Wisconsin Code § 19.36

Limitations upon access and withholding
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(1)
APPLICATION OF OTHER LAWS. Any record which is specifically
exempted from disclosure by state or federal law or authorized to
be exempted from disclosure by state law is exempt from disclosure under s. 19.35 (1) , except that any portion of that record
which contains public information is open to public inspection as
provided in sub. (6).
(2) LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS. Except as otherwise provided by law, whenever federal law or regulations require or as a
condition to receipt of aids by this state require that any record relating to investigative information obtained for law enforcement
purposes be withheld from public access, then that information is
exempt from disclosure under s. 19.35 (1).
(3) CONTRACTORS’ RECORDS. Each authority shall make
available for inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1) any record
produced or collected under a contract entered into by the authority with a person other than an authority to the same extent as if
the record were maintained by the authority. This subsection
does not apply to the inspection or copying of a record under s.
19.35 (1) (am).
(4) COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND DATA. A computer program,
as defined in s. 16.971 (4) (c) , is not subject to examination or
copying under s. 19.35 (1), but the material used as input for a
computer program or the material produced as a product of the
computer program is subject to the right of examination and
copying, except as otherwise provided in s. 19.35 or this section.
(5) TRADE SECRETS. An authority may withhold access to
any record or portion of a record containing information qualifying as a trade secret as defined in s. 134.90 (1) (c).
(6) SEPARATION OF INFORMATION. If a record contains information that is subject to disclosure under s. 19.35 (1) (a) or (am)
and information that is not subject to such disclosure, the authority having custody of the record shall provide the information that

is subject to disclosure and delete the information that is not subject to disclosure from the record before release.
(7) IDENTITIES OF APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC POSITIONS. (a) In
this subsection:
1. “Final candidate” means each applicant who is seriously
considered for appointment or whose name is certified for appointment, and whose name is submitted for final consideration
to an authority for appointment, to any of the following:
a. A state position that is not a position in the classified service and that is not a position in the University of Wisconsin
System.
b. A local public office.
c. The position of president, vice president, or senior vice
president of the University of Wisconsin System; the position of
chancellor of an institution; or the position of the vice chancellor
who serves as deputy at each institution.
2. “Final candidate” includes all of the following, but only
with respect to the offices and positions described under subd. 1.
a. and b.:
a. Whenever there are at least 5 applicants for an office or
position, each of the 5 applicants who are considered the most
qualified for the office or position by an authority.
b. Whenever there are fewer than 5 applicants for an office or
position, each applicant.
c. Whenever an appointment is to be made from a group of
more than 5 applicants considered the most qualified for an office
or position by an authority, each applicant in that group.
3. “Institution” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (9).
(b) Every applicant for a position with any authority may indicate in writing to the authority that the applicant does not wish
the authority to reveal his or her identity. Except with respect to
an applicant whose name is certified for appointment to a position in the state classified service or a final candidate, if an applicant makes such an indication in writing, the authority shall not
provide access to any record related to the application that may
reveal the identity of the applicant.
(8) IDENTITIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMANTS. (a) In
this subsection:
1. “Informant” means an individual who requests confidentiality from a law enforcement agency in conjunction with providing information to that agency or, pursuant to an express promise
of confidentiality by a law enforcement agency or under circumstances in which a promise of confidentiality would reasonably
be implied, provides information to a law enforcement agency or,
is working with a law enforcement agency to obtain information,
related in any case to any of the following:
a. Another person who the individual or the law enforcement
agency suspects has violated, is violating or will violate a federal
law, a law of any state or an ordinance of any local government.
b. Past, present or future activities that the individual or law
enforcement agency believes may violate a federal law, a law of
any state or an ordinance of any local government.
2. “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s.
165.83 (1) (b), and includes the department of corrections.
(b) If an authority receives a request to inspect or copy a
record or portion of a record under s. 19.35 (1) (a) that contains
specific information including but not limited to a name, address,
telephone number, voice recording, or handwriting sample that, if
disclosed, would identify an informant, the authority shall delete
the portion of the record in which the information is contained or,
if no portion of the record can be inspected or copied without
identifying the informant, shall withhold the record unless the legal custodian of the record, designated under s. 19.33, makes a
determination, at the time that the request is made, that the public
interest in allowing a person to inspect, copy or receive a copy of
such identifying information outweighs the harm done to the
public interest by providing such access.
(9) RECORDS OF PLANS OR SPECIFICATIONS FOR STATE
BUILDINGS. Records containing plans or specifications for any
state-owned or state-leased building, structure or facility or any
proposed state-owned or state-leased building, structure or facility are not subject to the right of inspection or copying under s.
19.35 (1) except as the department of administration otherwise
provides by rule.
(10) EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL RECORDS. Unless access is
specifically authorized or required by statute, an authority shall
not provide access under s. 19.35 (1) to records containing the
following information, except to an employee or the employee’s
representative to the extent required under s. 103.13 or to a recognized or certified collective bargaining representative to the extent required to fulfill a duty to bargain under ch. 111 or pursuant
to a collective bargaining agreement under ch. 111:
(a) Information maintained, prepared, or provided by an employer concerning the home address, home electronic mail address, home telephone number, or social security number of an
employee, unless the employee authorizes the authority to provide access to such information.
(b) Information relating to the current investigation of a possible criminal offense or possible misconduct connected with employment by an employee prior to disposition of the investigation.
(c) Information pertaining to an employee’s employment examination, except an examination score if access to that score is
not otherwise prohibited.
(d) Information relating to one or more specific employees
that is used by an authority or by the employer of the employees
for staff management planning, including performance evaluations, judgments, or recommendations concerning future salary
adjustments or other wage treatments, management bonus plans,
promotions, job assignments, letters of reference, or other comments or ratings relating to employees.
(11) RECORDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL HOLDING A LOCAL PUBLIC
OFFICE OR A STATE PUBLIC OFFICE. Unless access is specifically
authorized or required by statute, an authority shall not provide
access under s. 19.35 (1) to records, except to an individual to the
extent required under s. 103.13, containing information maintained, prepared, or provided by an employer concerning the
home address, home electronic mail address, home telephone
number, or social security number of an individual who holds a
local public office or a state public office, unless the individual
authorizes the authority to provide access to such information.
Except as provided in sub. (15), this subsection does not apply to
the home address of an individual who holds an elective public
office or to the home address of an individual who, as a condition
of employment, is required to reside in a specified location.
(13) FINANCIAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. An authority
shall not provide access to personally identifiable information
that contains an individual’s account or customer number with a
financial institution, as defined in s. 134.97 (1) (b) , including
credit card numbers, debit card numbers, checking account numbers, or draft account numbers, unless specifically required by
law.
(14) IDENTITIES OF ELECTION OFFICIALS OR ELECTION REGISTRATION OFFICIALS. Unless access is specifically authorized or
required by statute, an authority shall not provide access under s.
19.35 (1) to records containing the personally identifiable information of a current or former election official, as defined in s.
5.02 (4e), or election registration official, as defined in s. 5.02
(4g), who submits a written request to the authority requesting
that the information be kept confidential, except that an authority

may provide access to the name of such current or former official
and the city and state where the official resides.
(15) PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR JUDICIAL OFFICERS. If a judicial officer, as defined in s. 757.07 (1) (e), submits a written request under s. 757.07 (4), an authority shall not provide access
under s. 19.35 (1) to a certification of residence under s. 8.10 (8)
or to the personal information, as defined in s. 757.07 (1) (g), of a
judicial officer, except as provided under s. 8.10 (8) (b). An authority shall not provide access under s. 19.35 (1) to any form,
blank or completed, that is prescribed by the director of state
courts under s. 757.07 (4) and used for the submission of written
requests or for consent to release personal information otherwise
protected by a judicial officer’s written request.
(16) JUDICIAL SECURITY PROFILES. (a) In this subsection:
1. “Judicial officer” means a person who currently is or who
formerly was a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, circuit court judge, municipal judge, tribal judge, temporary or permanent reserve judge, or circuit, supplemental, or municipal
court commissioner.
2. “Judicial security profile form” means a form prescribed
by the director of state courts.
(b) An authority shall not provide access under s. 19.35 (1) to
a judicial security profile form that is completed by or on behalf
of a judicial officer and used to develop an emergency response
plan.

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