AB426: Bill Text

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2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Assembly BILL 426

May 12, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Ainsworth, Ballweg, Freese, Hines, Kerkman, Kestell, Ott, Owens, Petrowski, Townsend and Molepske, cosponsored by Senators Zien, Breske, Hansen, Risser and Roessler. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB426,1,2 An Act to amend 85.21 (3) (c) and (e) of the statutes; relating to: the Specialized Transportation Assistance Program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) administers the Specialized Transportation Assistance Program (program) under which DOT distributes aids to counties to be used for providing transportation services to elderly and disabled persons. A county may contract with DOT to hold aids received under the program in trust for the exclusive purpose of acquiring or maintaining equipment used for services authorized under the program.

This bill allows a county to contract with DOT to hold aids received under the program in trust for the additional purpose of providing services under the program, not just for the purpose of acquiring or maintaining equipment used for such services.

Under current law, DOT apportions to each county a share of the total aid available under the program, called the "county proportionate share," based generally upon the number of elderly and disabled persons in the county. If a county fails to contract with DOT for its entire county proportionate share by February 1 of any fiscal year, DOT may distribute the remaining amount by supplemental contract with other counties that have applied for more than its county proportionate share.

This bill provides that, if a county fails to apply for its entire county proportionate share by January 1 of any fiscal year, DOT may distribute the remaining amount by supplemental application and supplemental contract with other counties.

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:

AB426, s. 1 Section 1. 85.21 (3) (c) and (e) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB426,2,16 85.21 (3) (c) To make and execute contracts with counties to ensure the provision of specialized transportation service. Payments under such contracts to eligible applicants shall not exceed the county proportionate share, except as supplemented under par. (e) or (f). A contract under this section shall require the county to make a matching contribution of 20% 20 percent of the contract amount and to furnish information determined necessary by the department for periodic program monitoring and year-end auditing and evaluation. A contract may permit a county to hold aids received under this section on or after July 2, 1983, in trust, according to rules promulgated by the department, for the exclusive purpose of providing services authorized under this section or of acquiring or maintaining equipment used for services authorized under this section or both. All aids held in trust, as well as any accumulated interest, not expended for the authorized purposes, shall be returned to the department for deposit in the transportation fund. Nothing in this paragraph entitles a county to any investment interest accumulated prior to the time the aid payment is actually received by the county.

AB426,2,21 (e) If any county fails to contract with apply to the department for its entire county proportionate share by February January 1 of any fiscal year, the department may distribute the remaining amount by supplemental application and supplemental contract with other counties that have applied for more than their county proportionate share.

AB426, s. 2 Section 2. Initial applicability.

AB426,3,3 (1) The treatment of section 85.21 (3) (c) of the statutes first applies to contracts entered into on the effective date of this subsection.

AB426,3,6 (2) The treatment of section 85.21 (3) (e) of the statutes first applies to applications for aid received by the department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.

AB426,3,7 (End)