AB 647

This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)

to establish and operate the office of the business ombudsman (office). Under the bill,

WEDC is required to staff the office with at least one full-time employee. The office

is required to serve as a liaison between businesses and Wisconsin agencies,

authorities created by statute, such as the Wisconsin Housing and Economic

Development Authority, counties, municipalities, and federal regulatory agencies

(collectively, government entities) and local economic development and community

development organizations. The bill requires that the primary goal of the office is

improve the conditions for conducting business in this state.

Assistance concerning permits.

The bill requires the office to assist businesses to obtain and maintain any

applicable approval of a government entity required as a condition of operating a

business in Wisconsin or conducting any business activity in Wisconsin (permit).

Under the bill, the office's assistance concerning permits must include all of the

following:

1. Explaining the requirements for obtaining a particular permit.

2. Explaining the criteria the appropriate government entity applies in making

a determination on a permit application and the time period within which that

determination will typically be made.

3. Arranging a meeting between the representatives of a business and the staff

of the appropriate government entity concerning a permit or the permit application

process.

4. Tracking the progress of a particular permit application.

5. Helping a business comply with applicable regulatory laws and rules,

including by providing plain-language explanations of those laws and rules.

The bill further requires that the office advocate for permit applicants,

including by monitoring the permit process to ensure that a permit is granted in the

shortest amount of time possible consistent with applicable substantive

requirements established by rule or law and advocating legislative changes to

improve and expedite any permit process.

Under the bill, the office must also provide mediation or other dispute

resolution services to facilitate the resolution of a dispute between a government

entity and a permit applicant. The bill specifies that the office is not liable for any

consequences resulting from the failure of a government entity to issue a permit or

the failure of a person to seek or obtain a permit.

Assistance concerning agency enforcement actions.

With respect to state agencies, the bill gives the office the following additional

specific responsibilities:

1. Upon the written request of a business, the office must investigate the

circumstances of an enforcement action taken by the agency against the business