The bill requires DSPS to grant a locksmith license to an applicant for licensure
if DSPS determines that certain requirements are met, including that the applicant
satisfies any education, training, or examination requirements established by DSPS
by rule; that, subject to the Wisconsin Fair Employment Law, the applicant does not
have an arrest or conviction record; and that the applicant has not had a license or
other credential to act as a locksmith in any state denied, canceled, revoked, or
surrendered in lieu of revocation unless that license or other credential was later
granted or reinstated.

Under the bill, a locksmith license is not required for any of the following:
1. The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of a motor vehicle security
device by a motor vehicle manufacturer, dealer, or mechanic, or its employee.
2. The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a security device in an emergency
by a law enforcement officer, fire fighter, or other emergency response personnel.
3. The duplication of a nonelectronic key or the sale of a security device by the
employee of a retail or hardware store.
4. The installation or removal of a complete security device by a member of the
building or construction trade during residential or commercial new construction or
remodeling, if a building permit is required for the construction or remodeling and
is obtained.
5. The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a motor vehicle security device
by the employee of a towing service or motor club for the limited purpose of gaining
access to the motor vehicle.
6. The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a motor vehicle security device
by a person authorized to repossess the motor vehicle or an employee of that person,
for the limited purpose of gaining access to the motor vehicle.
7. The performance of locksmithing under the supervision of a licensed
locksmith by an apprentice in locksmithing, as provided for in the bill, or by a student
enrolled in a program of locksmithing education approved by DSPS.
8. The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of a security device by an
employee of the manufacturer of that security device.
9. The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of an intrusion alarm or
other intrusion detection device by an employee of an alarm company or other
company in the intrusion detection industry.
10. The work of a registered or licensed electrician who is acting within the
scope of his or her registration or license.
Under the bill, DSPS is required to keep a register of the names and addresses
of all currently licensed locksmiths, and each licensed locksmith must file with DSPS
a bond or liability policy in an amount determined by DSPS by rule. The bill also
requires the secretary of DSPS to appoint an advisory committee to advise DSPS on
matters relating to the regulation of locksmiths.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB770,1 1Section 1. 101.862 (4) (r) of the statutes is created to read:
SB770,3,22 101.862 (4) (r) A locksmith licensed under s. 440.27 who is engaged in
3installing, repairing, or maintaining electrical wiring, equipment, or systems for a

1security device, as defined in s. 440.27 (1) (d), if the locksmith's work is performed
2within the scope his or her license.
SB770,2 3Section 2. 440.03 (13) (b) 34m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB770,3,44 440.03 (13) (b) 34m. Locksmith.
SB770,3 5Section 3. 440.08 (2) (a) 39r. of the statutes is created to read:
SB770,3,66 440.08 (2) (a) 39r. Locksmith: December 1 of each odd-numbered year.
SB770,4 7Section 4. Subchapter II (title) of chapter 440 [precedes 440.26] of the statutes
8is amended to read:
SB770,3,99 CHAPTER 440
SB770,3,1010 SUBCHAPTER II
SB770,3,1211 PRIVATE DETECTIVES, PRIVATE
12 SECURITY PERSONS, locksmiths
SB770,5 13Section 5. 440.27 of the statutes is created to read:
SB770,3,14 14440.27 Locksmiths. (1) Definitions. In this section:
SB770,3,1515 (a) "Licensed locksmith" means a person who is licensed under this section.
SB770,3,1616 (b) "Locksmith" means a person who performs locksmithing.
SB770,3,1917 (c) "Locksmithing" means servicing, installing, originating first keys for,
18rekeying, master keying, recoding, recombinating, manipulating, dismantling, or
19bypassing a security device.
SB770,3,2020 (d) "Security device" means any of the following:
SB770,3,2421 1. A mechanical or electronic lock or other device that is used to control access
22to or exit from premises, motor vehicles, safes, vaults, safe deposit boxes, automated
23teller machines, as defined in s. 134.85 (1) (a), or other areas to which access is
24intended to be limited.
SB770,4,2
12. An intrusion detection device, including a burglar alarm or a motor vehicle
2alarm.
SB770,4,5 3(2) License required. Except as provided under sub. (3), no person may, for
4compensation, act as a locksmith in this state unless the person is a licensed
5locksmith.
SB770,4,7 6(3) Exemptions. No license under this section is required to perform any of the
7following activities:
SB770,4,118 (a) The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of a motor vehicle security
9device by a motor vehicle manufacturer, dealer, or mechanic or an employee of a
10motor vehicle manufacturer, dealer, or mechanic who is acting within the scope of his
11or her employment.
SB770,4,1412 (b) The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a security device in an
13emergency by a law enforcement officer, fire fighter, or other emergency response
14personnel.
SB770,4,1715 (c) The duplication of a nonelectronic key or the sale of a security device by the
16employee of a retail or hardware store who is acting within the scope of his or her
17employment.
SB770,4,2118 (d) The installation or removal of a complete security device by a member of the
19building or construction trade during residential or commercial new construction or
20residential or commercial remodeling, if a building permit is required for the
21construction or remodeling and is obtained.
SB770,4,2522 (e) The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a motor vehicle security device
23by the employee of a towing service or motor club, if the employee is acting within
24the scope of his or her employment and the performance of locksmithing by the
25employee is limited to gaining access to the motor vehicle.
SB770,5,5
1(f) The dismantling or otherwise bypassing of a motor vehicle security device
2by a person authorized to repossess the motor vehicle or an employee of that person,
3if the person or employee is acting within the scope of his or her authorization or
4employment and the performance of locksmithing by the person or employee is
5limited to gaining access to the motor vehicle.
SB770,5,86 (g) The performance of locksmithing under the supervision of a licensed
7locksmith by an apprentice in locksmithing under sub. (9) or by a student enrolled
8in a program of locksmithing education approved by the department.
SB770,5,119 (h) The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of a security device by the
10employee of the manufacturer of that security device who is acting within the scope
11of his or her employment.
SB770,5,1512 (i) The servicing, installing, repairing, or rebuilding of an intrusion alarm or
13other intrusion detection device by an employee of an alarm company or other
14company in the intrusion detection industry who is acting within the scope of his or
15her employment.
SB770,5,1716 (j) Work performed by an electrician who is registered or licensed under ch. 101
17and is acting within the scope of that registration or license.
SB770,5,20 18(4) Use of title. No person may use the title "locksmith" or "licensed
19locksmith" or imply or represent that the person is a licensed locksmith unless the
20person is a licensed locksmith.
SB770,5,23 21(5) Initial license. The department shall grant a license to act as a locksmith
22to an applicant for licensure as a locksmith if the department determines that all of
23the following requirements are met:
SB770,6,224 (a) The applicant submits an application for the license to the department on
25a form prescribed by the department. The application shall include the applicant's

1name and address, a recent photograph of the applicant, and any other information
2required by the department by rule.
SB770,6,43 (b) The applicant satisfies all education, training, examination, and other
4requirements established by the department by rule under sub. (14) (b).
SB770,6,65 (c) Subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, the applicant does not have an
6arrest or conviction record.
SB770,6,97 (d) The applicant has not had a license or other credential to act as a locksmith
8in any state denied, canceled, revoked, or surrendered in lieu of revocation unless
9that license or other credential was later granted or reinstated.
SB770,6,1110 (e) The applicant pays the fee for an initial license determined by the
11department under s. 440.03 (9) (a).
SB770,6,1312 (f) The applicant satisfies any other requirements established by the
13department by rule.
SB770,6,20 14(6) Renewal. (a) The renewal date for a license granted under this section is
15specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a) 39r. A licensed locksmith shall submit the renewal
16application to the department on a form prescribed by the department and shall
17include in the renewal application any information required by the department by
18rule, including information concerning the licensed locksmith's completion of
19continuing education, training, and other requirements established by the
20department by rule under sub. (14) (b).
SB770,6,2321 (b) An applicant for renewal under this subsection shall include with the
22renewal application the renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03
23(9) (a).
SB770,7,3 24(7) Register of locksmiths. The department shall compile and keep current
25a register of the names and addresses of all licensed locksmiths. The department

1shall make that register available for public inspection during the times specified in
2s. 230.35 (4) (a). The department may also make the register available to the public
3on an Internet site maintained by the department.
SB770,7,6 4(8) Bond or liability policy required. Each licensed locksmith shall file with
5the department a bond or liability policy, approved by the department, in an amount
6determined by the department by rule.
SB770,7,11 7(9) Apprenticeship. Any person who is a resident of this state and 18 years of
8age or over may, upon application filed with the department on a form prescribed by
9the department, apprentice under a licensed locksmith in accordance with rules
10promulgated by the department. Those rules shall be promulgated so as to protect
11the public and may limit the locksmithing activity of an apprentice.
SB770,7,17 12(10) Reciprocal license. (a) Upon application and payment of the fee
13determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a), the department may grant a
14locksmith license to an applicant who holds a license or other credential granted by
15a governmental authority in a jurisdiction outside this state that qualifies the
16applicant to perform locksmithing under a locksmith license granted by the
17department.
SB770,7,2018 (b) The department may enter into a reciprocal agreement with the officials of
19a jurisdiction outside this state for licensing locksmiths and may grant a license to
20a person licensed in that jurisdiction according to the terms of that agreement.
SB770,7,23 21(11) Advisory committee. The secretary shall appoint an advisory committee
22under s. 440.042 to advise the department on matters relating to the regulation of
23locksmiths.
SB770,8,3 24(12) Disciplinary proceedings and actions. Subject to the rules promulgated
25under s. 440.03 (1), the department may conduct investigations and hold hearings

1to determine whether a violation of this section or any rule promulgated under this
2section or a violation of any other law of this state, any law of another state, or any
3federal law that substantially relates to the activity of a locksmith has occurred.
SB770,8,7 4(13) Penalties. (a) Subject to the rules promulgated under s. 440.03 (1), the
5department may reprimand a locksmith or deny, limit, suspend, or revoke a license
6granted under this section if the department finds that an applicant for a license or
7a licensed locksmith has done any of the following:
SB770,8,98 1. Intentionally made a material misstatement in an application for a license
9or license renewal.
SB770,8,1010 2. Advertised in a manner that is false or misleading.
SB770,8,1111 3. Obtained or attempted to obtain compensation through fraud or deceit.
SB770,8,1412 4. Violated this section or any rule promulgated under this section or violated
13any other law of this state, any law of another state, or any federal law that
14substantially relates to the activity of a locksmith.
SB770,8,1515 5. Engaged in unprofessional conduct as defined by the department by rule.
SB770,8,1816 (b) In addition to or in lieu of a reprimand or other action under par. (a), the
17department may establish by rule other penalties, including a forfeiture not to
18exceed $5,000 for each violation, for a violation under par. (a).
SB770,8,20 19(14) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules necessary to administer
20this section, including rules that do all of the following:
SB770,8,2121 (a) Establish rules of conduct for locksmiths.
SB770,8,2422 (b) Establish appropriate education, training, examination, and other
23requirements for the initial licensure of locksmiths and establish appropriate
24continuing education, training, and other requirements for licensure renewal.
SB770,6 25Section 6. Effective date.
SB770,9,2
1(1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 13th month beginning after
2publication.
SB770,9,33 (End)
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