13.45 General provisions on legislative committees.

(1) Term; eligibility; vacancies.

(a) Unless otherwise provided by law, the terms of all legislator members of committees or other bodies established by statute on which there are legislator members appointed as are the members of standing committees in their respective houses, shall expire on the date specified in s. 13.02 (1). Unless otherwise provided by rule or resolution, any special legislative committee and the memberships thereof shall expire upon the accomplishment of the purpose for which the committee was created or the termination of the legislative session biennium in which the committee was created.

(b) A legislator's membership, on any committee or other body established by statute to which the legislator was appointed by reason of being a member of the legislature, terminates when such person ceases to be a legislator.

(c) Legislator vacancies on committees or other bodies established by statute, including first appointments upon the creation of such committees or bodies, shall be filled as are original appointments at the commencement of the legislative session biennium.

(2) Appointments reported. The chief clerk of each house shall file a duplicate of each report required by s. 14.40 (4) with the director of the legislative council staff.

(3) Expenses.

(a) For any day for which the legislator does not file a claim under s. 13.123 (1), any legislator appointed to serve on a legislative committee or a committee to which the legislator was appointed by either house or the officers thereof shall be reimbursed from the appropriations under s. 20.765 (1) (a) or (b) for actual and necessary expenses incurred as a member of the committee.

(b) Unless otherwise provided by law, any state officer or employee representing an agency as a member of a committee under this chapter shall be reimbursed by the agency for the actual and necessary expenses incurred by the officer or employee in the performance of duties as a committee member.

(c) Unless otherwise provided by law, any member of a committee under this chapter and not covered by par. (a) or (b) shall be reimbursed from the appropriation of the committee on which the member serves for the actual and necessary expenses incurred by the member in the performance of duties as a committee member.

(4) Organization. Unless otherwise provided by law, and except as provided in sub. (4m), every legislative committee or committee on which there are legislative members selected by either house or the officers thereof shall:

(a) Elect a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary from among its members.

(b) Meet at such times, and at such locations within this state, as the chairperson with the consent of the members announces.

(c) Maintain its office in the capitol.

(d) Maintain a written record of its proceedings.

(e) On or before May 1 of each odd-numbered year, submit a written report of its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).

(4m) Cochairpersons of joint legislative committees. Except as provided in s. 13.81 (1), every joint standing, statutory, special or other joint committee shall be chaired jointly by a senator and a representative to the assembly appointed as are other members of the joint committee.

(5) Rules of procedure; quorum. Unless otherwise provided by law, every legislative committee or committee on which there are legislative members selected by either house or the officers thereof may adopt such rules for the conduct of its business as are necessary, but a majority of the members appointed to a committee shall constitute a quorum to do business and a majority of such quorum may act in any matter within the jurisdiction of the committee.

(6) Committee members may administer oaths. Any senator or representative to the assembly, while acting as a member of a legislative committee, may administer oaths to persons to be examined before such committee.

(7) Cooperation of state agencies. The departments, officers and employees of Wisconsin state government, and the governing bodies of the political subdivisions of this state, shall assist legislative committees in the completion of their tasks. They shall provide legislative committees with ready access to any books, records or other information relating to such tasks. Upon request by legislative committees, and within the limits of existing appropriations, departments of state government shall supply such specialized staff assistance as a legislative committee may require.

History: 1975 c. 224; 1977 c. 325; 1979 c. 34 s. 2102 (48) (a); 1981 c. 391; 1983 a. 27 s. 2202 (33); 1987 a. 186; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 52, 184; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25.