Senate Bill 75 introduces provisions regarding the assignment of venue in legal actions involving governmental parties in Wisconsin. Specifically, when a case is filed in a county with a first or second class city and includes a governmental party, any party involved in the action can request a random venue assignment. The bill defines a governmental party to include members of the legislature, the elections and ethics commissions, and various state and federal officials acting in their official capacities. To exercise this option, parties must file a notice within five days of the relevant legal filings or actions.

The bill establishes a new section, 753.067, which mandates that upon receiving a notice for random venue assignment, the circuit court clerk must randomly select a different circuit for the case. This selection is conclusive, meaning no further venue changes can be requested once the random assignment is made. Additionally, the bill amends existing statutes to clarify that venue changes are subject to the new provisions, and it introduces a fee for parties opting for random venue assignment.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 801.50(6), 801.50, 814.61(2)(title), 814.61