AB298,25,221 (h) An eligible candidate who files an application under par. (a) may file a
22written withdrawal of the application. A withdrawal of an application may be filed
23with the board no later than the 7th day after the day of the primary in which the
24person withdrawing the application is a candidate or the 7th day after the date that
25the primary would be held, if required. If an application is withdrawn in accordance

1with this paragraph, the person withdrawing the application is no longer bound by
2the statement filed under par. (a) after the date of the withdrawal.
AB298,25,143 (i) Notwithstanding par. (g), if an eligible candidate at the spring election or a
4special nonpartisan election who accepts a grant is opposed by one or more
5candidates in the election, or if an eligible candidate at the general election or a
6special partisan election who accepts a grant is opposed by one or more candidates
7in the election who receive at least 6 percent of the vote cast for all candidates for the
8same office on all ballots at the partisan primary or a special primary if a primary
9was held, and in either case if any such opponent of the eligible candidate does not
10accept a grant under this section in whole or in part, the eligible candidate is not
11bound by the pledge made in his or her application to adhere to the contribution
12limitations prescribed in s. 11.26 and the disbursement limitation prescribed under
13s. 11.31, unless each such opponent files an affidavit of voluntary compliance under
14s. 11.31 (2m).
AB298,25,16 15(3) Nonpartisan candidates. (a) Annually on August 15, all moneys
16appropriated to the fund shall be apportioned as follows by the state treasurer:
AB298,25,2017 1. If an election for state superintendent is scheduled in the following year, 8
18percent of the fund shall be placed in a superintendency account. From this account,
19an equal amount shall be disbursed to the campaign depository account of each
20eligible candidate by the state treasurer.
AB298,25,2321 2. If an election for justice is scheduled in the following year, 8 percent of the
22fund shall be placed in a justice account. From this account, an equal amount shall
23be disbursed to each eligible candidate by the state treasurer.
AB298,25,2424 3. The balance shall be apportioned under sub. (4).
AB298,26,7
1(b) If a vacancy occurs in the office of state superintendent after August 15 in
2any year and an election is scheduled to fill the vacancy at the spring election in the
3following year, the state treasurer shall transfer an amount not exceeding 8 percent
4of the moneys transferred to the fund on the preceding August 15 to the account for
5the office in which the vacancy occurs, those moneys to be drawn from any account
6within the accounts created under sub. (4) in the amount or amounts specified by the
7board.
AB298,26,9 8(4) Partisan and special election candidates. (a) After apportionment under
9sub. (3), the remaining moneys shall constitute the partisan campaign account.
AB298,26,1210 (b) In the partisan campaign account, 25 percent of the moneys shall be
11apportioned into an executive campaign account and 75 percent of the moneys shall
12be apportioned into a legislative and special election campaign account.
AB298,26,1513 (c) The executive campaign account shall be divided into accounts for each
14executive office as provided in this paragraph. The apportionment of moneys in the
15executive campaign account shall be made as follows:
AB298,26,1716 1. Sixty-seven percent to be apportioned between all eligible candidates for
17governor.
AB298,26,1918 2. Eight percent to be apportioned between all eligible candidates for
19lieutenant governor.
AB298,26,2120 3. Seventeen percent to be apportioned between all eligible candidates for
21attorney general.
AB298,26,2322 4. Four percent to be apportioned between all eligible candidates for state
23treasurer.
AB298,26,2524 5. Four percent to be apportioned between all eligible candidates for secretary
25of state.
AB298,27,5
1(d) The legislative and special election campaign account shall be divided into
2a senate campaign account to receive 25 percent of the moneys and an assembly
3campaign account to receive 75 percent of the moneys. Each account shall then be
4apportioned between all eligible candidates for the same office in the entire state. No
5apportionment shall be made by legislative district.
AB298,27,146 (e) Each eligible candidate for the same office at a special election shall receive
7an amount equal to the maximum grant that was payable to any candidate for that
8office at the most recent spring or general election. The amount shall be drawn from
9the senate campaign account and the assembly campaign account in the same
10proportions as the balance in each account bears to the total balance in both accounts
11at the time that payments are made. Whenever there are insufficient moneys in the
12senate campaign account and the assembly campaign account to make the payments
13required by this paragraph, payments shall be proportionately reduced or
14discontinued by the board.
AB298,27,1715 (f) Within the accounts established under this subsection for each office at each
16general election, the entire amount of all available moneys shall be apportioned
17equally to all eligible candidates.
AB298,27,21 18(5) Time of disbursement. The state treasurer shall make the disbursements
19to the campaign depository account of each eligible candidate under subs. (3) and (4)
20by the end of the 3rd business day following notice from the board under s. 7.08 (2)
21(c) or (cm).
AB298,27,23 22(5m) Combination of accounts. Eligible candidates for governor and
23lieutenant governor of the same political party may combine accounts if desired.
AB298,28,2 24(6) Excess moneys. If the amounts which are to be apportioned to each eligible
25candidate under subs. (3) and (4) are more than the amount which a candidate may

1accept under sub. (9), or more than the amount which a candidate elects to accept
2under sub. (10), the excess moneys shall be retained in the fund.
AB298,28,5 3(7) Utilization. Grants distributed under this section may be utilized only for
4deposit in a campaign depository account under s. 11.10. Grants may be expended
5only for one or more of the following:
AB298,28,66 (a) Purchase of services from a communications medium.
AB298,28,77 (b) Printing, graphic arts, or advertising services.
AB298,28,88 (c) Office supplies.
AB298,28,99 (d) Postage.
AB298,28,17 10(8) Lapsing grants. All grants disbursed under sub. (5) remain the property
11of the state until disbursed or encumbered for a lawful purpose. All grant moneys
12that are unspent and unencumbered by a candidate on the day after the election in
13which the candidate participates shall revert to the state. All deposits and refunds
14derived from grant moneys that are received by a candidate at any time after the day
15of the election in which the candidate participates shall revert to the state. All
16reversions shall be returned to the board by the candidate. The board shall deposit
17the amounts received in the fund.
AB298,29,2 18(9) Limitation on grants. The total grant available to an eligible candidate may
19not exceed the amount that, when added to all other contributions accepted from
20sources other than individuals, political party committees and legislative campaign
21committees, is equal to 45 percent of the disbursement level specified for the
22applicable office under s. 11.31. The board shall scrutinize accounts and reports and
23records kept under this chapter to assure that applicable limitations under ss. 11.26
24(9) and 11.31 are not exceeded and any violation is reported. No candidate or

1campaign treasurer may accept grants exceeding the amount authorized by this
2subsection.
AB298,29,5 3(10) Voluntary limitation. Any eligible candidate may by written request
4limit his or her participation in the fund to a lesser amount than that authorized
5under sub. (9).
AB298,29,12 6(10m) Return of grants. An individual who receives a grant prior to an
7election in which he or she is a candidate and who desires to return any portion of
8the grant shall return that portion no later than the 2nd Tuesday in October
9preceding a general election, the 4th Tuesday preceding a spring election or the 3rd
10Tuesday preceding a special election. A candidate who returns all or any portion of
11a grant under this subsection remains bound by the candidate's statement filed
12under sub. (2) (a).
AB298,29,13 13(11) Use restricted. (a) No grant may be utilized in any primary.
AB298,29,1614 (b) No person may expend, authorize the expenditure of, or incur any obligation
15to expend a grant for any purpose other than to advance the candidacy by lawful
16means of the specific candidate or candidates who qualify for the grant.
AB298,29,1817 (c) No person may expend, authorize the expenditure of, or incur any obligation
18to expend a grant except for a purpose authorized by sub. (7).
AB298,29,2119 (d) No person may authorize the expenditure of or incur any obligation to
20expend a grant or other contribution after the date of any election where the moneys
21contained in the contribution are returnable to the state under sub. (8).
AB298,29,2522 (e) No candidate may expend, authorize the expenditure of, or incur any
23obligation to expend any grant if he or she violates the pledge required under sub.
24(2) (a) as a precondition to receipt of a grant, except as authorized in sub. (2) (h) or
25(i).
AB298,30,4
1(f) No person may prepare or transmit to a registrant under this chapter or to
2the board any evidence which purports to demonstrate the amount or purpose for
3which a grant has been used if that evidence specifies an amount or purpose for which
4a payment is received other than the true amount or purpose.
AB298,30,85 (g) If any person violates pars. (a) to (f), the person is liable to the state in a civil
6action brought by the board for conversion, for treble the amount of the moneys
7wrongfully expended, and in addition is subject to penalties as provided in ss. 11.60
8and 11.61.
AB298,30,16 9(12) Proof of payment. No later than the next due date for continuing reports
10under s. 11.20 (4) which occurs at least 30 days after an election in which a candidate
11receives a grant, or no later than 30 days after each special election in which a
12candidate receives a grant, whichever is earlier, the candidate or his or her campaign
13treasurer shall deliver or transmit to the board by 1st class mail, sufficient proof of
14payment for all disbursements made from grants distributed under this section. This
15subsection does not restrict the authority of the board to audit records under ss. 5.05
16(2) and 13.94 (1) (k).
AB298,30,18 17(13) Donations to fund. Any committee or other person may make an
18unrestricted contribution to the fund by gift or bequest.
AB298,45 19Section 45. 14.58 (20) of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,30,2220 14.58 (20) Election campaign fund. Make disbursements to each candidate
21who is certified under s 7.08 (2) (c) or (cm) by the government accountability board
22as eligible to receive moneys from the Wisconsin election campaign fund.
AB298,46 23Section 46. 20.511 (1) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,31,224 20.511 (1) (q) Wisconsin election campaign fund. From the Wisconsin election
25campaign fund, a sum sufficient equal to the amounts determined under s. 11.50 to

1provide grants to eligible candidates whose names are certified under s. 7.08 (2) (c)
2or (cm).
AB298,47 3Section 47. 20.855 (4) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,31,64 20.855 (4) (b) Election campaign fund payments. A sum sufficient equal to the
5amounts determined under s. 71.10 (3) to be paid into the Wisconsin election
6campaign fund annually on August 15.
AB298,48 7Section 48. 25.17 (1) (ys) of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,31,88 25.17 (1) (ys) Wisconsin election campaign fund (s. 25.42);
AB298,49 9Section 49. 25.42 of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,31,14 1025.42 Wisconsin election campaign fund. All moneys appropriated under
11s. 20.855 (4) (b) together with all moneys reverting to the state under s. 11.50 (8), and
12all gifts and bequests received under s. 11.50 (13), constitute the Wisconsin election
13campaign fund, to be expended for the purposes of s. 11.50. All moneys in the fund
14not disbursed by the state treasurer shall continue to accumulate indefinitely.
AB298,50 15Section 50. 71.10 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB298,31,2016 71.10 (3) Campaign fund. (a) Every individual filing an income tax return who
17has a tax liability or is entitled to a tax refund may designate $1 for the Wisconsin
18election campaign fund for the use of eligible candidates under s. 11.50. If the
19individuals filing a joint return have a tax liability or are entitled to a tax refund,
20each individual may make a designation of $1 under this subsection.
AB298,32,421 (b) The secretary of revenue shall provide a place for designations under par.
22(a) on the face of the individual income tax return and shall provide next to that place
23a statement that a designation will not increase income tax liability. Annually on
24August 15, the secretary of revenue shall certify to the government accountability
25board, the department of administration, and the state treasurer under s. 11.50 the

1total amount of designations made for the preceding fiscal year. If any individual
2attempts to place any condition or restriction upon a designation, the designation is
3invalid and the secretary of revenue shall not certify the designation as provided
4under this paragraph.
AB298,32,65 (c) The names of individuals making designations under this subsection are
6confidential.
AB298,51 7Section 51. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB298,32,118 (1) The government accountability board shall allocate the amount transferred
9to the Wisconsin election campaign fund under Section 52 of this act within the
10subaccounts of the fund to reflect the same allocation that existed within the
11Wisconsin election campaign fund on June 30, 2011.
AB298,52 12Section 52 . Fiscal changes.
AB298,32,1413 (1) There is transferred $1,128,600 from the general fund to the Wisconsin
14election campaign fund, as created by this act.
AB298,53 15Section 53. Initial applicability.
AB298,32,1816 (1) This act, except for the treatment of section 71.10 (3) of the statutes, first
17applies with respect to grants payable for elections held at least 60 days after the
18effective date of this subsection.
AB298,32,2319 (2) The treatment of section 71.10 (3) of the statutes first applies to taxable
20years beginning on January 1 of the year in which this subsection takes effect, except
21that if this subsection takes effect after July 31 the treatment of section 71.10 (3) of
22the statutes first applies to taxable years beginning on January 1 of the year
23following the year in which this subsection takes effect.
AB298,32,2424 (End)
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