Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 18 - State debt, revenue obligations and operating notes.
18.61 - Undertakings of state.

18.61 Undertakings of state.
(1) The state shall not be generally liable on revenue obligations and revenue obligations shall not be a debt of the state for any purpose whatsoever. All evidences of revenue obligation shall contain on their face a statement to that effect.
(2) The state pledges and agrees with the owners of revenue obligations that the state will not limit or alter its powers to fulfill the terms of any agreements made with the owners or in any way impair the rights and remedies of the owners until the revenue obligations, together with interest including interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceeding by or on behalf of the owners, are fully met and discharged. The commission may include this pledge and agreement of the state in any agreement with the owners of revenue obligation.
(3)
(a) If the state fails to pay any revenue obligation in accordance with its terms, and default continues for a period of 30 days or if the state fails or refuses to comply with this subchapter or defaults in any agreement made with the owners of any issue of revenue obligations, the owners of 25 percent in aggregate principal amount of the revenue obligations of the issue then outstanding, by instrument recorded in the office of the register of deeds of Dane County and approved or acknowledged in the same manner as a deed to be recorded, may appoint a trustee to represent the owners of the revenue obligations for the purposes specifically provided in the instrument.
(b) The trustee may, and upon written request of the owners of 25 percent in aggregate principal amount of the revenue obligations of the issue then outstanding shall, in the trustee's own name:
1. By action or proceeding, enforce all rights of all owners of the issue of revenue obligations, including the right to require the state to collect enterprise or program income or special fund income adequate to carry out any agreement as to, or pledge of, such income and to require the state to carry out any other agreements with the owners of the revenue obligations and to perform its duties under this subchapter;
2. Bring suit upon the revenue obligation;
3. By action, require the state to account as if it were the trustee of an express trust for the owners of the revenue obligations;
4. By action, enjoin any acts or things which may be unlawful or in violation of the rights of the owners of the revenue obligations; and
5. Declare all the revenue obligations due and payable, and if all defaults shall be made good, the aggregate principal amount of the revenue obligations of the issue then outstanding, to annul the declaration and its consequences.
(c) The trustee shall have all of the powers necessary or appropriate for the exercise of any functions specifically set forth in this subchapter or incident to the general representation of the owners of revenue obligations in the enforcement and protection of their rights.
(d) Before declaring the principal of revenue obligations due and payable, the trustee shall first give 30 days' notice in writing to the governor and the attorney general.
(e) Any action or proceeding by the trustee against the state may be commenced by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the attorney general or leaving them at the attorney general's office with an assistant or clerk. The place of trial of such an action shall be as provided in s. 801.50. Sections 16.53 and 775.01 shall not apply to such claims. If there is final judgment against the state in such action, it shall be paid as provided in s. 775.04, together with interest at the rate of 10 percent per year from the date payment was judged to have been due until the date of payment of the judgment.
(4) Any public officer or public employee, as defined in s. 939.22 (30), and the surety on the person's official bond, or any other person participating in any direct or indirect impairment of any fund established under this subchapter, shall be liable in any action brought by the attorney general in the name of the state, or by any taxpayer of the state, or by the owner of revenue obligation payable in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of such fund, to restore to the fund all diversions from the fund.
(5) The legislature may provide, with respect to any specific issue of revenue obligations, prior to their issuance, that if the special fund income or the enterprise or program income pledged to the payment of the principal and interest of the issue is insufficient for that purpose, or is insufficient to replenish a reserve fund, if applicable, it will consider supplying the deficiency by appropriation of funds, from time to time, out of the treasury. If the legislature so provides, the commission may make the necessary provisions therefor in the authorizing resolution and other proceedings of the issue. Thereafter, if the contingency occurs, recognizing its moral obligation to do so, the legislature hereby expresses its expectation and aspiration that it shall make such appropriation.
History: 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 32 s. 92 (5); 1979 c. 107; 1981 c. 336; 1983 a. 228 s. 16; 1993 a. 301; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 103; 2005 a. 25.

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