Wisconsin Code § 157.62

Reporting; record keeping; audits
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(1) CEMETERY ASSOCIATIONS. (a) Except as provided in par. (b) and s.
157.625, every cemetery association shall file an annual report
with the cemetery board. The report shall be made on a calendaryear basis unless the cemetery board, by rule, provides for other
reporting periods. The report is due on the 60th day after the last
day of the reporting period. The annual report shall include all of
the following:
1. The name of the cemetery association and the address of
its principal office.
2. The name, residence address and business address of each
officer, director and trustee of the cemetery association.
3. The name, residence address and business address of each
shareholder who beneficially owns, holds or has the power to
vote 5 percent or more of any class of securities issued by the
cemetery association.
4. The dates and places of all meetings and elections.
5. A statement of whether the cemetery association engaged
in the operation of a cemetery during the previous calendar year.
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any person required to file
a report under s. 180.1622 or 181.0214.
(c) The cemetery board may prescribe and furnish forms for
reports required under this subsection. If the cemetery board prescribes forms under this paragraph, the cemetery board shall mail
the forms to cemetery associations required to file under par. (a)
no later than 60 days before the reports are due.
(2) CEMETERY AUTHORITIES. (a) Except as provided in ss.
157.625 and 157.63 (1), every cemetery authority shall file an
annual report with the cemetery board. The report shall be made
on a form prescribed and furnished by the cemetery board. The
report shall be made on a calendar-year basis unless the cemetery
board, by rule, provides for other reporting periods. The report is
due on the 60th day after the last day of the reporting period.
(b) The cemetery authority shall include all of the following
in the annual report required under par. (a):
1. A copy of any report required under sub. (1) (a) or s.
180.1622 or 181.0214.
2. If the cemetery authority is required to file a report under
s. 180.1622 or 181.0214, the information specified in sub. (1) (a)
3.
3. An accounting of amounts deposited in, amounts with-

drawn from, income accruing to and the balance at the close of
the reporting period of any preneed trust funds of the cemetery.
4. An accounting of amounts deposited in, amounts withdrawn from, other income accruing to and the balance at the end
of the reporting period of care funds of the cemetery, including
the funds in ss. 157.11 (9g) (a), 157.12 (3) and 157.125.
5. An accounting of all gifts received, income from gifts deposited in accounts not accounted for under subd. 4., amounts expended from those accounts and the balance of those accounts at
the end of the reporting period.
6. The name and address of each trustee for the funds under
subds. 3. to 5. and of the financial institution holding those accounts at the close of the reporting period.
6m. The names of the officers of the cemetery authority.
7. The information specified in sub. (1) (a), to the extent applicable, if the cemetery is not required to file a report under sub.
(1) (a) or s. 180.1622 or 181.0214.
(c) All records relating to accountings of trust funds described
under par. (b) 3. to 7. and maintained by the department and by
the cemetery board are confidential and are not available for inspection or copying under s. 19.35 (1).
(d) The board shall review each report filed under par. (a) to
determine whether the cemetery authority is complying with this
subchapter.
(3) RECORDS; INSPECTION. (a) Every cemetery authority
shall keep a copy of the report required under sub. (2) (a) at its
principal place of business and, except for those records relating
to accountings of trust funds described under sub. (2) (b) 3. to 7.,
shall make the report available for inspection, upon reasonable
notice, by any person with an interest in a cemetery lot or a mausoleum space in a cemetery owned or operated by the cemetery
authority.
(b) Every cemetery authority shall maintain all of the
following:
1. The records needed to prepare the reports required under
sub. (2) (a).
2g. All records supporting the accounting under sub. (2) (b)
3., including records that show, for each deposit, the name of the
purchaser or beneficiary of the contract relating to the deposit
and the item purchased.
2r. All records supporting the accounting under sub. (2) (b)
4., including records that show, for each deposit, the name of the
purchaser or beneficiary of the contract relating to the deposit
and the item purchased.
3. A copy of each contract for the sale of a cemetery lot,
mausoleum space or cemetery merchandise.
(4) RECORDS MAINTENANCE. The records under sub. (3) (b)
1. shall be permanently maintained by the cemetery authority or
licensee. Each record under sub. (3) (b) 2g. shall be maintained
for not less than 15 years after the date of the deposit. Each
record under sub. (3) (b) 2r. shall be permanently maintained by
the cemetery authority or licensee. Each copy of a contract under
sub. (3) (b) 3. shall be maintained for not less than 3 years after
all of the obligations of the contract have been fulfilled. The
cemetery board may promulgate rules to establish longer time periods for maintaining records under sub. (3) (b) 2g. and 3.
(5) RULES; RECORDS. The cemetery board shall promulgate
rules requiring cemetery authorities and licensees to maintain
other records and establishing minimum time periods for the
maintenance of those records. The records shall include detailed
information for each deceased person buried in a cemetery, including all of the following:
(a) The name of the deceased.
(b) The last-known address of the deceased.
(c) The date of birth of the deceased.
(d) The date of death.
(e) The date of burial.
(f) The exact location in the cemetery where the deceased is
buried.
(g) The name of the person authorizing the burial and his or
her relationship to the deceased.
(h) The name of the funeral establishment, as defined in s.
445.01 (6).
(i) The type of burial vault used, if any.
(j) The type and style of the grave marker, monument, or
other memorial used.
(6) AUDIT. Except as provided in ss. 157.625, 157.63 (5), and
440.92 (9) (e), the cemetery board may audit, at reasonable times
and frequency, the records, trust funds, and accounts of any
cemetery authority, including records, trust funds, and accounts
pertaining to services provided by a cemetery authority that are
not otherwise subject to the requirements under this chapter. The
cemetery board may conduct audits under this subsection on a
random basis, and shall conduct all audits under this subsection
without providing prior notice to the cemetery authority.
(7) RULES; FILING FEE. The cemetery board may promulgate
rules establishing a filing fee to accompany the report required
under sub. (2) (a). The filing fee shall be based on the approximate cost of regulating cemetery authorities.

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