Private interest in public contract prohibited
Wis. Stat. § 946.13
in effect(1) Any public officer or public employee who does any of the following is guilty of a Class I felony:
(a) In the officer’s or employee’s private capacity, negotiates or bids for or enters into a contract in which the officer or employee has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, if at the same time the officer or employee is authorized or required by law to participate in the officer’s or employee’s capacity as such officer or employee in the making of that contract or to perform in regard to that contract some official function requiring the exercise of discretion on the officer’s or employee’s part; or
(b) In the officer’s or employee’s capacity as such officer or employee, participates in the making of a contract in which the officer or employee has a private pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, or performs in regard to that contract some function requiring the exercise of discretion on the officer’s or employee’s part.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any of the following:
(a) Contracts in which any single public officer or employee is privately interested that do not involve receipts and disbursements by the state or its political subdivision aggregating more than $15,000 in any year.
(b) Contracts involving the deposit of public funds in public depositories.
(c) Contracts involving loans made pursuant to s. 67.12.
(d) Contracts for the publication of legal notices required to be published, provided such notices are published at a rate not higher than that prescribed by law.
(e) Contracts for the issuance to a public officer or employee of tax titles, tax certificates, or instruments representing an interest in, or secured by, any fund consisting in whole or in part of taxes in the process of collection, provided such titles, certificates, or instruments are issued in payment of salary or other obligations due such officer or employee.
(f) Contracts for the sale of bonds or securities issued by a political subdivision of the state; provided such bonds or securities are sold at a bona fide public sale to the highest bidder and the public officer or employee acquiring the private interest has no duty to vote upon the issuance of the bonds or securities.
(g) Contracts with, or tax credits or payments received by, public officers or employees for wildlife damage claims or abatement under s. 29.889, for farmland preservation under s. 91.13, 2007 stats., or s. 91.60 or subch. IX of ch. 71, soil and water resource management under s. 92.14, soil erosion control under s. 92.10, 1985 stats., animal waste management under s. 92.15, 1985 stats., and nonpoint source water pollution abatement under s. 281.65.
(3) A contract entered into in violation of this section is void and the state or the political subdivision in whose behalf the contract was made incurs no liability thereon.
(4) In this section “contract” includes a conveyance.
(5) Subsection (1) (b) shall not apply to a public officer or public employee by reason of his or her holding not more than 2 percent of the outstanding capital stock of a corporate body involved in such contract.
(6) Subsection (3) shall not apply to contracts creating a public debt, as defined in s. 18.01 (4), if the requirements of s. 18.14 (1) have been met. No evidence of indebtedness, as defined in s. 18.01 (3), shall be invalidated on account of a violation of this section by a public officer or public employee, but such officer or employee and the surety on the officer’s or employee’s official bond shall be liable to the state for any loss to it occasioned by such violation.
(7) Subsection (1) shall not apply to any public officer or public employee, who receives compensation for the officer’s or employee’s services as such officer or employee, exclusive of advances or reimbursements for expenses, of less than $10,000 per year, merely by reason of his or her being a director, officer, employee, agent or attorney of or for a state or national bank, savings bank or trust company, or any holding company thereof. This subsection shall not apply to any such person whose compensation by such financial institution is directly dependent upon procuring public business. Compensation determined by longevity, general quality of work or the overall performance and condition of such financial institution shall not be deemed compensation directly dependent upon procuring public business.
(8) Subsection (1) shall not apply to contracts or transactions made or consummated or bonds issued under s. 66.1103.
(9) Subsection (1) does not apply to the member of a local committee appointed under s. 289.33 (7) (a) acting as a member of that committee in negotiation, arbitration or ratification of agreements under s. 289.33.
(10) Subsection (1) (a) does not apply to a member of a local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 or to a member of the council on workforce investment established under 29 USC 2821.
(11) Subsection (1) does not apply to an individual who receives compensation for services as a public officer or public employee of less than $10,000 annually, exclusive of advances or reimbursements for expenses, merely because that individual is a partner, shareholder or employee of a law firm that serves as legal counsel to the public body that the officer or employee serves, unless one of the following applies:
(a) The individual has an interest in that law firm greater than 2 percent of its net profit or loss.
(b) The individual participates in making a contract between that public body and that law firm or exercises any official discretion with respect to a contract between them.
(c) The individual’s compensation from the law firm directly depends on the individual’s procurement of business with public bodies.
(12)
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Research company” means an entity engaged in commercial or nonprofit activity that is related to research conducted by an employee or officer of the system or to a product of such research.
2. “System” means the University of Wisconsin System.
(b) Subsection (1) does not apply to a contract between a research company and the system or any institution or college campus within the system for purchase of goods or services, including research, if the interest that a system employee or officer has in the research company has been evaluated and addressed in a management plan issued by the individual or body responsible for evaluating and managing potential conflicts of interest and the management plan complies with the policy adopted under par. (d).
(d) The board shall adopt a policy specifying the contents required for a management plan under par. (b).
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/946.13Fetched: 10/7/2026