Assembly Bill 13 aims to address the suspension of an emergency rule established by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Specifically, the bill creates a new statute, 5.051, which repeals the emergency rule that mandated the use of uniform instructions for absentee voting. This rule, which took effect on June 10, 2024, restricted municipalities from providing any absentee voting instructions beyond those prescribed by the commission and from misrepresenting additional instructions as uniform.

The bill is introduced in compliance with statutory requirements following the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules' decision to suspend the emergency rule on July 22, 2024. By repealing this rule, the bill seeks to restore flexibility for municipalities in providing absentee voting instructions, thereby allowing them to offer additional guidance to voters as needed.