SB 658

This bill makes changes to

2009 Wisconsin Act 89

, which established a system

of public funding to finance the campaigns of eligible candidates for the office of

justice of the supreme court. The bill advances the effective date from December 1,

2010, to May 1, 2010, and begins the exploratory period in 2010, during which

candidates may raise seed money contributions of not more than $100 from electors

of this state, on May 1, 2010, instead of on the date of the spring election (April 6,

2010). The bill also transfers the unencumbered balance in the justice account of the

Wisconsin election campaign fund, from which public grants were formerly provided

to finance the campaigns of eligible candidates for the office of justice, to the

democracy trust fund, from which public grants are currently provided for that

purpose. The bill eliminates a requirement that if an eligible candidate accepts seed

money contributions or qualifying contributions (which the candidate must raise in

order to qualify for a public grant), the excess must be deducted from the candidate's

public grant but retains a requirement that the candidate must transfer the excess

amount to the state for deposit in the democracy trust fund. In addition, the bill

imposes a limit on disbursements (expenditures) by a candidate for the office of

justice who accepts a public grant. The limit is the same as the limit that is effectively

permitted under Act 89 by adding together maximum amounts of disbursements

permitted from various sources. This limit is used under current law to compute

certain aggregate contribution limits. The contribution limits do not apply to

candidates who accept public grants. The bill also makes other minor changes in Act

89.