Section 13.55. Commission on uniform state laws.

 

(1)   Creation.

(a)

1. There is created an 8-member commission on uniform state laws to advise the legislature with regard to uniform laws and model laws. Except as provided under par. (b) , the commission shall consist of all of the following:

a. The director of the legislative council staff or a professional employee of the legislative council staff designated by the director.

b. The chief of the legislative reference bureau or a professional employee under s. 13.92 (1) (b) designated by the chief.

d. Two senators and 2 representatives to the assembly from the 2 major political parties appointed as are members of standing committees for 2-year terms.

e. Two public members appointed by the governor for 4-year terms.

2. The terms of members appointed by the governor or by the legislature shall expire on May 1 of an odd-numbered year. The members, other than the appointees of the governor or of the legislature, may each designate an employee to represent them at any meeting of the conference under sub. (3) .

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, only senators and representatives to the assembly who are members of the bar association of this state may be appointed to seats designated for the offices of senator and representative to the assembly under par. (a) . A seat designated for one of these offices that cannot be filled because of this requirement, or because a senator or representative to the assembly is unwilling or unable to serve on the delegation, may be filled by a former senator or representative to the assembly from the applicable political party who served on the commission during his or her term as a senator or representative to the assembly and who is a member of the bar association of this state. The former senator or representative to the assembly may be appointed as are members of standing committees and shall serve for a 2-year term as provided under par. (a) . This paragraph does not apply if the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws permits individuals to become voting commissioners or associate members of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws without regard to membership in the bar of the state that the individual represents.

(2)   Quorum; scheduled meetings. Any 5 members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission shall meet at least once every 2 years.

(3)   National conference. Each commissioner may attend the annual meeting of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and shall do all of the following:

(a) Examine subjects on which uniformity of legislation is desirable.

(b) Ascertain the best methods to effect uniformity.

(c) Cooperate with commissioners in other states in the preparation of uniform acts.

(d) Prepare bills adapting such uniform acts to the Wisconsin statutes, for introduction in the legislature.

(4)   Report. The commission shall make a biennial report to the law revision committee of the joint legislative council.

(5)   Nonlawyer members. The commissioners shall individually and collectively endeavor to secure the right of any person to become a voting commissioner or associate member of the national conference of commissioners on uniform state laws without regard to his or her membership in the bar of the state which he or she represents. The commission shall include in its first 2 biennial reports under sub. (4) after January 1, 1981 a description of the endeavors, an assessment of the probability of their success within the foreseeable future and further recommendations for accomplishing the objective described in this subsection.

1973 c. 243 ; 1977 c. 29 ; 1979 c. 110 , 204 , 294 , 355 , 357 ; 1989 a. 31 ; 1993 a. 52 , 490 ; 2001 a. 107 ; 2003 a. 2 ; 2005 a. 23 , 149 ; 2007 a. 20 .