196.65 Penalties relating to information and records.

(1) An officer of a public utility shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $2,500, or an agent, as defined in s. 196.66 (3) (a), shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 or an employee of a public utility shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each offense if the officer, agent or employee does any of the following:

(a) Fails or refuses to fill out and return any questionnaire required under this chapter.

(b) Fails or refuses to answer any question in any questionnaire required under this chapter.

(c) Knowingly gives a false answer to any question in any questionnaire required under this chapter.

(d) Evades the answer to any question in any questionnaire required under this chapter, if the answer is within his or her knowledge.

(e) Upon proper demand, fails or refuses to exhibit to the commission, the chairperson of the commission, or any commissioner or any person authorized to examine it any record of the public utility which is in the possession or under the control of the officer, agent or employee.

(f) Fails to properly use and keep the system of accounting prescribed by the commission.

(g) Refuses to do any act in connection with the system of accounting prescribed by the commission when so directed by the commission or its authorized representative.

(2) A penalty of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 shall be recovered from the public utility for each offense under sub. (1) if the officer, agent or employee of the public utility acted in obedience to the direction, instruction or request of the public utility or any general officer of the public utility.

(3)

(a) In this subsection, “agent" means an authorized person who acts on behalf of or at the direction of a telecommunications provider. “Agent" does not include a director, officer or employee of a telecommunications provider.

(b) An officer of a telecommunications provider shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $2,500, an agent of a telecommunications provider shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $25,000 or an employee of a telecommunications provider shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each offense if the officer, agent or employee does any of the following:

1. Fails or refuses to fill out and return any questionnaire required under s. 196.25 (3).

2. Fails or refuses to answer any question in any questionnaire required under s. 196.25 (3).

3. Knowingly gives a false answer to any question in any questionnaire required under s. 196.25 (3).

4. Evades the answer to any question in any questionnaire required under s. 196.25 (3).

5. Upon proper demand, fails or refuses to exhibit to the commission, or any person authorized to examine records, any record of the telecommunications provider which is in the possession or under the control of the officer, agent or employee.

(c) A telecommunications provider shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $25,000 for each violation under par. (b) if the officer, agent or employee of the telecommunications provider acted under the direction or request of the telecommunications provider or any general officer of the telecommunications provider.

(d) After notice and hearing, the commission may order a telecommunications utility to cease provision of interconnection or access services to a telecommunications provider who has violated par. (b).

History: 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (10) (c); 1977 c. 273; 1981 c. 390; 1983 a. 53; 1989 a. 49; 1993 a. 496; 2015 a. 55.