16.285 Woman-owned businesses; certification; database.

(1)

(a) In this subsection, “woman-owned business" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, or corporation that fulfills all of the following requirements:

1. It is at least 51 percent owned, controlled, and actively managed by a woman.

2. It is currently performing a useful business function in this state.

(b) The department shall implement a program for the certification of woman-owned businesses. The department may, without conducting an investigation, certify a business currently performing a useful business function in this state as a woman-owned business if the business is certified, or otherwise classified, as a woman-owned business by an agency or municipality of this or another state, a federally recognized American Indian tribe, or the federal government, or by a private business with expertise in certifying woman-owned businesses if the business uses substantially the same process as the department promulgates by rule for implementing this subsection.

(bm) The department may charge an applicant for certification under this subsection a processing fee of not more than $50.

(c) The department shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this subsection.

(2) The department shall develop, maintain, and keep current a computer database of businesses in the state that are owned by women, containing demographic statistics and information on the types of industries represented, sales volume and growth rates, generation of jobs by both new and existing businesses, and any other relevant characteristics. The department shall compile and periodically update a list of businesses certified under sub. (1) and make the list available to the public on the Internet.

History: 1991 a. 39; 1999 a. 185; 2005 a. 358; 2011 a. 32 s. 3319; Stats. 2011 s. 16.285; 2013 a. 20.