Assembly Bill 217 proposes significant changes to the competitive bidding thresholds for local government public works projects in Wisconsin. The bill raises the notice threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 and the bidding threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, with adjustments for inflation every five years. Additionally, it introduces exceptions to the bidding requirements for public works related to housing for individuals on supervised release and for improvements constructed by private individuals and donated to local governments. The bill also renumbers and amends various sections of the statutes to reflect these changes.

The bill includes several new provisions, such as the creation of specific definitions for public highway contracts and the establishment of thresholds for public contracts and public highway contracts. It mandates that contracts exceeding the new thresholds must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder and outlines the necessary advertising requirements for proposals. Furthermore, it clarifies that the existing exceptions for emergencies and donations will apply to both public contracts and public highway contracts. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the bidding process while ensuring transparency and accountability in local government contracting.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 60.47(2)(a), 60.47, 60.47(2)(b), 60.47(3), 60.47(4), 60.47(5)(title)