Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 19 - General duties of public officials.
19.43 - Financial disclosure.

19.43 Financial disclosure.
(1) Each individual who in January of any year is an official required to file, and who is an official required to file for at least 14 days in that year, shall file with the commission no later than April 30 of that year a statement of economic interests meeting each of the requirements of s. 19.44 (1). The information contained on the statement shall be current as of December 31 of the preceding year.
(2) An official required to file shall file with the commission a statement of economic interests meeting each of the requirements of s. 19.44 (1) no later than 21 days following the date he or she assumes office if the official has not previously filed a statement of economic interests with the commission during that year. The information on the statement shall be current as per the date he or she assumes office.
(2m) Each individual who is an official required to file shall file with the commission a statement of economic interests meeting each of the requirements of s. 19.44 (1) no later than 21 days following the date on which the individual's term of office ends or the individual leaves the office. The information contained on the statement shall be current as of the date on which the individual's term of office ends or the individual leaves the office. An individual who files a statement as provided under this subsection is not required to file another statement of economic interests until such time as the individual again becomes an official required to file.
(3) A nominee shall file with the commission a statement of economic interests meeting each of the requirements of s. 19.44 (1) within 21 days of being nominated unless the nominee has previously filed a statement of economic interests with the commission during that year. The information on the statement shall be current as per the date he or she was nominated. Following the receipt of a nominee's statement of economic interests, the commission shall forward copies of such statement to the members of the committee of the senate to which the nomination is referred.
(4) A candidate for state public office shall file with the commission a statement of economic interests meeting each of the requirements of s. 19.44 (1) no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 3rd day following the last day for filing nomination papers for the office which the candidate seeks, or no later than 4:30 p.m. on the next business day after the last day whenever that candidate is granted an extension of time for filing nomination papers or a declaration of candidacy under s. 8.05 (1) (j), 8.10 (2) (a), 8.15 (1), or 8.20 (8) (a); no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 5th day after notification of nomination is mailed or personally delivered to the candidate by the municipal clerk in the case of a candidate who is nominated at a caucus; or no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 3rd day after notification of nomination is mailed or personally delivered to the candidate by the appropriate official or agency in the case of a write-in candidate or candidate who is appointed to fill a vacancy in nomination under s. 8.35 (2) (a). The information contained on the statement shall be current as of December 31 of the year preceding the filing deadline. Before certifying the name of any candidate for state public office under s. 7.08 (2) (a), the elections commission, municipal clerk, or board of election commissioners shall ascertain whether that candidate has complied with this subsection. If not, the elections commission, municipal clerk, or board of election commissioners may not certify the candidate's name for ballot placement.
(5) Each member of the investment board and each employee of the investment board who is a state public official shall complete and file with the commission a quarterly report of economic transactions no later than the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter during any portion of which he or she was a member or employee of the investment board. Such reports of economic transactions shall be in the form prescribed by the commission and shall identify the date and nature of any purchase, sale, put, call, option, lease, or creation, dissolution, or modification of any economic interest made during the quarter for which the report is filed and disclosure of which would be required by s. 19.44 if a statement of economic interests were being filed.
(7) If an official required to file fails to make a timely filing, the commission shall promptly provide notice of the delinquency to the secretary of administration, and to the chief executive of the department of which the official's office or position is a part, or, in the case of a district attorney, to the chief executive of that department and to the county clerk of each county served by the district attorney or in the case of a municipal judge to the clerk of the municipality of which the official's office is a part, or in the case of a justice, court of appeals judge, or circuit judge, to the director of state courts. Upon such notification both the secretary of administration and the department, municipality, or director shall withhold all payments for compensation, reimbursement of expenses, and other obligations to the official until the commission notifies the officers to whom notice of the delinquency was provided that the official has complied with this section.
(8) On its own motion or at the request of any individual who is required to file a statement of economic interests, the commission may extend the time for filing or waive any filing requirement if the commission determines that the literal application of the filing requirements of this subchapter would work an unreasonable hardship on that individual or that the extension of the time for filing or waiver is in the public interest. The commission shall set forth in writing as a matter of public record its reason for the extension or waiver.
History: 1973 c. 90; Stats. 1973 s. 11.03; 1973 c. 333; 1973 c. 334 s. 33; Stats. 1973 s. 19.43; 1977 c. 223, 277; 1979 c. 221; 1983 a. 166 ss. 5, 16; 1983 a. 484, 538; 1985 a. 29, 304; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 266; 2003 a. 33; 2007 a. 1; 2015 a. 118 ss. 182, 183, 266 (10); 2021 a. 267.
The extent of confidentiality of investment board nominees' statements of economic interests rests in the sound discretion of the senate committee to which the nomination is referred under sub. (3). 68 Atty. Gen. 378.
Discussing the possible conflict between requirements of financial disclosure and confidentiality requirements for lawyers. 68 Atty. Gen. 411.
Sub. (8) does not authorize the ethics board to extend the date by which a candidate must file a statement of economic interest and cannot waive the filing requirement. 81 Atty. Gen. 85.

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