Administrative agencies such as the Wisconsin DSPS are considered to have quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powers.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. They have executive powers only
• D. They have no rulemaking authority

Answer: (A)

Administrative agencies are created by the legislature to implement laws, and they carry out two key types of authority. First, the quasi-legislative power: they issue rules and regulations that interpret and apply statutes, giving those rules the force of law within their jurisdiction. Second, the quasi-judicial power: they conduct hearings, evaluate evidence, and issue binding decisions in individual cases, such as licensing actions or disciplinary measures against professionals. The Wisconsin DSPS exemplifies this by promulgating rules for licensed professions and by holding adjudicatory proceedings to determine if a license should be granted, suspended, or revoked. While they also perform executive enforcement activities (inspections, investigations, and enforcement), the presence of both rulemaking and adjudicatory authority means the statement is true.