Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 13 - Legislative branch.
13.81 - Joint legislative council.

13.81 Joint legislative council.
(1) Creation. There is created a joint legislative council of 22 members consisting of the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate, the speaker pro tempore of the assembly and the president pro tempore of the senate, the senate and assembly majority and minority leaders, the 2 cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance, the ranking minority member of the joint committee on finance from each house, and 5 senators and 5 representatives to the assembly appointed as are the members of standing committees in their respective houses. The speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate, or the designee of each from within the membership of that house on the council, shall serve as cochairpersons of the council. The speaker of the assembly or the president of the senate may decline to serve as member of the joint legislative council and, instead, appoint a replacement member of his or her house to the joint legislative council.
(2) Meetings. The council upon the call of the cochairpersons, or any committee under s. 13.82 or 13.83 upon the call of the respective chairperson, may meet at any time and place it determines, but when one-third of the total voting membership of the council or of any such committee requests that a meeting be held at a specific time and place, the cochairpersons of the council or the respective chairperson of the committee shall call a meeting for the specific time and place. No committee may meet at a place outside this state without the prior consent of the majority of the officers of the council.
(3) Reports. The council shall prepare a biennial report of its activities for the governor and the legislature. The council may issue reports concerning any phase of its work or the work of any of its committees under ss. 13.82 and 13.83, and shall provide for adequate distribution of such reports. A committee may submit legislation recommended for passage to be introduced in the legislature by the council if a majority of the membership of the council votes to introduce such legislation.
(5) Expenditures. All expenditures for the council shall be by voucher signed either by the cochairpersons or by the director of the council staff.
(6) Reimbursement for special studies. At the end of each fiscal year, the general fund shall be reimbursed, from any other state fund, the amounts actually expended by the joint legislative council under s. 20.765 (3) (e) for the cost of making and publishing surveys and analyses of activities and policies related to such funds. The council shall bill such state funds at the end of each fiscal year for the costs so incurred, in accordance with cost records maintained by the council.
(8) Conference on legislative procedures. Following each general election, the joint legislative council shall sponsor a conference to acquaint new legislators or legislators-elect with legislative procedures. Expenses for the conference shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.765 (3) (e).
History: 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (6) (a), (8) (c); 1977 c. 325; 1979 c. 34 ss. 2r to 4, 2100; 1979 c. 110, 175; 1981 c. 20; 1985 a. 29, 95; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 52, 490; 1995 a. 27; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25; 2011 a. 8.
The one man-one vote principle is inapplicable to legislative committees since that principle applies only to the exercise of legislative powers and those powers cannot constitutionally be delegated to these committees. There has been no unconstitutional delegation to the joint legislative council. 63 Atty. Gen. 173.

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Chapter 13 - Legislative branch.

13.01 - Number of legislators.

13.02 - Regular sessions.

13.03 - Oaths of members.

13.035 - Designation of members.

13.04 - Legislators' eligibility to other civil office.

13.05 - Logrolling prohibited.

13.06 - Executive favor.

13.07 - Freedom of debate confirmed.

13.08 - Mileage allowance.

13.085 - Bills increasing certain tax rates.

13.09 - Joint committee on finance.

13.093 - Reference of bills to joint committee on finance.

13.095 - Review of programs started with federal aid.

13.096 - Review of bills establishing vehicle weight limit exceptions.

13.0965 - Review of bills proposing revocation of an operating privilege.

13.0966 - Review of bills or amendments establishing health insurance mandates.

13.097 - Review of legislation providing for conveyances of lake bed areas.

13.0975 - Review of legislative proposals impacting energy availability.

13.098 - Review of legislation relating to alcohol and other drug abuse.

13.099 - Review of bills affecting housing.

13.10 - Joint committee on finance approvals.

13.101 - Joint committee on finance; appropriation and position changes.

13.102 - Joint committee on finance; consideration of biennial budget bill.

13.105 - Marquette University Dental School reports to governor and joint committee on finance.

13.106 - Medical College of Wisconsin and UW-Madison Medical School reports.

13.11 - Records of joint committee on finance.

13.111 - Joint committee on employment relations.

13.121 - Legislators' salaries and benefits.

13.123 - Legislators' expenses.

13.124 - Legal representation.

13.125 - Chaplains.

13.127 - Advice and consent of the senate.

13.13 - Speaker; deputy speaker; president of senate.

13.14 - Miscellaneous expenses.

13.15 - Chief clerks.

13.16 - Chief clerks' duties.

13.17 - Journals.

13.172 - State agency reports.

13.175 - Referenda.

13.176 - Article V convention.

13.18 - Sergeants at arms.

13.19 - Arrest of officers.

13.20 - Legislative employees.

13.21 - State departments to cooperate in providing legislative help.

13.22 - Payroll, legislative employees.

13.23 - Election contests; notice.

13.235 - Election contests; legislative inquiry.

13.24 - Testimony in election contests.

13.25 - Expenses of election contest; limitation.

13.26 - Contempt.

13.27 - Punishment for contempt.

13.28 - Interpellation of officers.

13.29 - Time for interpellation and procedure.

13.30 - State officers; removal by legislature.

13.31 - Witnesses; how subpoenaed.

13.32 - Summary process; custody of witness.

13.33 - Service of process.

13.34 - Refusal to testify.

13.35 - Liability of witness.

13.36 - Witness fees.

13.365 - Intervention.

13.39 - Legislative consideration of biennial budget bill.

13.41 - Interim successors for legislators.

13.42 - Virtual meetings of the legislature and legislative committees.

13.45 - General provisions on legislative committees.

13.46 - Majority and minority parties.

13.47 - Legislative state supported programs study and advisory committee.

13.48 - Long-range public building program.

13.482 - State Public Building Corporation.

13.484 - Limitation on certain building projects.

13.485 - Parking structure funding.

13.486 - State office building, completion of.

13.488 - Building commission; powers and duties.

13.489 - Transportation projects commission.

13.50 - Joint survey committee on retirement systems.

13.52 - Joint survey committee on tax exemptions.

13.525 - Joint review committee on criminal penalties.

13.53 - Joint legislative audit committee.

13.55 - Commission on uniform state laws.

13.56 - Joint committee for review of administrative rules.

13.565 - Legislative review of certain rules.

13.57 - National conference of state legislatures.

13.58 - Joint committee on information policy and technology.

13.61 - Lobbying regulated; legislative purpose.

13.62 - Definitions.

13.621 - Exemptions.

13.625 - Prohibited practices.

13.63 - Licenses for lobbyists; suspension or revocation.

13.64 - Lobbying registry.

13.65 - Lobbyist authorization.

13.66 - Restrictions on practice of lobbying.

13.67 - Identification of legislative and administrative proposals and topics.

13.68 - Principal's expense statement.

13.685 - Duties of the ethics commission.

13.69 - Enforcement and penalties.

13.695 - Legislative activities of state agencies.

13.71 - Lobbyists restricted during daily sessions.

13.74 - Auditing.

13.75 - Fees.

13.80 - Legislative organization, joint committee on.

13.81 - Joint legislative council.

13.82 - Committees appointed by council.

13.83 - Permanent council committees.

13.90 - Duties and powers of the joint committee on legislative organization.

13.905 - Legislative conduct.

13.91 - Legislative council staff.

13.92 - Legislative reference bureau.

13.94 - Legislative audit bureau.

13.95 - Legislative fiscal bureau.

13.96 - Legislative technology services bureau.