AB375: Bill Text

LRB-2228/1

TAY:jlg:arm

1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 375

May 22, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives Schneider, R. Young, Seratti, Baldwin, Bock, Notestein, Plouff, Robson and Wasserman, cosponsored by Senators Shibilski, Wineke, Moen, Plache and Moore. Referred to Committee on Wisconsin Works Oversight.

AB375,1,3 An Act to amend 49.147 (4) (a) and 49.147 (4) (as) of the statutes; relating to: permitting technical college education to fulfill the hours-of-participation requirement under a community service job.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a participant placed in a community service job under the Wisconsin works (W-2) program may be required to work in that job for not more than 30 hours per week and may be required to participate in education and training activities for not more than 10 hours per week.

Currently, federal law requires states to achieve certain work participation rates for recipients of aid funded under the temporary assistance for needy families block grant, commonly referred to as TANF. In determining whether a state has met the minimum work participation rates, federal law permits states to include a limited percentage of persons who are engaged in vocational educational training (for not more than 12 months) or who are attending secondary school.

This bill permits, to the extent permitted under federal law, participants in community service jobs to satisfy the hours-of-participation requirement by participating in a self-initiated technical college program if the W-2 agency determines that the participant is likely to complete the program within a 12-month period, that the participant is participating satisfactorily in the program and that the program is likely to lead to employment.

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:

AB375, s. 1 Section 1. 49.147 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB375,2,16 49.147 (4) (a) Administration. A Wisconsin works agency shall administer a community service job program as part of its administration of Wisconsin works to improve the employability of individuals who are not otherwise able to obtain employment, as determined by the Wisconsin works agency, by providing work experience and, training and education to assist them to move promptly into unsubsidized public or private employment or a trial job. In determining an appropriate placement for a participant, a Wisconsin works agency shall give placement under this subsection priority over placements under sub. (5). Community service jobs shall be limited to projects that the department determines would serve a useful public purpose or, including self-initiated technical college programs under par. (as), and projects the cost of which is partially or wholly offset by revenue generated from such projects. After each 6 months of an individual's participation under this subsection and at the conclusion of each assignment under this subsection, a Wisconsin works agency shall reassess the individual's employability.

AB375, s. 2 Section 2. 49.147 (4) (as) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB375,3,15 49.147 (4) (as) Required hours. Except as provided in par. (at), a Wisconsin works agency may require a participant placed in a community service job program to work participate not more than 30 hours per week in a community service job. A Wisconsin works agency may require a participant placed in the community service job program to participate in education or training activities for not more than 10 hours per week. To the extent permitted under 42 USC 607 (c) (2) (D), a participant may fulfill the hours-of-participation requirement under this paragraph, in whole or in part, through participation in a self-initiated technical college program if the Wisconsin works agency determines that the participant is likely to complete the technical college program within a 12-month period, that the participant is participating satisfactorily in the technical college program and that the technical college program is likely to lead to employment. A Wisconsin works agency may not require a participant under this paragraph to participate in a community service job in excess of the number of hours equal to the difference between 40 hours per week and the number of hours that the participant spends in the technical college program per week. The Wisconsin works agency shall calculate the number of hours spent in the technical college program per week by adding 2 hours to each hour that the participant spends in the classroom per week. The department shall define by rule satisfactory participation in a technical college program.

AB375,3,16 (End)