MES&GMM:ahe/emw/wlj
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1,
TO ASSEMBLY BILL 731
February 16, 2016 - Offered by Representative Subeck.
AB731-ASA1,1,10 1An Act to repeal 16.643 (1) (a) 1. and 16.643 (1) (a) 2.; to renumber and amend
216.643 (1) (a) (intro.); to amend 16.642 (title), 16.643 (title), 16.643 (1) (b),
316.643 (1) (c), 16.643 (1) (d), 16.643 (1) (e), 16.643 (3) (a) 2., 16.643 (3) (d), 71.05
4(6) (a) 27., 71.05 (6) (a) 28., 71.05 (6) (b) 52. and 71.07 (5) (a) 9.; to repeal and
5recreate
16.643 (3) (a) 3.; and to create 15.105 (25p), 16.257, 16.643 (1) (ag),
616.643 (1) (bm), 16.643 (2m), 16.644, 20.505 (1) (am), 20.505 (1) (tr), 20.505 (1)
7(tt), 25.14 (1) (a) 20., 25.17 (1) (ab), 25.17 (2) (fm) and 25.86 of the statutes;
8relating to: changing the authority to create ABLE accounts in this state,
9creating tax benefits for contributions to ABLE accounts in other states, and
10making appropriations.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This substitute amendment makes changes to the laws in this state related to
the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014. Under federal law, an
eligible resident of this state may participate in a qualified ABLE program of another

state and establish an ABLE account. The proceeds of an ABLE account may be used
to pay for qualified expenses, such as education, housing, and transportation costs,
for a beneficiary who is an individual with disabilities, as defined under federal law.
2015 Wisconsin Act 55, the state budget bill, authorized the creation of ABLE
accounts in this state. Generally, contributions to such an account could be
subtracted from the contributor's federal adjusted gross income in the calculation of
the taxpayer's Wisconsin taxes. The substitute amendment makes significant
changes to current law and does all of the following:
1. Creates an ABLE savings program board to perform certain functions,
including a) ensuring that the ABLE savings program meets the requirements of a
qualified ABLE program under the Internal Revenue Code and all other legal
requirements applicable to the program; b) establishing investment guidelines for
ABLE savings accounts; and c) seeking rulings and guidance from federal agencies
to ensure the proper implementation and administration of the ABLE savings
program.
2. Expands the types of financial institutions at which an individual may
establish an ABLE savings account to include investment companies, investment
trusts, trust companies, insurance companies, insurance associations, and other
persons carrying on a banking or insurance business. Current law limits those
institutions to banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions.
3. Provides that the owner and beneficiary of an ABLE savings account are the
same person. Current law provides that when the beneficiary is a minor or is
otherwise incapable of handling his or her financial affairs, the account owner is the
beneficiary's parent or guardian.
4. Requires the Department of Administration to select a nongovernmental
person as a vendor to manage the ABLE savings program and requires the vendor
to, among other things, reimburse the state for all administrative costs that the state
incurs for the program.
5. Establishes a separate, nonlapsible ABLE savings program trust fund,
consisting of all revenues from enrollment fees for contributions to ABLE savings
accounts and from distributions and fees paid by the vendor of the program.
6. Creates a general purpose revenue appropriation to DOA for the
administrative expenses of the ABLE savings program, appropriates $500,000 in
fiscal year 2016-17 for that appropriation, authorizes 2.0 full-time equivalent
positions for DOA for the purpose of administering that program, and requires
repayment to the general fund from the ABLE savings program trust fund of the
amount expended from that appropriation when the secretary of administration
determines that moneys in the trust fund are sufficient to make that repayment.
Also under the substitute amendment, ABLE accounts in this state and
contributions to another state's ABLE account continue to be tax-advantaged.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB731-ASA1,1a
1Section 1a. 15.105 (25p) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,3,42 15.105 (25p) ABLE savings program board. There is created in the department
3of administration an ABLE savings program board. The board shall consist of all of
4the following members:
AB731-ASA1,3,55 (a) The secretary of administration or his or her designee.
AB731-ASA1,3,66 (b) The chairperson of the investment board or his or her designee.
AB731-ASA1,3,77 (c) A representative of the board for people with developmental disabilities.
AB731-ASA1,3,88 (d) Four other members, appointed for 4-year terms.
AB731-ASA1,1b 9Section 1b. 16.257 of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,3,12 1016.257 ABLE savings program vendor. (1) The department shall
11determine the factors to be considered in selecting a vendor of the ABLE savings
12program under s. 16.643, which factors shall include all of the following:
AB731-ASA1,3,1313 (a) The person's ability to satisfy record-keeping and reporting requirements.
AB731-ASA1,3,1414 (b) The fees, if any, that the person proposes to charge account owners.
AB731-ASA1,3,1615 (c) The person's plan for promoting the ABLE savings program and the
16investment that the person is willing to make to promote the program.
AB731-ASA1,3,1817 (d) The minimum initial contribution or minimum contributions that the
18person will require.
AB731-ASA1,3,1919 (e) The ability and willingness of the person to accept electronic contributions.
AB731-ASA1,3,2120 (f) The ability of the person to augment the ABLE savings program with
21additional, beneficial services related to the program.
AB731-ASA1,3,25 22(2) The department shall solicit competitive sealed proposals under s. 16.75
23(2m) from nongovernmental persons to serve as vendor of the ABLE savings
24program. The department shall select the vendor based upon factors determined by
25the department under sub. (1).
AB731-ASA1,4,2
1(3) The contract between the department and the vendor shall ensure all of the
2following:
AB731-ASA1,4,43 (a) That the vendor reimburses the state for all administrative costs that the
4state incurs for the ABLE savings program.
AB731-ASA1,4,75 (b) That a firm of certified public accountants selected by the vendor annually
6audits the ABLE savings program and provides a copy of the audit to the ABLE
7savings program board.
AB731-ASA1,4,128 (c) That each account owner receives a quarterly statement that identifies the
9contributions to the owner's ABLE savings account during the preceding quarter, the
10total contributions to and the value of the owner's ABLE savings account through the
11end of the preceding quarter, and any distributions made during the preceding
12quarter.
AB731-ASA1,4,1413 (d) That the vendor communicate to the beneficiary and account owner the
14provisions of s. 16.643 (3) to (5).
AB731-ASA1,1c 15Section 1c. 16.642 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,4,17 1616.642 (title) Repayment College savings program; repayment to the
17general fund.
AB731-ASA1,1d 18Section 1d. 16.643 (title) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
19is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,4,21 2016.643 (title) Support accounts ABLE savings program for individuals
21with disabilities.
AB731-ASA1,1e 22Section 1e. 16.643 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin
23Act 55
, is renumbered 16.643 (1) (am) and amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,4,2524 16.643 (1) (am) "Account owner" means an individual who establishes, and
25owns, an account under this section and who is one of the following:.
AB731-ASA1,1f
1Section 1f. 16.643 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
255
, is repealed.
AB731-ASA1,1g 3Section 1g. 16.643 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
455
, is repealed.
AB731-ASA1,1h 5Section 1h. 16.643 (1) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,5,76 16.643 (1) (ag) "ABLE savings program" has the meaning given for "qualified
7ABLE program" under 26 USC 529A (b) (1).
AB731-ASA1,1i 8Section 1i. 16.643 (1) (b) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
9is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,5,1110 16.643 (1) (b) "Beneficiary" means an eligible individual for whom who has
11established
an account is established under this section.
AB731-ASA1,1j 12Section 1j. 16.643 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,5,1313 16.643 (1) (bm) "Board" means the ABLE savings program board.
AB731-ASA1,1k 14Section 1k. 16.643 (1) (c) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
15is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,5,1716 16.643 (1) (c) "Eligible individual" has the meaning given in 26 USC 529A (e)
17(1)
.
AB731-ASA1,1L 18Section 1L. 16.643 (1) (d) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
19is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,5,2420 16.643 (1) (d) "Financial institution" means any bank, savings bank, savings
21and loan association, or credit union, investment company, investment trust, trust
22company, insurance company, insurance association, or other person carrying on a
23banking or insurance business
that is authorized to do business under state or
24federal laws relating to financial institutions.
AB731-ASA1,1m
1Section 1m. 16.643 (1) (e) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
255
, is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,6,43 16.643 (1) (e) "Qualified expenses" has the meaning given for "qualified
4disability expenses" under 26 USC 529A (e) (5).
AB731-ASA1,1n 5Section 1n. 16.643 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,6,66 16.643 (2m) Duties of the board. The board shall do all of the following:
AB731-ASA1,6,97 (a) Ensure that the program under this section meets the requirements of a
8qualified ABLE program under 26 USC 529A and all other requirements applicable
9to the program under any other state or federal law, rule, or regulation.
AB731-ASA1,6,1110 (b) Establish investment guidelines for contributions to and the earnings on
11accounts established under this section.
AB731-ASA1,6,1512 (c) Seek rulings and guidance from the U.S. department of the treasury, the
13internal revenue service, the securities and exchange commission, and the social
14security administration to ensure the proper implementation and administration of
15the program under this section.
AB731-ASA1,6,1816 (d) Ensure that if the department changes vendors the balances of accounts
17established under this section are promptly transferred into investment
18instruments as similar to the original investment instruments as possible.
AB731-ASA1,6,2219 (e) Keep personal and financial information pertaining to a beneficiary closed
20to the public, except that the board may release to the appropriate state agency
21information necessary in determining a beneficiary's eligibility for any of the
22long-term care programs specified under sub. (5).
AB731-ASA1,1o 23Section 1o. 16.643 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
2455
, is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,7,3
116.643 (3) (a) 2. Change the beneficiary of an account to a member of the family
2member, as defined in 26 USC 529A (e) (4), of the previous beneficiary, if the new
3beneficiary is an eligible individual.
AB731-ASA1,1p 4Section 1p. 16.643 (3) (a) 3. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
555
, is repealed and recreated to read:
AB731-ASA1,7,86 16.643 (3) (a) 3. Directly or indirectly, direct the investment of any
7contributions to the account owner's account and any earning on those contributions
8no more than 2 times in any calendar year.
AB731-ASA1,1q 9Section 1q. 16.643 (3) (d) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
10is amended to read:
AB731-ASA1,7,1811 16.643 (3) (d) Upon the death of the beneficiary who is the account owner the
12account shall terminate, and upon the termination of an account as described in par.
13(a) 3.
, any amount remaining in the account shall be recoverable by the state under
14s. 49.849 as property of a decedent is recoverable under that statute. Any amount
15that remains in the account following such recovery under s. 49.849 shall be paid to
16the account owner's estate. Recovery authorized under this paragraph may relate
17only to public assistance received by a beneficiary an account owner on and after the
18date on which an account is established under this section.
AB731-ASA1,1r 19Section 1r. 16.644 of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,7,25 2016.644 ABLE savings program; repayment to the general fund. (1) The
21secretary shall transfer from the ABLE savings program trust fund to the general
22fund an amount equal to the amount expended from the appropriation under s.
2320.505 (1) (am) when the secretary determines that moneys in that trust fund are
24sufficient to make the transfer. The secretary may make the transfer in
25installments.
AB731-ASA1,8,3
1(2) Annually, by June 1, the secretary shall submit a report to the joint
2committee on finance on the amount available for repayment under sub. (1), the
3amount repaid under sub. (1), and the outstanding balance under sub. (1).
AB731-ASA1,1s 4Section 1s. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place,
5insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB731-ASA1,1t 6Section 1t. 20.505 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,8,97 20.505 (1) (am) Administrative expenses; ABLE savings program. The
8amounts in the schedule for the administrative expenses of the ABLE savings
9program under s. 16.643, including the expense of promoting the program.
AB731-ASA1,1u 10Section 1u. 20.505 (1) (tr) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,8,1311 20.505 (1) (tr) Payment of qualified disability expenses; ABLE savings program
12trust fund.
From the ABLE savings program trust fund, a sum sufficient for the
13payment of qualified disability expenses under s. 16.643 (4).
AB731-ASA1,1v 14Section 1v. 20.505 (1) (tt) of the statutes is created to read:
AB731-ASA1,9,215 20.505 (1) (tt) Administrative expenses; ABLE savings program. From the
16ABLE savings program trust fund, the amounts in the schedule for the

1administrative expenses of the ABLE savings program under s. 16.643, including the
2expense of promoting the program.
AB731-ASA1,1w 3Section 1w. 25.14 (1) (a) 20. of the statutes is created to read:
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