At Issue

Recently Passed Legislation

Recently passed legislation is a feature of the At Issue column in response to your requests for more information on new laws. Summaries of 1997 Acts 61 - 83 appeared in the May 1998 Wisconsin Lawyer; summaries of 1997 Acts 84 - 136 appeared in the June 1998 issue. Due to the volume of legislation passed during the regular and special sessions, legislative summaries appear in multiple issues.

To subscribe to the slip laws (acts), send your order with payment to: Department of Administration, Document Sales, P.O. Box 7840, Madison, WI 53707-7840. The subscription period is from January 1997 through December 1998. The mailed subscription price is $70 plus applicable sales tax. Save mailing costs by picking up your subscription for $20 plus tax. Pick up orders at Legislative Documents, 1 E. Main St., Madison, Wis. Mastercard or Visa orders may be placed by calling (800) 362-7253.

To receive a free, single copy of the entire act, please contact Legislative Documents, 1 E. Main St., Madison, WI 53702, (608) 266-2400. Or access the acts online.

Editor's Note: To view Wisconsin statutes and acts referenced in this article you must have and/or install Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 on your computer.

Qualified domestic relations under the Wisconsin retirement system

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 125
• 1997 Assembly Bill 118

Publication date*: May 1, 1998

Relating to: Qualified domestic relations orders under the Wisconsin retirement system.

Corrected copy: Initially printed with incorrect publication date of April 30, 1998.

Farmland preservation credit

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 137
• 1997 Assembly Bill 223

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Eligibility and certification to receive the farmland preservation credit.

Initial applicability: This act first applies to taxable years beginning on Jan. 1 of the year following the year in which this subsection takes effect.

Reinstating a bank trust fund provision

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 138
• 1997 Assembly Bill 379

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Reinstating a bank trust fund provision created by 1995 Wis. Act 273 that was unintentionally repealed by 1995 Wisconsin Act 336 (Revisor's Correction Bill).

Administrative warnings to holders of credentials issued by the department of regulation and licensing

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 139
• 1997 Assembly Bill 547

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: The issuance of administrative warnings to holders of credentials issued by the department of regulation and licensing and granting rule-making authority.

Adopting the Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 140
• 1997 Assembly Bill 553

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: The adoption of the Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act; the authority of nonprofit associations to acquire, hold and transfer property; the liability of nonprofit associations and their members; and the ability of nonprofit associations to sue and to be sued.

Effective dates: This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

(1) The creation of section 184.10 of the statutes takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.

Liability for dogs used in law enforcement functions

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 141
• 1997 Assembly Bill 611

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Liability for damages caused by dogs used to perform law enforcement functions.

Repealing the rejection of the federal preemption over state interest rate provisions

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 142
• 1997 Assembly Bill 669

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Repealing the rejection of federal preemption over state interest rate provisions.

Threats to harm a witness

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 143
• 1997 Assembly Bill 742

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Threats to cause bodily harm to a witness or to damage the property of a witness and providing penalties.

Savings and loan institutions

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 144
• 1997 Assembly Bill 797

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Investments and lending powers of savings institutions, the location of savings institution offices and the power of boards of directors of savings and loan associations to provide for pension and deferred compensation plans.

Registration requirements for loan originators

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 145
• 1997 Assembly Bill 830

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Registration requirements for loan originators, mortgage bankers, and mortgage brokers, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.

Operation and examination of banks

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 146
• 1997 Assembly Bill 832

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: In-state branches of out-of- state banks; examination of state banks and trust company banks by the division of banking; action without a meeting by a bank's board of directors; dividend rights on capital stock; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; and granting rule-making authority.

Property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations that rehabilitate housing

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 147
• 1997 Assembly Bill 61

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Creating a property tax exemption for nonprofit organizations that rehabilitate housing for sale to low-income persons.

Effective date: This act takes effect on the Jan. 1 after publication.

Assigning benefits to pay fines

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 148
• 1997 Senate Bill 78

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: Assignments of earnings, pension benefits, lottery winnings, and other benefits for the payment of assessments, fines, forfeitures, costs, restitution, and surcharges, making an appropriation and providing a penalty.

Effective date: This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

Valuing state employee accumulated sick leave credits

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 149
• 1997 Senate Bill 144

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: The valuation of a state employee's accumulated sick leave credits for the payment of health insurance premiums under a group health insurance program administered by the group insurance board.

Effective date: This act takes effect on July 1, 1997, or on the day after publication, whichever is later.

Governing library systems

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 150
• 1997 Senate Bill 269

Publication date*: May 4, 1998

Relating to: The number of members on the system board in certain federated library systems; nomination and approval of members of a library system board in a federated public library system; public library advisory committees; exemption from the county property tax levy for library services; the establishment by counties of standards for public libraries; public library system aids; reports on the effectiveness of public library systems; withdrawal from and participation in public library systems; appeals to the state superintendent of public instruction of a county library board or county board of supervisors' disapproval of a town's request to establish a public library; authorizing private colleges and universities to participate in telecommunications networks; and requiring counties to pay public libraries for services provided to residents of the county that reside in municipalities that do not maintain public libraries.

Effective date: This act takes effect on July 1, 1998.

Next Page