Public financing of campaigns for the office of justice of the supreme court

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

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.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its authors⁠. All 2 are Democrats.

1 more lawmaker signed on in support⁠.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment SA1-SB658
• LC Amendment Memo