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RECENTLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATION
of Municipal Importance
This legislative session initially started a bit more slowly than usual, but it is now picking up momentum with over 100 pieces of legislation introduced in each house. Below is a summary of the legislative proposals the League is monitoring.
SB 2/AB 2. Eliminating the Personal Property Tax. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the remaining categories of personal property tax would be exempt from tax assessment. This means businesses would no longer be required to comply with task of cataloging and calculating their payments, and municipalities would no longer need to assess and collect the tax. The 2021-23 budget built money into the baseline to reimburse local governments for lost tax collections, ensuring the state can make local governments whole when the first funds would be needed in 2024. By Senator Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Representative Knodl (R-Germantown). The League is neutral on this bill.
SB 46/AB 44. Responsibility of a Property Owner for Discharge of a Hazardous Substance by Another. This bill exempts a property owner that is not a corporate entity from responsibility relating to the discharge of a hazardous substance on or originating from the owner's property under certain conditions. The bill also exempts a county that takes a tax deed on property contaminated by a hazardous substance, or any person who acquires the property from the county. By Senator Jacque (R-DePere) and Representative Mursau (R-Crivitz). The League is reviewing this bill.
SB 49/AB 45. Restricting Local Regulation of Utility Service Based on the Type or Source of Energy. The bill does provide that it does not affect the authority of a city, village, town, or county to either 1) manage or operate a public utility; or 2) take steps designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations of the city, village, town, or county, including purchasing renewable energy. By Senator Bradley (R-Franklin) and Representative Knodl (R-Germantown). The League is reviewing this bill.
SB 67/AB 73. Changing the Phase-Out of Utility Aid Payments for Decommissioned Power Plants. This bill defines the term decommissioned and it also provides that, with regard to a power production plant that has multiple power generation units, the utility aid payment received by a county or municipality will not be reduced on the basis that one or more, but not all, of the power generation units permanently ceased generating electricity, and the amount of the payment will be the same as the payment received in the year before the year the first power generation unit permanently ceased generating electricity. In addition, the phase out of utility aid payments under the bill does not begin until the production plant is decommissioned, and the amounts of the phase-out payments are determined on the basis of the amount of the payment received in the year before the year the first power generation unit permanently ceased generating electricity. By Senator Ballweg (R-Markesan) and Representative Oldenburg (R-Viroqua). The League supports this bill.
SB 70/AB 43. Biennial Budget Bill. See the League's Capitol Buzz from February 16th for more information. Additional budget documents can be found here. And once the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee begins work on the budget, you can find that information here.
SB 90/AB 55. Penalties for Reckless Driving. In this bill the penalties for reckless driving are increased from a forfeiture of $25 to $200 to $50 to $400 and as the severity of the reckless driving increases so do the penalties that can be assessed up to the classification of reckless driving causing great bodily harm to another in which the felony is increased from a Class I to Class H which has a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed six years, or both. By Senator Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Representative Donovan (R-Greenfield). The League supports this bill.
SB 92/AB 56. Impoundment of Vehicles Used in Reckless Driving Offenses. Under this bill, a political subdivision may enact an ordinance authorizing law enforcement officers to impound vehicles used in reckless driving offenses when the person cited for reckless driving is the owner of the vehicle and has a prior reckless driving conviction for which a forfeiture was imposed that has not been fully paid. By Senator Nass (R-Whitewater) and Representative Donovan (R-Greenfield). The League supports this bill.
SB 99/AB 100. Funding for Connecting Laterals and Sewer Lines. This bill provides that projects for the reduction of infiltration and inflow in connecting laterals and sewer lines are eligible for funding under the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP) administered by the Department of Natural Resources. By Senator Cowles (R-Green Bay) and Representative Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek). The League supports this bill.
SB 103/AB 96. Developer-Financed Tax Incremental Districts. This bill allows cities, villages, and certain towns to create developer-financed tax incremental districts, which are excepted from the general rule that the equalized value of taxable property of a new or amended tax incremental district (TID) plus the value increment of all existing TIDs in a city or village may not exceed 12 percent of the total equalized value of taxable property in the city or village (12 percent rule) and the requirement that all areas of a TID be contiguous. By Senator Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and Representative Plumer (R-Lodi). The League is reviewing this bill.
SB 104/AB 95. Eligibility for Local Office Following Removal. This bill provides that an elective official of a political subdivision who is removed from office for cause or who resigns during the pendency of a removal proceeding is ineligible for the elective public office from which the official was removed. An elective official who resigns during the pendency of a removal proceeding may regain eligibility by demonstrating to the removing power that the official would not have been removed for cause and did not resign for purposes of impeding the removal proceeding. By Senator Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) and Representative Spiros (R-Marshfield). The League is neutral on this bill.
SB 113. Conditions of Liability for Worker's Compensation Benefits. This bill makes changes to the conditions of liability for worker's compensation benefits for emergency medical responders, emergency medical services practitioners, volunteer fire fighters, correctional officers, emergency dispatchers, coroners and coroner staff members, and medical examiners and medical examiner staff members who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This bill aligns those in the above classifications with the standards for law enforcement officers and fire fighters. By Senator Jacque (R-DePere) and Representative Armstrong (R-Rice Lake). The League is reviewing this bill.
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