13.91 Legislative council staff. There is created a bureau known as the “Legislative Council Staff", headed by a director. The legislative council staff shall be strictly nonpartisan and shall at all times observe the confidential nature of the research and drafting requests received by it. The legislative council staff may call upon any state department, agency or officer, or any agency of any political subdivision, for such facilities and data as are available and such departments and agencies shall cooperate with the legislative council staff to the fullest possible extent.
(1) Duties of the staff. The legislative council staff shall:
(a) Provide staff services to the joint legislative council under s. 13.81 and to any of the committees appointed under ss. 13.82 and 13.83.
(b) As directed by the joint legislative council, gather information and prepare written studies on topics referred to the council by the legislature or which seem desirable to the council.
(c) Perform the functions prescribed in ch. 227 relating to administrative rules and guidance documents.
(d) Provide staff services to assist the legislature in identifying and responding to issues relating to the Wisconsin Retirement System. In the performance of these duties, the legislative council staff shall:
1. Provide legal and research staff services to the joint survey committee on retirement systems under s. 13.50.
2. Prepare fiscal estimates on bills referred to the joint survey committee on retirement systems.
3. Facilitate communication between the legislature and participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System on issues relating to public employee retirement systems.
4. Every 2 years, prepare a comparative study of major public employee retirement systems in the United States.
5. In consultation with groups representing participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System, suggest to the cochairpersons of the joint legislative council any feasible subjects for study or investigation of public employee retirement issues with respect to which committees may be appointed under s. 13.82.
(2) Duties of the director. The director of the legislative council staff shall:
(a) Supervise and train the personnel assigned to him or her.
(b) Supervise all expenditures of the legislative council staff.
(c) Attend all scheduled meetings of the joint legislative council under s. 13.81, and may attend meetings of any of its committees under ss. 13.82 and 13.83.
(d) Attend, personally or through a professional employee of the legislative council staff designated by him or her, all meetings of the commission on uniform state laws under s. 13.55.
(e) Attend and participate in, personally or through a designated employee of the legislative council staff, midwest and national meetings in which the commission on uniform state laws participates and that will benefit the operations of the legislative council staff.
History: 1971 c. 215; 1973 c. 243; 1979 c. 34 ss. 8 to 9b, 2100; 1979 c. 109, 121; 1979 c. 154 s. 45; 1979 c. 204; 1979 c. 221 s. 2202 (33); 1979 c. 328, 355; 1981 c. 335; 1983 a. 308; 1985 a. 182 s. 57; 1989 a. 31; 1989 a. 56 s. 259; 1993 a. 52, 490; 2003 a. 172; 2005 a. 316; 2017 a. 369.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 13 - Legislative branch.
13.01 - Number of legislators.
13.035 - Designation of members.
13.04 - Legislators' eligibility to other civil office.
13.05 - Logrolling prohibited.
13.07 - Freedom of debate confirmed.
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.
13.127 - Advice and consent of the senate.
13.13 - Speaker; deputy speaker; president of senate.
13.14 - Miscellaneous expenses.
13.172 - State agency reports.
13.176 - Article V convention.
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.
13.27 - 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.
13.39 - 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.
13.625 - Prohibited practices.
13.63 - Licenses for lobbyists; suspension or revocation.
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.
13.80 - 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.
13.91 - Legislative council staff.
13.92 - Legislative reference bureau.
13.94 - Legislative audit bureau.