPTER V

OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

66.0501 66.0501 Eligibility for office.

66.0501(1) (1) Deputy sheriffs and municipal police. No person may be appointed deputy sheriff of any county or police officer for any city, village or town unless that person is a citizen of the United States. This section does not apply to common carriers or to a deputy sheriff not required to take an oath of office.

66.0501(2) (2) Eligibility of other officers. Except as expressly authorized by statute, no member of a town, village or county board, or city council, during the term for which the member is elected, is eligible for any office or position which during that term has been created by, or the selection to which is vested in, the board or council, but the member is eligible for any elective office. The governing body may be represented on city, village or town boards and commissions where no additional compensation, except a per diem, is paid to the representatives of the governing body and may fix the tenure of these representatives notwithstanding any other statutory provision. A representative of a governing body who is a member of a city, village or town board or commission may receive a per diem only if the remaining members of the board or commission may receive a per diem. This subsection does not apply to a member of any board or council described in this subsection who resigns from the board or council before being appointed to an office or position which was not created during the member’s term in office.

66.0501(3) (3) Appointments on consolidation of offices. Whenever offices are consolidated, the occupants of which are members of the same statutory committee or board and which are serving in that office because of holding another office or position, the common council or village board may designate another officer or officers or make any additional appointments as may be necessary to procure the number of committee or board members provided for by statute.

66.0501(4) (4) Compatible offices and positions.

66.0501(4)(a) (a) A volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical services practitioner, or emergency medical responder in a city, village, or town whose annual compensation from one or more of those positions, including fringe benefits, does not exceed $25,000 if the city, village, or town has a population of 5,000 or less, or $15,000 if the city, village, or town has a population of more than 5,000, may also hold an elective office in that city, village, or town. It is compatible with his or her office for an elected village or town officer to receive wages under s. 60.37 (4) or 61.327 for work that he or she performs for the village or town.

66.0501(4)(b) (b) It is compatible with his or her office for a local public official, as defined in s. 19.42 (7x), to serve as an election official appointed under s. 7.30 (2) (a) and be compensated for that service, as provided under s. 7.03.

66.0501(5) (5) Employees may be candidates.

66.0501(5)(a) (a) In this subsection:

66.0501(5)(a)1. 1. “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.0501(5)(a)2. 2. “Public employee” means any individual employed by a political subdivision, other than an individual to whom s. 164.06 applies and other than an individual to whom 5 USC 1502 (a) (3) applies.

66.0501(5)(b) (b) No political subdivision may prohibit a public employee from being a candidate for any elective public office, if that individual is otherwise qualified to be a candidate. No public employee may be required, as a condition of being a candidate for any elective public office, to take a leave of absence during his or her candidacy. This subsection does not affect the authority of a political subdivision to regulate the conduct of a public employee while the public employee is on duty or otherwise acting in an official capacity.

66.0501 History History: 1979 c. 110; 1987 a. 27, 403; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 246; 1999 a. 56; 1999 a. 150 s. 267; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0501; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 79; 2015 a. 341; 2017 a. 12, 326; 2021 a. 69.

66.0501 Annotation A citizenship requirement for peace officers is constitutional. 68 Atty. Gen. 61.

66.0501 Annotation The offices of commissioner of a town sanitary district and supervisor of a town board are incompatible when the town board also serves as the appointing authority for the commissioners. 69 Atty. Gen. 108.

66.0501 Annotation A sitting member of a county board must resign the office of supervisor before being appointed to the permanent position of county administrative coordinator under s. 59.19. OAG 1-11.

66.05015 66.05015 Background investigation.

66.05015(1) (1) In this section, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.05015(2) (2) 

66.05015(2)(a) (a)

66.05015(2)(a)1. 1. Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335 and with the assistance of the department of justice, a political subdivision shall conduct a background investigation of any person, including a person appointed under a civil service system competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63, selected to fill a position with the political subdivision and who, in fulfilling the duties of the position, will have access to federal tax information received directly from the federal Internal Revenue Service or from a source that is authorized by the federal Internal Revenue Service.

66.05015(2)(a)2. 2. Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, at any interval determined appropriate by the political subdivision, a political subdivision may conduct additional background investigations of any person, including a person appointed under a civil service system competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63, for whom an initial background investigation has been conducted under subd. 1. and background investigations of any other person, including a person appointed under a civil service system competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63, employed by the political subdivision who, in fulfilling the duties of his or her position, has access to federal tax information received directly from the federal Internal Revenue Service or from a source that is authorized by the federal Internal Revenue Service.

66.05015(2)(b) (b) A background investigation under this section may include requiring the person to be fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards each bearing a complete set of the person’s fingerprints, or by other technologies approved by law enforcement agencies. The department of justice shall submit any such fingerprint cards to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identity of the person fingerprinted and obtaining records of his or her criminal arrests and convictions.

66.05015 History History: 2017 a. 154; 2021 a. 238 s. 45.

66.0502 66.0502 Employee residency requirements prohibited.

66.0502(1) (1) The legislature finds that public employee residency requirements are a matter of statewide concern.

66.0502(2) (2) In this section, “local governmental unit” means any city, village, town, county, or school district.

66.0502(3) (3) 

66.0502(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in sub. (4), no local governmental unit may require, as a condition of employment, that any employee or prospective employee reside within any jurisdictional limit.

66.0502(3)(b) (b) If a local governmental unit has a residency requirement that is in effect on July 2, 2013, the residency requirement does not apply and may not be enforced.

66.0502(4) (4) 

66.0502(4)(a) (a) This section does not affect any statute that requires residency within the jurisdictional limits of any local governmental unit or any provision of state or local law that requires residency in this state.

66.0502(4)(b) (b) Subject to par. (c), a local governmental unit may impose a residency requirement on law enforcement, fire, or emergency personnel that requires such personnel to reside within 15 miles of the jurisdictional boundaries of the local governmental unit.

66.0502(4)(c) (c) If the local governmental unit is a county, the county may impose a residency requirement on law enforcement, fire, or emergency personnel that requires such personnel to reside within 15 miles of the jurisdictional boundaries of the city, village, or town to which the personnel are assigned.

66.0502(4)(d) (d) A residency requirement imposed by a local governmental unit under par. (b) or (c) does not apply to any volunteer law enforcement, fire, or emergency personnel who are employees of a local governmental unit.

66.0502 History History: 2013 a. 20.

66.0502 Annotation Because, by its plain language, this section uniformly affects every city or village, it trumps the city of Milwaukee’s charter, and the city may not enforce its residency requirement. Black v. City of Milwaukee, 2016 WI 47, 369 Wis. 2d 272, 882 N.W.2d 333, 14-0400.

66.0502 Annotation Although this section abolishes residency requirements generally, it does not create a vested right for law enforcement, fire, and emergency personnel to live wherever they want. Quite the opposite, it grants local governments the authority to adopt a 15-mile radius requirement for those employees. Milwaukee Police Ass’n v. City of Milwaukee, 856 F.3d 480 (2017).

66.0503 66.0503 Combination of municipal offices.

66.0503(1) (1) The office of county supervisor may be consolidated by charter ordinance under s. 66.0101:

66.0503(1)(a) (a) With the office of village president in any village which has boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of any supervisory district established under s. 59.10 (3).

66.0503(1)(b) (b) With the office of alderperson or council member in any city in which the district from which the alderperson or council member is elected is coterminous with the boundaries of any supervisory district established under s. 59.10 (3).

66.0503(2) (2) After the effective date of adoption or repeal of a charter ordinance under this section, the clerk of the municipality shall file a copy of the ordinance with the clerk of the county within which the supervisory district lies. When so consolidated, nomination papers shall contain that number of signatures required under s. 8.10 for county supervisors and shall be filed in the office of the county clerk.

66.0503(3) (3) Removal from office of any incumbent of an office consolidated under this section vacates the office in its entirety whether effected under ss. 17.09, 17.12 and 17.13 or other pertinent statute.

66.0503(4) (4) Compensation for an office consolidated under this section shall be separately established by the several governing bodies affected by the consolidation as though no consolidation of offices had occurred.

66.0503(5) (5) Tenure for an officer of an office consolidated under this section shall coincide with the term for county supervisors.

66.0503 History History: 1971 c. 94; 1973 c. 118 s. 7; 1985 a. 135 s. 83 (1); 1993 a. 184; 1995 a. 201; 1999 a. 150 s. 311; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0503; 2001 a. 30.

66.0504 66.0504 Address confidentiality program.

66.0504(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0504(1)(a) (a) “Actual address” has the meaning given in s. 165.68 (1) (b).

66.0504(1)(b) (b) “Local clerk” means an individual, and an individual’s deputy or assistant, who serves as one of the following:

66.0504(1)(b)1. 1. A county clerk under s. 59.23.

66.0504(1)(b)2. 2. A clerk of court under s. 59.40.

66.0504(1)(b)3. 3. A municipal clerk as defined in s. 5.02 (10).

66.0504(1)(b)4. 4. A register of deeds under s. 59.43.

66.0504(1)(c) (c) “Program participant” has the meaning given in s. 165.68 (1) (g).

66.0504(2) (2) Identity protection.

66.0504(2)(a) (a) If a program participant submits a written request to a local clerk that he or she keep the program participant’s actual address private, the local clerk may not disclose any record in his or her possession that would reveal the program participant’s actual address, except pursuant to a court order.

66.0504(2)(b) (b) The provisions of s. 165.68 (3) (b) 4. a., to the extent that they apply under s. 165.68, apply to a program participant’s written request under par. (a).

66.0504 History History: 2015 a. 356; 2017 a. 365.

66.0505 66.0505 Compensation of governing bodies.

66.0505(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0505(1)(a) (a) “Elective officer” means a member or member-elect of the governing body of a political subdivision.

66.0505(1)(b) (b) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county.