Evers Signs Bill Allowing Co-ops to Hold Meetings Virtually

Wisconsin Ag Connection - Gov. Tony Evers has signed Wisconsin Act 5 into law, which gives cooperatives in the state the legal authority to hold annual member meetings or special member meetings by means of remote participation. The measure also allows a cooperative's board of directors to adopt by-laws that are effective only in an emergency and provides emergency powers to a cooperative in anticipation of or during an emergency.

By satisfying these conditions, members participating in a member meeting by means of remote communication are considered to be present in person, and their votes cast by electronic means are considered as votes at the member meeting.

Under former law, member meetings were required to be held at the cooperative's principal office or another place chosen by the group's board of directors.

The bill was authored by State Senators Patrick Testin of Stevens Point and Janis Ringhand from Evansville, and was supported by Cooperative Network and the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association.

[Return to Headlines]