State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Wisconsin > 560 > 560.42

560.42

560.42 Responsibilities related to permits.

560.42(1m)

(1m) Assistance to businesses. The office shall do all of the following:

560.42(1m)(a)

(a) Provide assistance with obtaining and maintaining permits and any licenses and approvals necessary for a business to operate in this state. To fulfill the requirements of this paragraph, the office shall do all of the following on behalf of businesses:

560.42(1m)(a)1.

1. Explain requirements for obtaining permits.

560.42(1m)(a)2.

2. Track the progress of applications for permits.

560.42(1m)(a)3.

3. Help businesses comply with laws and rules applicable to businesses, including providing plain-language explanations of laws and rules.

560.42(1m)(b)

(b) Serve as a liaison between businesses and agencies, authorities, municipalities, and local economic development organizations.

560.42(2)

(2) Permit information.

560.42(2)(a)

(a) The office shall assist any person requesting information on which permits are required for a particular business activity or on the application process, including criteria applied in making a determination on a permit application and the time period within which a determination will be made. This assistance may include any of the following:

560.42(2)(a)1.

1. Arranging a meeting between the person and the staff of the appropriate agency to enable the person to obtain information from the agency.

560.42(2)(a)2.

2. Obtaining information and permit applications from the agency and providing the information and appropriate permit applications to the person.

560.42(2)(b)

(b) If a person receives assistance under this subsection and applies for a permit and if the person requests, the office shall monitor the status of the permit application and periodically report the status to the person.

560.42(2m)

(2m) Advocacy. The office shall provide advocacy services before agencies on behalf of permit applicants. These services shall include all of the following:

560.42(2m)(a)

(a) Monitoring the application approval process to ensure that permits are granted in the shortest amount of time possible consistent with the substantive requirements established by rule or law.

560.42(2m)(b)

(b) Advocating legislative changes to improve and expedite the issuance of permits.

560.42(2r)

(2r) Mediation and dispute resolution services. The office may provide mediation or other dispute resolution services to facilitate the resolution of a dispute between an agency and a person applying for a permit. The provision of mediation or other dispute resolution services under this subsection does not affect any right that the person may have to a contested hearing under ch. 227.

560.42(3)

(3) Assistance by office.

560.42(3)(a)

(a) The office may charge for services provided under this subchapter. Any amount charged for services may not exceed the actual cost of the service provided, unless a specific charge for the service, or method of calculating the charge, is provided by law. All amounts received under this paragraph shall be deposited in the appropriation account under s. 20.143 (1) (gc).

560.42(3)(b)

(b) The office may refer to the appropriate agency, without giving further assistance, any person seeking information or assistance on a permit under chs. 186, 215, 217, 220 to 224, 440 to 480 and 600 to 646.

560.42(3)(c)

(c) Advice, assistance, mediation or other dispute resolution services or information rendered by the office under this subchapter does not relieve any person from the obligation to secure a required permit or satisfy a regulatory requirement.

560.42(3)(d)

(d) The office shall not be liable for any consequences resulting from the failure of an agency to issue, or the failure of a person to seek, a permit.

560.42(4)

(4) Promotion of assistance.

560.42(4)(a)

(a) The office shall maintain and publicize the availability of a toll-free telephone line available to in-state and out-of-state callers to the office.

560.42(4)(b)

(b) The office shall seek to explain, promote and publicize its services to the public and shall provide information on its services for inclusion in any public informational material on permits provided by agencies.

560.42(4)(c)

(c) The office shall, in its efforts under pars. (a) and (b), clearly represent that its services are advisory, informational and facilitative only.

560.42(5)

(5) Staffing and report. The office shall be staffed by at least 2 full-time employees of the department. The office shall annually submit to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) a report on the work of the office.

560.42 - ANNOT.

History: 1983 a. 91; 1985 a. 182 s. 57; 1987 a. 186; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 102; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 16; 2007 a. 125; 2009 a. 265.