Hearing Date:
August 30, 2010
2.
EmR1035
— Rule adopted to repeal and recreate
Chapter
GAB 4
, relating to observers at a polling place or other location where votes are being cast, counted or recounted.
Finding of Emergency
The Government Accountability Board repeals and recreates chapter GAB 4, Election observers, to establish guidelines for election inspectors and observers alike regarding observation by "any member of the public" of the public aspects of the voting process and regarding the conduct of observers at polling places and other locations where observation of the public aspects of the voting process may take place. The Board finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. A statement of the facts constituting the emergency is:
Pursuant to s.
227.24
, Stats., the Government Accountability Board finds that an emergency exists in the Board's May 5, 2008 decision to decline to reaffirm the administrative rule ElBd 4.01 because the rule was inconsistent with the requirements of its enabling statute, s.
7.41
, Stats. The statute states that any member of the public is allowed to be present at the polls on Election Day to observe; however, it does not specify standards of conduct by which observers must abide.
The Board further finds that given the public interest in the 2010 General Election, the expected high turnout, the increasing use of observers in the polling place, and the comments of municipal and county clerks regarding the obstacles observers can pose to the orderly conduct of elections, it is necessary to codify standards to regulate the observers' conduct and that the attached rule governing observer conduct must be adopted prior to the General Election to ensure the public peace and safety with respect to the administration of the fall elections.
Publication Date:
September 24, 2010
Effective Dates:
September 24, 2010 through
February 20, 2011
Hearing Date:
December 13, 2010
3.
EmR1049
— Rule adopted to amend
section
GAB 1.28
,
relating to the definition of the term "political purpose."
Finding of Emergency
The Government Accountability Board amends s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
, Wis. Adm. Code, relating to the definition of the term "political purpose." Section
GAB 1.28
as a whole continues to clarify the definition of "political purposes" found in s.
11.01(16)(a)1.
, Stats., but repeals the second sentence of s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
which prescribes communications presumptively susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a specific candidate.
This amendment to s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
is to the rule that was published on July 31, 2010 and effective on August 1, 2010, following a lengthy two year period of drafting, internal review and study, public comment, Legislative review, and consideration of U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Within the context of ch.
11
, Stats, s.
GAB 1.28
provides direction to persons intending to engage in activities for political purposes with respect to triggering registering and reporting obligations under campaign financing statutes and regulations. In addition, the rule provides more information for the public so that it may have a more complete understanding as to who is supporting or opposing which candidate or cause and to what extent, whether directly or indirectly.
Pursuant to §
227.24
, Stats., the Government Accountability Board finds an emergency exists as a result of pending litigation against the Board and two decisions by the United States Supreme Court:
Federal Election Commission (FEC) v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. (WRTL II)
,
550 U.S. 549
(2007) and
Citizens United v. FEC
, 558 U.S. ___, (No. 08-205)(January 21, 2010). Following the effective date of the August 1, 2010 rule, three lawsuits were filed seeking a declaration that the rule was unconstitutional and beyond the Board's statutory authority: one in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, one in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and one in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On August 13, 2010, the Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily enjoined enforcement of the August 1, 2010 rule, pending further order by the Court.
In the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, the parties previously executed a joint stipulation asking the Court to permanently enjoin application and enforcement of the second sentence of s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
. On October 13, 2010, the Court issued an Opinion and Order denying that injunction request. In denying the injunction, the Court noted that "G.A.B. has within its own power the ability to refrain from enforcing, or removing altogether, the offending sentence from a regulation G.A.B. itself created" and emphasized that "removing the language—for example, by G.A.B. issuing an emergency rule—would be far more `simple and expeditious' than asking a federal court to permanently enjoin enforcement of the offending regulation."
Wisconsin Club for Growth, Inc. v. Myse
, No. 10-CV-427, slip op. at 2 (W.D. Wis. Oct. 13, 2010). The Court further noted that staying the case would give the Board time to resolve some or all of the pending issues through further rulemaking.
Id.
, slip op. at 14.
In addition, the Board, through its litigation counsel, has represented to the Wisconsin Supreme Court that it does not intend to defend the validity of the second sentence of s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
and that it would stipulate to the entry of an order by that Court permanently enjoining the application or enforcement of that sentence.
This amendment brings s.
GAB 1.28(3)(b)
into conformity with the above stipulation, with the representations that have been made to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and with the suggestions made in the October 13, 2010, Opinion and Order of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The Board finds that the immediate adoption of this amendment will preserve the public peace and welfare by providing a simple and expeditious clarification of the meaning of s.
GAB 1.28
for litigants, for the regulated community, and for the general public and by doing so in advance of the 2011 Spring Election and any other future elections.
Publication Date:
January 7, 2011
Effective Dates:
January 7, 2011 through
June 5, 2011
Hearing Date:
February 16, 2011
(See the Notice in this Register)
Insurance (2)
1.
EmR1042
— Rule to create
section
Ins 3.35
, relating to colorectal cancer screening coverage and affecting small business.
Finding of Emergency
The Commissioner of Insurance finds that an emergency exists and that the attached rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare. Facts constituting the emergency are as follows:
Beginning December 1, insurers offering disability insurance policies and self-insured governmental plans are required to offer coverage for colorectal cancer screening. In order to ensure there is no gap in coverage the office needs to promulgate guidance as directed s.
632.895 (16m) (d)
, Stats., in advance of the initial implementation date.
Publication Date:
November 29, 2010
Effective Dates:
November 29, 2010 through
April 27, 2011
Hearing Date:
January 25, 2011
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
The legislature by s.
632.89 (4) (b) 2.
, Stats., provides an exemption from a finding of emergency for adoption of the rule. Section
632.89 (4) (b) 2.
, Stats., reads as follows:
s.
632.89 (4) (b) 2.
Using the procedure under s.
227.24
, the commissioner may promulgate the rules under subd. 1., for the period before the effective date of any permanent rules promulgated under subd.1., but not to exceed the period authorized under 227.24 (1) (c) and (2). Notwithstanding s.
227.24 (1) (a)
,
(2) (b)
, and
(3)
, the commissioner is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subdivision as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to make a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subdivision.
Publication Date:
November 29, 2010
Effective Dates:
November 29, 2010 through
April 27, 2011
Hearing Date:
January 25, 2011
Natural Resources (4)
Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1—
1
.
EmR1036
— Rule adopted to create
section
NR 40.04 (2) (g)
relating to the identification, classification and control of invasive species.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Section
227.24 (1) (a)
, Stats., authorizes state agencies to promulgate a rule as an emergency rule without complying with the notice, hearing and publication requirements under ch.
227
, Stats., if preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates putting the rule into effect prior to the time it would take effect if the agency complied with the procedures. However, s.
23.22 (2t) (a)
, Stats., authorizes the department to promulgate emergency rules to identify, classify, or control an invasive species without having to provide evidence that an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare or to provide a finding of emergency.
In addition, such emergency rules may remain in effect until whichever of the following occurs first: the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of the emergency rule, the effective date of the repeal of the emergency rule, or the date on which the permanent rule identifying, classifying, or controlling the invasive species, promulgated under s.
23.22 (2) (b) 6.
, Stats., takes effect.
Publication Date:
September 29, 2010
Effective Dates:
September 29, 2010
through:
See bold text above
Hearing Dates:
October 25 to 29, 2010
2.
EmR1037
— Rule adopted to create
section
NR 27.03 (3) (a)
relating to adding cave bats to Wisconsin's threatened species list.
Finding of Emergency
The emergency rule procedure, pursuant to s.
227.24
, Wis. Stats., is necessary and justified in establishing rules to protect the public welfare. The proposed rule change seeks to provide protection to Wisconsin cave bat species, which face the imminent threat of white-nose syndrome. White-nose syndrome has spread across 14 states and 2 Canadian provinces in the last 3 years, spreading up to 800 miles per year. Mortality rates of affected bat colonies reach 100%. The disease was located last spring within 225 miles of the Wisconsin's southern boarder and 300 miles from the northern boarder. Because the known dispersal distance of the little brown bat is 280 miles, an affected cave is now located within the dispersal range of Wisconsin little brown bats. Listing the cave bat species before white-nose syndrome has been detected in Wisconsin will allow the Department time to work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure that appropriate conservation measures are developed and in place when white-nose syndrome is first detected. Because of the speed of white-nose syndrome, the Department would not have time to develop appropriate conservation measures if normal rule-making procedures were used and listing was delayed until after white-nose syndrome was detected in Wisconsin. Based on the current location and known rate of spread of the disease, we anticipate the presence of white-nose syndrome in Wisconsin as early as January 2011.
Publication Date:
September 29, 2010
Effective Dates:
September 29, 2010 through
February 25, 2011
Hearing Dates:
October 25 to 29, 2010
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Section
227.24 (1) (a)
, Stats., authorizes state agencies to promulgate a rule as an emergency rule without complying with the notice, hearing and publication requirements under ch.
227
, Stats., if preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates putting the rule into effect prior to the time it would take effect if the agency complied with the procedures. However, s.
23.22 (2t) (a)
, Stats., authorizes the department to promulgate emergency rules to identify, classify, or control an invasive species without having to provide evidence that an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare or to provide a finding of emergency.
In addition, such emergency rules may remain in effect until whichever of the following occurs first: the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of the emergency rule, the effective date of the repeal of the emergency rule, or the date on which the permanent rule identifying, classifying, or controlling the invasive species, promulgated under s.
23.22 (2) (b) 6.
, Stats., takes effect.
Publication Date:
November 3, 2010
Effective Dates:
November 3, 2010 through
See bold text above
Hearing Date:
November 29, 2010
4.
EmR1045
(DNR # IS-07-11(E))— Rule to repeal
section
NR 40.02 (28m)
;
to amend
section
NR 40.04 (3m)
, and to repeal and recreate section
NR 40.07 (8)
, (all as created by Natural Resource Board emergency order
EmR1039
, DNR # IS-49-10(E)), relating to the identification, classification and control of invasive species.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Section
227.24 (1) (a)
, Stats., authorizes state agencies to promulgate a rule as an emergency rule without complying with the notice, hearing and publication requirements under ch.
227
, Stats., if preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates putting the rule into effect prior to the time it would take effect if the agency complied with the procedures. However, s.
23.22 (2t) (a)
, Stats., authorizes the department to promulgate emergency rules to identify, classify, or control an invasive species without having to provide evidence that an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare or to provide a finding of emergency.
In addition, such emergency rules may remain in effect until whichever of the following occurs first: the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of the emergency rule, the effective date of the repeal of the emergency rule, or the date on which the permanent rule identifying, classifying, or controlling the invasive species, promulgated under s.
23.22 (2) (b) 6.
, Stats., takes effect.
Publication Date:
December 13, 2010
Effective Dates:
December 13, 2010 through
See bold text above
Natural Resources
Environmental Protection — Air Pollution Control, Chs. NR 400—
Finding of Emergency
The emergency rule procedure, pursuant to s.
227.24
, Stats., is necessary and justified in establishing rules to protect the public welfare. Preservation of the public welfare necessitates putting the forgoing rules into effect prior to the time that it would take if the Department complied with normal procedures.
On April 1, 2010, the U.S. EPA promulgated the first emission standard for gases contributing to climate change, i.e., greenhouse gases or GHG, which will become effective on January 2, 2011. While these standards target automobile emissions, under the Clean Air Act, this action will unintentionally subject stationary sources across the country to complex prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) and Title V permitting and emission control requirements. U.S. EPA attempted to mitigate this unintended effect by promulgating additional rules, which became effective on June 3, 2010, limiting applicability of the permitting requirements. However, Wisconsin sources will not be affected by the new U.S. EPA rules since existing state statute and administrative code do not contain the same applicability limiting provisions. State rules consistent with those at the federal level must be in effect on January 2, 2011 in order to provide the relief U.S. EPA intended for Wisconsin sources. Without these proposed emergency rules, many sources,
including municipal landfills, hospitals, asphalt plants, wastewater treatment plants, small wood fired boilers and agricultural digesters, will be considered major emissions sources of GHG, and therefore subject to the permit and emission control requirements for GHG. These permit and control requirements were never intended or designed to address the type or size of sources that could now be affected. Without the proposed changes, the existing rules would have the potential to overwhelm DNR permitting staff, divert resources away from significant environmental issues, and delay issuance of construction permits for critical projects for expanding businesses.
Therefore, the Department finds that the proposed emergency rules are necessary and appropriate for the preservation of the public welfare.
Publication Date:
December 15, 2010
Effective Dates:
December 15, 2010 through
May 15, 2011
Hearing Date:
January 21, 2011
Public Instruction
EmR1051
— Rule adopted to create
Chapter
PI 46
, relating to training requirements for individuals administering nonprescription and prescription drug products to pupils.
Finding of Emergency
The Department of Public Instruction finds an emergency exists and that a rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public welfare. A statement of the facts constituting the emergency is:
Section
118.29 (6)
, Stats., requires the department to approve training in administering nonprescription drug products and prescription drugs. The statute also specifies that no school bus driver, employee, or volunteer may administer a nonprescription drug product or prescription drug, use an epinephrine auto-injector, or administer glucagon unless he or she has received such training. Because the statutory requirement becomes effective March 1, 2011, administrative rules must be in place as soon as possible so that training programs can be established prior to the effective date of the statutes.
Publication Date:
December 28, 2010
Effective Dates:
December 28, 2010 through
May 26, 2011
Hearing Date:
January 12, 2011
Regulation and Licensing (4)
1.
EmR0827
— Rule adopted creating
section
RL 91.01 (3) (k)
, relating to training and proficiency in the use of automated external defibrillators for certification as a massage therapist or bodyworker.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Section 41 (2) (b) of the nonstatutory provisions of
2007 Wisconsin Act 104
provides that notwithstanding section
227.24 (1) (a)
and
(3)
of the statutes, the department of regulation and licensing is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated to implement
2007 Wisconsin Act 104
. Notwithstanding s.
227.24 (1) (c)
and
(2)
of the statutes, these emergency rules will remain in effect until the date on which the final rules take effect.
Publication Date:
September 10, 2008
Effective Dates:
September 10, 2008
through the date on which
the final rules take effect
Hearing Dates:
November 26, 2008
April 13, 2009
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
Section 41 (2) (b) of the nonstatutory provisions of
2007 Wisconsin Act 104
provides that notwithstanding section
227.24 (1) (a)
and
(3)
of the statutes, the department of regulation and licensing is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated to implement
2007 Wisconsin Act 104
. Notwithstanding s.
227.24 (1) (c)
and
(2)
of the statutes, these emergency rules will remain in effect until the date on which the final rules take effect.
Publication Date:
September 10, 2008
Effective Dates:
September 10, 2008
through the date on which
the final rules take effect
Hearing Date:
November 26, 2008
3.
EmR1031
— Rule adopted revising
Chapters
RL 110
to
116
, relating to the regulation of professional boxing contests.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
The Department of Regulation and Licensing, pursuant to
2009 Wisconsin Act 111
, is not required to provide evidence that an emergency exists nor provide evidence that promulgating a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare.
Publication Date:
August 25, 2010
Effective Dates:
September 1, 2010 through
January 28, 2011
Hearing Date:
September 20, 2010
4.
EmR1032
— Rule adopted creating
Chapters
RL 192
to
196
, relating to the regulation of mixed martial arts sporting events.
Exemption From Finding of Emergency
The Department of Regulation and Licensing, pursuant to
2009 Wisconsin Act 111
, is not required to provide evidence that an emergency exists nor provide evidence that promulgating a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare.
Publication Date:
August 26, 2010
Effective Dates:
September 1, 2010 through
January 28, 2011
Hearing Date:
September 20, 2010
Technical College System Board
EmR1025
— Rule adopted to amend
Chapter
TCS 17
, relating to training program grant funds.
Finding of Emergency
The Wisconsin Technical College System Board finds that an emergency exists and that an emergency rule is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. A statement of the facts constituting an emergency is:
In May 2010, the Wisconsin C.O.R.E. Jobs Act provided an additional $1 million GPR for the training program grants authorized in Wis. Stats. §§
20.292 (1) (eh)
and
38.41
. These funds were provided to address a critical need of Wisconsin employers for skills training and education necessary to protect the state's economic vitality and health, with a special emphasis on advanced manufacturing and welding.
The WTCS Board is required to award these funds by June 30, 2011, the end of the current 2009-11 biennium. In addition, s.
TCS 17.06 (1)
, Wis. Adm. Code, requires that district boards or employers receiving skills training or education under the grant shall contribute matching funds, other than in-kind matching funds, equal to at least 25% of total approved project costs.
Due to the sustained decline in economic conditions and reduction in business revenues, technical college districts report that employers are withdrawing participation in approved training grants because of an inability to fund the 25% match. Therefore, to ensure that business and incumbent workers in need of skills training and other education may access these services and that appropriated funds are distributed to technical college districts for this purpose before the end of the fiscal year, emergency administrative rules eliminating the 25% match requirement must be established immediately.
Publication Date:
July 2, 2010
Effective Dates:
July 2, 2010 through
November 28, 2010
Extension Through:
January 27, 2011
Hearing Date:
September 28, 2010
