Previous Page

At Issue

Laws in the Making:
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 ; and 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 you can access the acts by using the links below. *

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.

* - Publication date statutory note

Costs of seized or confiscated fish and game

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 321
• 1997 Assembly Bill 873

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Distribution and processing costs of seized or confiscated fish and game.

Fishing licenses for disabled veterans

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 322
• 1997 Senate Bill 352

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Fishing licenses for disabled veterans

Initial applicability: This act first applies to fishing licenses applied for on the effective date of this subsection.

Prohibiting browsing of taxpayer information

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 323
• 1997 Assembly Bill 881

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Prohibiting browsing of taxpayer information and providing a penalty.

Regulating grain dealers and warehouse keepers

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 324
• 1997 Senate Bill 275

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Regulation of grain dealers and grain warehouse keepers.

Speed restriction violations in school zones

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 325
• 1997 Senate Bill 88

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Increasing forfeitures for motor vehicle speed restriction violations committed in school zones and providing penalties.

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

Persistent child sex offenders

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 326
• 1997 Assembly Bill 505

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Persistent child sex offenders and providing penalties.

Distributing a controlled substance near certain places

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 327
• 1997 Assembly Bill 589

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Delivery or distribution of a controlled substance, or possession with intent to deliver or distribute a controlled substance, on or near certain places and providing a penalty.

Violating nonsecure custody orders by juveniles

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 328
• 1997 Assembly Bill 658

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Violations of nonsecure custody orders by juveniles and providing a penalty.

Searching a pupil's locker

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 329
• 1997 Assembly Bill 715

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Authorizing the search of a pupil's locker.

Prohibiting toilet waste disposal into water from boats

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 330
• 1997 Senate Bill 34

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Disposal facilities on outlying waters for toilet wastes from boats and granting rule-making authority.

Effective date: This act takes effect on Jan. 1, 1999.

Writer liable for worthless checks

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 331
• 1997 Assembly Bill 265

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Liability for worthless checks.

Approving and recording final plats

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 332
• 1997 Assembly Bill 659

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Approval and recording of final plats.

Designating a child's standby guardian

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 334
• 1997 Assembly Bill 713

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: The designation by a parent or the appointment by a court of a standby guardian of a child whose duty and authority as standby guardian begins on the incapacity, death, or debilitation and consent, of the parent.

Teachers may remove disruptive pupils from class

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 335
• 1997 Senate Bill 274

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Removal of disruptive pupils from the class.

Penalties for providing alcohol to minors

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 337
• 1997 Assembly Bill 482

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Providing alcohol beverages to an underage person.

Recording requirements for condominium instruments

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 338
• 1997 Assembly Bill 537

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Recording requirements for condominium instruments.

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

Restricting sales and delivery of nitrous oxide

• 1997 Wisconsin Act 336
• 1997 Assembly Bill 215

Publication date*: July 15, 1998

Relating to: Nitrous oxide and providing penalties.

Initial applicability: The treatment of section 134.63 (3) (a) and (4) (b) of the statutes first applies to deliveries of nitrous oxide cartridges occurring on the first day of the seventh month beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

* Section 991.11, Wisconsin Statutes 1995-96: Effective date of acts. "Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor's partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication as designated" by the secretary of state [the date of publication may not be more than 10 working days after the date of enactment].