28,771
Section
771. 40.02 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (2m) "Alternate payee" means a former spouse or domestic partner of a participant who is named in a qualified domestic relations order as having a right to receive a portion of the benefits of the participant.
28,772
Section
772. 40.02 (8) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (8) (a) 2. In the absence of a written designation of beneficiary, or if all designated beneficiaries who survive the decedent die before filing with the department a beneficiary designation applicable to that death benefit or an application for any death benefit payable, the person determined in the following sequence: group 1, surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner; group 2, children of the deceased participant, employee or annuitant, in equal shares, with the share of any deceased child payable to the issue of the child or, if there is no surviving issue of a deceased child, to the other eligible children in this group or, if deceased, their issue; group 3, parent, in equal shares if both survive; group 4, brother and sister in equal shares and the issue of any deceased brother or sister. The shares payable to the issue of a person shall be determined per stirpes. No payment may be made to a person included in any group if there is a living person in any preceding group, and s. 854.04 (6) shall not apply to a determination under this subsection.
28,772r
Section 772r. 40.02 (17) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (17) (intro.) "Creditable service" means the creditable current and prior service, expressed in years and fractions of a year to the nearest one-hundredth, for which a participating employee receives or is considered to receive earnings under sub. (22) (e), (ef), or (em) and for which contributions have been made as required by s. 40.05 (1) and (2) and creditable military service, service credited under s. 40.285 (2) (b) and service credited under s. 40.29, expressed in years and fractions of years to the nearest one-hundredth. How much service in any annual earnings period is the full-time equivalent of one year of creditable service shall be determined by rule by the department and the rules may provide for differing equivalents for different types of employment. Except as provided under s. 40.285 (2) (e) and (f), the amount of creditable service for periods prior to January 1, 1982, shall be the amount for which the participant was eligible under the applicable laws and rules in effect prior to January 1, 1982. No more than one year of creditable service shall be granted for any annual earnings period. Creditable service is determined in the following manner for the following persons:
28,773
Section
773. 40.02 (20) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (20) "Dependent" means the spouse, domestic partner, minor child, including stepchildren of the current marriage or domestic partnership dependent on the employee for support and maintenance, or child of any age, including stepchildren of the current marriage or domestic partnership, if handicapped to an extent requiring continued dependence. For group insurance purposes only, the department may promulgate rules with a different definition of "dependent" than the one otherwise provided in this subsection for each group insurance plan.
28,774
Section
774. 40.02 (21c) of the statutes is created to read:
40.02 (21c) "Domestic partner" means an individual in a domestic partnership.
28,775
Section
775. 40.02 (21d) of the statutes is created to read:
40.02 (21d) "Domestic partnership" means a relationship between 2 individuals that satisfies all of the following:
(a) Each individual is at least 18 years old and otherwise competent to enter into a contract.
(b) Neither individual is married to, or in a domestic partnership with, another individual.
(c) The 2 individuals are not related by blood in any way that would prohibit marriage under s. 765.03.
(d) The 2 individuals consider themselves to be members of each other's immediate family.
(e) The 2 individuals agree to be responsible for each other's basic living expenses.
(f) The 2 individuals share a common residence. Two individuals may share a common residence even if any of the following applies:
1. Only one of the individuals has legal ownership of the residence.
2. One or both of the individuals have one or more additional residences not shared with the other individual.
3. One of the individuals leaves the common residence with the intent to return.
28,775h
Section 775h. 40.02 (22) (ef) of the statutes is created to read:
40.02 (22) (ef) For Wisconsin retirement system purposes only, for a state employee, means compensation that would have been payable to the participant, at the participant's rate of pay immediately prior to the beginning of any mandatory temporary reduction of work hours or days during the period from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2011, for service that would have been rendered by the participant during that period if the mandatory temporary reduction of work hours or days had not been in effect. Contributions and premiums on earnings considered to be received under this paragraph shall be paid as required under s. 40.05.
40.02 (25) (b) 2c. A state employee described in s. 49.825 (4) or 49.826 (4).
28,776
Section
776. 40.02 (25) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (25) (b) 3. The surviving spouse or domestic partner of an employee, or of a retired employee, who is currently covered by health insurance at the time of death of the employee or retired employee. The spouse or domestic partner shall have the same right to health insurance coverage as the deceased employee or retired employee, but without state contribution, under rules promulgated by the secretary.
28,777
Section
777. 40.02 (25) (b) 8. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (25) (b) 8. Any other state employee for whom coverage is authorized under a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to subch. I or, V
, or VI of ch. 111 or under s. 230.12 or 233.10.
40.02 (28) "Employer" means the state, including each state agency, any county, city, village, town, school district, other governmental unit or instrumentality of 2 or more units of government now existing or hereafter created within the state, any federated public library system established under s. 43.19 whose territory lies within a single county with a population of 500,000 or more, a local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229, a transit authority created under s.
66.1038 or 66.1039, and a long-term care district created under s. 46.2895, except as provided under ss. 40.51 (7) and 40.61 (3) and subch. X. "Employer" does not include a local cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229. Each employer shall be a separate legal jurisdiction for OASDHI purposes.
28,779
Section
779. 40.02 (28) of the statutes, as affected by
2007 Wisconsin Act 20, section
757, and 2009 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:
40.02 (28) "Employer" means the state, including each state agency, any county, city, village, town, school district, other governmental unit or instrumentality of 2 or more units of government now existing or hereafter created within the state, any federated public library system established under s. 43.19 whose territory lies within a single county with a population of 500,000 or more, a local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229, a transit authority created under s.
66.1038 or 66.1039, and a long-term care district created under s. 46.2895, except as provided under ss. 40.51 (7) and 40.61 (3). "Employer" does not include a local cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229. Each employer shall be a separate legal jurisdiction for OASDHI purposes.
28,779d
Section 779d. 40.02 (33) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02
(33) (a) 1. The participant's total earnings received or considered to be received under sub. (22) (e)
, (ef), or (em) and for which contributions are made under s. 40.05 (1) and (2) during the 3 annual earnings periods (excluding any period more than 3 years prior to the effective date for any participating employer) in which the earnings were the highest, subject to the annual compensation limits under
26 USC 401 (a) (17) for a participating employee who first becomes a participating employee on or after January 1, 1996; by
28,784
Section
784. 40.05 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (1) (b) In lieu of employee payment, the employer may pay all or part of the contributions required by par. (a), but all the payments shall be available for benefit purposes to the same extent as required contributions deducted from earnings of the participating employees. Action to assume employee contributions as provided under this paragraph shall be taken at the time and in the form determined by the governing body of the participating employer. The state shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are determined under s. 230.12 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the state unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111 or unless otherwise determined under s. 230.12. The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are determined under s. 233.10 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the authority unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 or unless otherwise determined under s. 233.10. The state shall pay under this paragraph for employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111 and for employees whose fringe benefits are not determined under s. 230.12 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the state unless a different amount is recommended by the director of the office of state employment relations and approved by the joint committee on employment relations in the manner provided for approval of changes in the compensation plan under s. 230.12 (3). The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall pay under this paragraph for its employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I of ch. 111 an amount equal to 4% of the earnings paid by the authority unless a different amount is established by the board of directors of the authority under s. 233.10.
28,785
Section
785. 40.05 (4) (ag) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (4) (ag) (intro.) Beginning on January 1, 2004, except as otherwise provided in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10, the employer shall pay for its currently employed insured employees:
28,786
Section
786. 40.05 (4) (ar) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (4) (ar) The employer shall pay under par. (a) for employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 and for employees whose health insurance premium contribution rates are not determined under s. 230.12 or 233.10 an amount equal to the amount specified in par. (ag) unless a different amount is recommended by the director of the office of state employment relations and approved by the joint committee on employment relations in the manner provided for approval of changes in the compensation plan under s. 230.12 (3).
28,787
Section
787. 40.05 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (4) (b) Except as provided under pars. (bc) and (bp), accumulated unused sick leave under ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10, and 757.02 (5) and subch. I or
, V, or VI of ch. 111 of any eligible employee shall, at the time of death, upon qualifying for an immediate annuity or for a lump sum payment under s. 40.25 (1) or upon termination of creditable service and qualifying as an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (b) 6. or 10., be converted, at the employee's highest basic pay rate he or she received while employed by the state, to credits for payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents. Any supplemental compensation that is paid to a state employee who is classified under the state classified civil service as a teacher, teacher supervisor, or education director for the employee's completion of educational courses that have been approved by the employee's employer is considered as part of the employee's basic pay for purposes of this paragraph. The full premium for any eligible employee who is insured at the time of retirement, or for the surviving insured dependents of an eligible employee who is deceased, shall be deducted from the credits until the credits are exhausted and paid from the account under s. 40.04 (10), and then deducted from annuity payments, if the annuity is sufficient. The department shall provide for the direct payment of premiums by the insured to the insurer if the premium to be withheld exceeds the annuity payment. Upon conversion of an employee's unused sick leave to credits under this paragraph or par. (bf), the employee or, if the employee is deceased, the employee's surviving insured dependents may initiate deductions from those credits or may elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, but only if the employee or surviving insured dependents are covered by a comparable health insurance plan or policy during the period beginning on the date of the conversion and ending on the date on which the employee or surviving insured dependents later elect to initiate deductions from those credits. If an employee or an employee's surviving insured dependents elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, an employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents may only later elect to initiate deductions from those credits during the annual enrollment period under par. (be). A health insurance plan or policy is considered comparable if it provides hospital and medical benefits that are substantially equivalent to the standard health insurance plan established under s. 40.52 (1).
28,788
Section
788. 40.05 (4) (bw) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (4) (bw) On converting accumulated unused sick leave to credits for the payment of health insurance premiums under par. (b), the department shall add additional credits, calculated in the same manner as are credits under par. (b), that are based on a state employee's accumulated sabbatical leave or earned vacation leave from the state employee's last year of service prior to retirement, or both. The department shall apply the credits awarded under this paragraph for the payment of health insurance premiums only after the credits awarded under par. (b) are exhausted. This paragraph applies only to state employees who are eligible for accumulated unused sick leave conversion under par. (b) and who are entitled to the benefits under this paragraph pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111.
28,789
Section
789. 40.05 (4g) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (4g) (a) 4. Has received a military leave of absence under s. 230.32 (3) (a) or 230.35 (3), under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111 or under rules promulgated by the director of the office of state employment relations or is eligible for reemployment with the state under s. 321.64 after completion of his or her service in the U.S. armed forces.
28,790
Section
790. 40.05 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (5) Income continuation insurance premiums. (intro.) For the income continuation insurance provided under subch. V the employee shall pay the amount remaining after the employer has contributed the following or, if different, the amount determined under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10:
28,791
Section
791. 40.05 (5) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (5) (b) 4. The accrual and crediting of sick leave shall be determined in accordance with ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10 and 757.02 (5) and subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111.
28,792
Section
792. 40.05 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.05 (6) (a) Except as otherwise provided in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10, each insured employee under the age of 70 and annuitant under the age of 65 shall pay for group life insurance coverage a sum, approved by the group insurance board, which shall not exceed 60 cents monthly for each $1,000 of group life insurance, based upon the last amount of insurance in force during the month for which earnings are paid. The equivalent premium may be fixed by the group insurance board if the annual compensation is paid in other than 12 monthly installments.
28,793
Section
793. 40.08 (8) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.08 (8) (a) 4. The former spouse or domestic partner of a participant who is an alternate payee and whom the department cannot locate by reasonable efforts, with such efforts beginning by the end of the month in which the participant attains, or would have attained, the age of 65, shall be considered to have abandoned all benefits under the Wisconsin retirement system on the date on which the participant attains, or would have attained, the age of 70. The department shall close the alternate payee's account and shall transfer the moneys in the account to the employer accumulation reserve. The department shall restore the alternate payee's account and shall debit the employer accumulation reserve accordingly if the alternate payee subsequently applies for retirement benefits under this chapter before the participant attains or would have attained the age of 80.
28,794
Section
794. 40.08 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.08 (9) Payments of benefits to minors and individuals found incompetent. In any case in which a benefit amount becomes payable to a minor or to an individual adjudicated incompetent, the department may waive guardianship proceedings, and pay the benefit to the person providing for or caring for the minor, or to the spouse or domestic partner, parent, or other relative by blood or adoption providing for or caring for the individual adjudicated incompetent.
40.22
(2) (m) Notwithstanding sub. (3m), the employee was formerly employed by Milwaukee County, is a state employee described in s. 49.825 (4)
or 49.826 (4), and elects to remain a covered employee under the retirement system established under
chapter 201, laws of 1937, pursuant to s. 49.825 (4) (c)
or 49.826 (4) (c). This paragraph shall not apply if the employee remains a state employee, but is no longer performing services for the Milwaukee County enrollment services unit under s. 49.825
or the child care provider services unit under s. 49.826.
28,795
Section
795. 40.22 (2m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.22 (2m) (a) At least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, or, for an educational support personnel employee, at least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment for a teacher.
28,796
Section
796. 40.23 (2m) (fm) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.23 (2m) (fm) Notwithstanding s. 40.02 (17) (intro.), for purposes of determining creditable service under par. (f) 2., participants with at least 0.75 of a year a participant's amount of creditable service in any annual earnings period shall be treated as having one year
the amount of creditable service that a teacher would earn for that annual earnings period. To be eligible for the treatment provided by this paragraph, the participant must have earned only a partial year of creditable service in at least 5 of the 10 annual earnings periods immediately preceding the annual earnings period in which the participant terminated covered employment, and the participant must notify the department of the applicability of this paragraph to the participant's service. The participant is not eligible for the treatment provided by this paragraph if such notification is provided by the participant later than 60 days after the participant's annuity effective date. This paragraph does not apply to service credited under s. 40.02 (15) or to creditable service as a teacher.
28,797
Section
797. 40.23 (4) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.23 (4) (e) 1. Subject to subds. 2. to 4., if a participant dies before the distribution of benefits has commenced and the participant's beneficiary is the spouse or domestic partner, the department shall begin the distribution within 5 years after the date of the participant's death.
2. If the spouse or domestic partner files a subsequent beneficiary designation with the department, the payment of the distribution may be deferred until the January 1 of the year in which the participant would have attained the age of 70.5 years.
3. If the spouse or domestic partner does not apply for a distribution, the distribution shall begin as an automatic distribution as provided under subd. 1. or under par. (c), whichever distribution date is earlier.
4. If the spouse or domestic partner dies, but has designated a new beneficiary, the birth date of the spouse or domestic partner shall be used for the purposes of determining the required beginning date.
5. The department shall specify by rule all procedures relating to an automatic distribution to the spouse or domestic partner. These rules shall comply with the internal revenue code.
28,798
Section
798. 40.23 (4) (f) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.23 (4) (f) (intro.) If a participant dies before the distribution of benefits has commenced and the participant's beneficiary is not the spouse or domestic partner, the beneficiary shall do one of the following:
28,799
Section
799. 40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) Any participant who has been married to the same spouse, or in a domestic partnership with the same domestic partner, for at least one year immediately preceding the participant's annuity effective date shall elect the annuity option under sub. (1) (d), the annuity option under sub. (1) (e), if the reduced annuity under sub. (1) (e) is payable in an optional life form provided under sub. (1) (d), or an annuity option in a form provided by rule, if the annuity is payable for life with monthly payments of at least 75% of the amount of the annuity to be continued to the beneficiary, for life, upon the death of the participant, and the participant shall designate the spouse or domestic partner as the beneficiary, unless the participant's application for a retirement annuity in a different optional annuity form is signed by both the participant and the participant's spouse or domestic partner or unless the participant establishes to the satisfaction of the department that, by reason of absence or other inability, the spouse's or domestic partner's signature may not be obtained. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
28,800
Section
800. 40.24 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.24 (7) (b) In administering this subsection, the secretary may require the participant to provide the department with a certification of the participant's marital or domestic partnership status and of the validity of the spouse's or domestic partner's signature. If a participant is exempted from the requirements under par. (a) on the basis of a certification which the department or a court subsequently determines to be invalid, the liability of the fund and the department shall be limited to a conversion of annuity options at the time the certification is determined to be invalid. The conversion shall be from the present value of the annuity in the optional form originally elected by the participant to an annuity with the same present value but in the optional form under sub. (1) (d) and with monthly payments of 100% of the amount of the annuity paid to the annuitant to be continued to the spouse or domestic partner beneficiary.
28,801
Section
801. 40.25 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.25 (3m) A participant's application for a lump sum payment under sub. (1) (b) or (2), filed after May 7, 1994, shall be signed by both the participant and the participant's spouse or domestic partner, if the participant has been married to that spouse, or in a domestic partnership with that domestic partner, for at least one year immediately preceding the date the application is filed. The department may promulgate rules that allow for the waiver of the requirements of this subsection for a situation in which, by reason of absence or incompetency, the spouse's or domestic partner's signature may not be obtained. This subsection does not apply to any benefits paid from accumulated additional contributions.
28,801m
Section 801m. 40.51 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
40.51 (2m) (a) In addition to the restriction under par. (b), a domestic partner of an eligible employee may not become covered under a group health insurance plan under this subchapter unless the eligible employee submits an affidavit, designed by the group insurance board, attesting that the eligible employee and his or her domestic partner satisfy the requirements for a domestic partnership under s. 40.02 (21d). The eligible employee shall submit this affidavit to his or her employer at the time the eligible employee first enrolls in a group health insurance plan under this subchapter or at the time the eligible employee requests a change in dependent status while the eligible employee is enrolled in a group health insurance plan under this subchapter. Upon the dissolution of a domestic partnership, the eligible employee shall submit in a timely manner to his or her employer an affidavit, designed by the group insurance board, attesting to the dissolution of the domestic partnership.
(b) If an eligible employee is divorced or was a domestic partner in a dissolved domestic partnership, the eligible employee may not enroll a new spouse or domestic partner in a group health insurance plan under this subchapter until 6 months have elapsed since the date of the divorce or dissolved domestic partnership.
40.51 (8) Every health care coverage plan offered by the state under sub. (6) shall comply with ss. 631.89, 631.90, 631.93 (2), 631.95, 632.72 (2), 632.746 (1) to (8) and (10), 632.747, 632.748, 632.83, 632.835, 632.85, 632.853, 632.855, 632.87 (3) to (6), 632.885, 632.895 (5m) and (8) to (16) (17), and 632.896.
40.51 (8m) Every health care coverage plan offered by the group insurance board under sub. (7) shall comply with ss. 631.95, 632.746 (1) to (8) and (10), 632.747, 632.748, 632.83, 632.835, 632.85, 632.853, 632.855, 632.885, and 632.895 (11) to (16)
(17).
28,802
Section
802. 40.52 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.52 (2) Health insurance benefits under this subchapter shall be integrated, with exceptions determined appropriate by the group insurance board, with benefits under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged and disabled. Exclusions and limitations with respect to benefits and different rates may be established for persons eligible under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged and disabled in recognition of the utilization by persons within the age limits eligible under the federal program. The plan may include special provisions for spouses, domestic partners, and other dependents covered under a plan established under this subchapter where one spouse or domestic partner is eligible under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged but the others are not eligible because of age or other reasons. As part of the integration, the department may, out of premiums collected under s. 40.05 (4), pay premiums for the federal health insurance.
28,803
Section
803. 40.53 of the statutes is renumbered 146.45, and 146.45 (2) and (3), as renumbered, are amended to read:
146.45 (2) The group insurance board
department shall develop a purchasing pool for pharmacy benefits that uses a preferred list of covered prescription drugs. The pool shall consist of the state and any eligible party that satisfies the conditions established under sub. (3) for joining the pool. The group insurance board department shall seek to develop the preferred list of covered prescription drugs under an evidence-based analysis that first identifies the relative effectiveness of prescription drugs within therapeutic classes for particular diseases and conditions and next identifies the least costly prescription drugs, including prescription drugs with generic names that are alternatives to prescription drugs with brand names, among those found to be equally effective.
(3) The group insurance board department shall propose conditions that an eligible party must satisfy to join the purchasing pool established under sub. (2).
