Assembly Bill 207 proposes significant changes to the way information is provided to voters regarding proposed constitutional amendments and statewide referenda in Wisconsin. The bill eliminates the current requirement for the attorney general to prepare an explanatory statement for each referendum. Instead, it mandates that each proposal passed by the legislature must include a "complete state referendum disclosure notice." This notice will contain essential information such as the date of the referendum, the full text of the ballot question, a plain language summary of current law, and explanations of the effects of both a yes and no vote. The combined content of these explanations must not exceed one page, printed in a specified format.

Additionally, the bill outlines the procedures for disseminating this disclosure notice. It must be included in the type C notice provided by county clerks prior to the referendum and posted at polling places on election day. Furthermore, the notice must be published on the Elections Commission's website and made available at county clerk offices for at least 30 days before the referendum. The bill also stipulates that the complete state referendum disclosure notice must accompany absentee ballots sent to voters. Overall, these changes aim to enhance voter understanding and accessibility to information regarding statewide referenda.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 5.35(6)(a)1, 5.35, 10.01(2)(c), 10.01