AB821: Bill Text

LRB-4524/2

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 821

January 29, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Skowronski, Kooyenga and A. Ott, cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard. Referred to Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.

AB821,2,11 An Act to repeal 20.485 (1) (gd), 20.485 (1) (mn), 20.485 (1) (u), 20.485 (2) (b), 20.485 (2) (d), 20.485 (2) (e), 20.485 (2) (vy), 20.485 (2) (yg), 20.485 (3) (v), 20.485 (3) (w), 45.03 (13) (j), 45.03 (13) (k), 45.70 (1b) (b), 45.70 (1m), 45.80 (5) (e), 45.80 (6) (intro.), 45.80 (7), 45.80 (8), 45.805 and 45.82 (3); to renumber 20.485 (1) (d), 20.485 (3) (sm), 45.50 (2b), 45.51 (8), 45.51 (11), 45.51 (12), 45.80 (6) (a) and 45.80 (6) (b); to renumber and amend 20.485 (1) (kg), 45.51 (6m), 45.51 (7), 45.51 (10), 45.70 (1b) (a) and 45.80 (1) (a); to amend 20.485 (1) (g), 20.485 (1) (gk), 20.485 (1) (h), 20.485 (1) (hm), 20.485 (1) (kg), 20.485 (1) (t), 20.485 (2) (a) (title), 20.485 (2) (rm), 20.485 (2) (rp), 20.485 (2) (vx), 20.485 (2) (vx), 20.485 (2) (z) (title), 20.485 (4) (g), 20.485 (4) (m), 20.485 (5) (mn) (title), 20.485 (5) (wd) (title), 25.36 (1), 25.37, 45.01 (9), 45.02 (2) (intro.), 45.03 (3) (a), 45.03 (5) (a) 1., 45.03 (5) (a) 2., 45.03 (5) (c) 1. a., 45.03 (5) (c) 1. b., 45.03 (5) (c) 1. c., 45.03 (5) (c) 3., 45.03 (5) (c) 4., 45.03 (12) (a), 45.03 (12) (b), 45.03 (15), 45.21 (1), 45.37 (1), 45.37 (2), 45.37 (4) (a), 45.37 (4) (b) 1., 45.37 (4) (b) 2., 45.37 (6) (a) 2., 45.37 (6) (c) 2., 45.37 (7) (a) (intro.), 45.37 (7) (b), 45.37 (10) (a), 45.43 (title) and (1), 45.47 (1), 45.50 (4) (a), 45.51 (3) (b), 45.51 (3) (c) 1. d., 45.51 (3) (c) 1m. c., 45.51 (3) (c) 2., 45.57 (1), 45.62 (2), 45.70 (2) (b), 45.80 (title), 45.80 (1) (c), 45.80 (2), 45.80 (3), 45.80 (4), 45.80 (5) (intro.), 45.81 (2), 45.81 (3) (a), 45.81 (4), 45.81 (6), 45.82 (1), 45.82 (2), 45.84, 59.21 (1) (intro.), 59.535 (4) and 851.09; to repeal and recreate 20.485 (1) (b) (title), 20.485 (1) (gk), 20.485 (2) (u) (title), 20.485 (5) (c) (title) and 20.485 (5) (zm) (title); and to create 19.56 (3) (g), 20.485 (1) (fm), 45.01 (4m), 45.01 (4p), 45.50 (2b) (b), 45.80 (1) (a) 2., 45.80 (9) and 45.805 of the statutes; relating to: powers of officers and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, powers of the Board of Veterans Affairs, employment of veterans regional coordinators and claims officers, and making appropriations.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes various changes to the laws governing veterans affairs, including changes to the powers of certain state public officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs, changes to the powers of the Board of Veterans Affairs, and changes regarding the maintenance of veterans homes.

This bill allows a state public official who is an officer or employee of DVA to solicit, receive, and retain on behalf of the state anything of value for the purpose of supporting veterans homes and members and veterans programs, benefits, and services.

The bill transfers most of the powers of the Board of Veterans Affairs to DVA. Under current law, the board has various powers, including creating policies and making determinations relating to the disposition of moneys, the making of loans, and the acquisition and conveyance of buildings and real property.

The bill directs DVA to provide annually $42,000 to the town of Dover to reimburse the town for the costs of municipal services provided to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove. The bill also creates a full-time position within DVA to act as facilities manager at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.

Under the bill, each county is required to elect or appoint either a county veterans service officer or a county veterans benefit specialist. Current law requires each county to elect or appoint a county veterans service officer. A veterans benefit specialist must be accredited under federal law to assist veterans with benefit claims. The bill also expands who may qualify to be a county veterans service officer to include individuals who served under honorable conditions in a reserve unit of the US armed forces or in the national guard.

The bill also provides that DVA may approve a county veterans service consortium to administer veterans benefits and services.

Finally, the bill makes various technical changes to laws governing veterans affairs, including repealing obsolete or outdated appropriations.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB821,1 Section 1. 19.56 (3) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB821,3,5 19.56 (3) (g) A state public official who is an officer or employee of the department of veterans affairs may solicit, receive, and retain on behalf of the state anything of value for the purpose of supporting veterans homes and members and veterans programs, benefits, and services.

AB821,2 Section 2. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB821,3 Section 3. 20.485 (1) (b) (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB821,3,9 20.485 (1) (b) (title) Homes operation; general fund supplement.

AB821,4 Section 4. 20.485 (1) (d) of the statutes is renumbered 20.485 (4) (a).

AB821,5 Section 5. 20.485 (1) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB821,4,3 20.485 (1) (fm) Town of Dover municipal services reimbursement. The amounts in the schedule for reimbursing the town of Dover for municipal services at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove.

AB821,6 Section 6. 20.485 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,4,9 20.485 (1) (g) Home exchange. The amounts in the schedule for the purchase of the necessary materials, supplies and equipment for the operation of the home exchange, and compensation for members' labor. All moneys received from the sale of products authorized by s. 45.51 (7) 45.50 (12) shall be credited to this appropriation.

AB821,7 Section 7. 20.485 (1) (gd) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,8 Section 8. 20.485 (1) (gk) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, section 768k, is amended to read:

AB821,5,2 20.485 (1) (gk) Institutional Homes operations. The amounts in the schedule for the care of the members of the Wisconsin veterans homes under s. 45.50, for the payment of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (4) (ky) for payment of the state share of the medical assistance costs related to the provision of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43 to allow them to reside at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove, for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation accounts under pars. (kg) and par. (kj) and sub. (2) (ks), and for the payment of grants under s. 45.82. Not more than 1 percent of the moneys credited to this appropriation account may be used for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43. All moneys received under par. (m) and s. 45.51 (7) (b) and (8) 45.50 (12) (b) and (13) and all moneys received for the care of members under medical assistance, as defined in s. 49.43 (8), shall be credited to this appropriation account.

AB821,9 Section 9. 20.485 (1) (gk) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, section 768kb, and 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:

AB821,5,17 20.485 (1) (gk) Homes operations. The amounts in the schedule for the care of the members of the Wisconsin veterans homes under s. 45.50, for the payment of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (4) (ky) for payment of the state share of the medical assistance costs related to the provision of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43 to allow them to reside at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove, for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation account under sub. (2) (ks), and for the payment of grants under s. 45.82. Not more than 1 percent of the moneys credited to this appropriation account may be used for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43. All moneys received under par. (m) and s. 45.50 (12) (b) and (13) and all moneys received for the care of members under medical assistance, as defined in s. 49.43 (8), shall be credited to this appropriation account.

AB821,10 Section 10. 20.485 (1) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,5,21 20.485 (1) (h) Gifts, grants, and bequests. All moneys received under s. 45.51 (10) 45.50 (14) and (11) (15), or any moneys received by gifts, grants, or bequests, to carry out the purposes of ss. 45.50 and 45.51.

AB821,11 Section 11. 20.485 (1) (hm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,5,25 20.485 (1) (hm) Gifts and grants, grants, and bequests. All moneys received from gifts and grants, grants, or bequests, specifically for the purpose of s. 45.50 (2m) (d), to carry out the purpose of s. 45.50 (2m) (d).

AB821,12 Section 12. 20.485 (1) (kg) of the statutes is renumbered 20.485 (2) (ks) and amended to read:

AB821,6,6 20.485 (2) (ks) Grants to counties. The amounts in the schedule for the payments of grants made under s. 45.82 (1) to (3). All moneys transferred from the appropriation account under par. sub. (1) (gk) shall be credited to this appropriation account.

AB821,13 Section 13. 20.485 (1) (kg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,6,11 20.485 (1) (kg) Grants to counties. The amounts in the schedule for the payments of grants made under s. 45.82 (1) to (3) and (2). All moneys transferred from the appropriation account under par. (gk) shall be credited to this appropriation account.

AB821,14 Section 14. 20.485 (1) (mn) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,15 Section 15. 20.485 (1) (t) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,6,16 20.485 (1) (t) Veterans homes member accounts. From the Wisconsin veterans homes members fund, all moneys received under s. 25.37 to make payments as provided under s. 45.51 (8), (10), 45.50 (13), (14), and (11) (15).

AB821,16 Section 16. 20.485 (1) (u) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,17 Section 17. 20.485 (2) (a) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB821,6,20 20.485 (2) (a) (title) General program operations; loans and aids fund operations.

AB821,18 Section 18. 20.485 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,19 Section 19. 20.485 (2) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,20 Section 20. 20.485 (2) (e) of the statutes is repealed.

AB821,21 Section 21. 20.485 (2) (rm) of the statutes is amended to read: