1997 Wisconsin Act 27

27,1839 Section 1839 . 49.155 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1) (c) Notwithstanding s. 49.141 (1) (j), “parent" means a custodial parent, guardian, foster parent, treatment foster parent, legal custodian or a person acting in the place of a parent.

27,1840 Section 1840 . 49.155 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1d) Child care certification rules. (a) The department shall promulgate rules establishing standards for the certification of child care providers under s. 48.651. In establishing the requirements for certification as a Level II certified family day care provider, the department may not include a requirement for training for providers.

(b) The department shall promulgate rules to establish quality of care standards for child care providers that are higher than the quality of care standards required for licensure under s. 48.65 or for certification under s. 48.651. The standards established by rules promulgated under this paragraph shall consist of the standards provided for the accreditation of day care centers by the national association for the education of young children or any other comparable standards that the department may establish, including standards regarding the turnover of child care provider staff and the training and benefits provided for child care provider staff.

27,1841 Section 1841 . 49.155 (1g) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1g) (title) Distribution of funds.

27,1842 Section 1842 . 49.155 (1j) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1j) (title) Unanticipated federal funds.

27,1843 Section 1843 . 49.155 (1m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) (intro.) The individual is a custodial parent of a child who is under the age of 13, or is a person who, under s. 48.57 (3m), is providing care and maintenance for a child who is under the age of 13, and child care services for that child are needed in order for the individual to do any of the following:

27,1844 Section 1844 . 49.155 (1m) (a) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 1m. If the individual is under 20 years of age, but is not subject to the school attendance requirement under s. 49.26 (1) (ge) and the individual resides with his or her custodial parent or with a kinship care relative under s. 48.57 (3m) or is in a foster home or treatment foster home licensed under s. 48.62, a group home or an independent living arrangement supervised by an adult, obtain a high school diploma or participate in a course of study meeting the standards established by the state superintendent of public instruction for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation.

27,1845 Section 1845 . 49.155 (1m) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 3. Work in a Wisconsin works employment position, including participation in job search, orientation and training activities under s. 49.147 (2) (a) and in education or training activities under s. 49.147 (3) (am), (4) (am) or (5) (bm).

27,1845b Section 1845b. 49.155 (1m) (a) 3. of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 3. Work in a Wisconsin works employment position, including participation in job search, orientation and training activities under s. 49.147 (2) (a) and in education or training activities under s. 49.147 (3) (am), (4) (am) (b) 1. a. or (5) (bm).

27,1845m Section 1845m. 49.155 (1m) (a) 3m. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 3m. Participate in a job search or work experience component of the food stamp employment and training program under s. 49.124 (1m).

27,1846 Section 1846 . 49.155 (1m) (a) 4. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 4. (intro.) Participate in other employment skills training, including an English as a 2nd language course, if the Wisconsin works agency determines that the course would facilitate the individual's efforts to obtain employment; a course of study meeting the standards established by the secretary of education state superintendent of public instruction under s. 115.29 (4) for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation; a course of study at a technical college; or participation in educational courses that provide an employment skill, as determined by the department. An individual may receive aid under this subdivision for up to one year. An individual may not receive aid under this subdivision unless the individual meets at least one of the following conditions:

27,1846d Section 1846d. 49.155 (1m) (a) 4. (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:

49.155 (1m) (a) 4. (intro.) Participate in other employment skills training, including an English as a 2nd language course, if the Wisconsin works agency determines that the course would facilitate the individual's efforts to obtain employment; a course of study meeting the standards established by the state superintendent of public instruction under s. 115.29 (4) for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation; a course of study at a technical college, if the Wisconsin works agency determines that the course would facilitate the individual's efforts to obtain or maintain employment; or participation in educational courses that provide an employment skill, as determined by the department. An individual may receive aid under this subdivision for up to two years. An individual may not receive aid under this subdivision unless the individual meets at least one of the following conditions:

27,1847 Section 1847 . 49.155 (1m) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 49.155 (1m) (b) (intro.) and amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (b) (intro.) The individual meets the eligibility conditions criteria under s. all of the following:

1. Section 49.145 (2) (c) to, (f) and (g) and.

3. Section 49.145 (3) (a), except that an individual may be eligible for a child care subsidy under this section regardless of the number of days the individual has resided in this state prior to applying for the child care subsidy.

27,1848 Section 1848 . 49.155 (1m) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (b) 2. Section 49.145 (2) (s).

27,1848m Section 1848m. 49.155 (1m) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (c) (intro.) Any of the following applies:

27,1849 Section 1849 . 49.155 (1m) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 49.155 (1m) (c) 1. and amended to read:

49.155 (1m) (c) 1. The gross income of the individual's family is at or below 165% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family or, for an individual who is already receiving a child care subsidy under this section, the gross income of the individual's family is at or below 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family. In calculating the gross income of the family, the Wisconsin works agency shall include income described under s. 49.145 (3) (b) 1. to 3.

27,1850m Section 1850m. 49.155 (1m) (c) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (c) 1m. The individual was eligible under s. 49.132 (4) (a) for aid under s. 49.132 and received aid under s. 49.132 on September 30, 1997, but lost aid solely because of the application of s. 49.132 (6), and the gross income of the individual's family is at or below 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family. This subdivision does not apply to an individual whose family's gross income at any time on or after September 30, 1997, is more than 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family.

27,1851 Section 1851 . 49.155 (1m) (c) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (c) 2. The individual was eligible under s. 49.132 (4) (am) for aid under s. 49.132 and received aid under s. 49.132 on or after May 10, 1996, but lost eligibility solely because of increased income, and the gross income of the individual's family is at or below 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family. This subdivision does not apply to an individual whose family's gross income increased to more than 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family.

27,1852 Section 1852. 49.155 (1m) (c) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (1m) (c) 3. The individual was eligible for a child care subsidy under s. 49.191 (2) on or after May 10, 1996, and received a child care subsidy on or after May 10, 1996, but lost the subsidy solely because of increased income, and the gross income of the individual's family is at or below 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family. This subdivision does not apply to an individual whose family's gross income increased to more than 200% of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family.

27,1853 Section 1853 . 49.155 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

49.155 (3m) Distribution of child care funds to counties and certain child care providers. (a) The department shall reimburse child care providers or shall distribute funds to county departments under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 for child care services provided under this section and to private nonprofit agencies that provide child care for children of migrant workers.

(b) Not more than 5%, or $20,000, whichever is greater, of the funds distributed under par. (a) may be used for the costs of administering the program under this section.

(c) From the funds distributed under par. (a), a county may provide child care services itself, purchase child care services from a child care provider, provide vouchers to an eligible parent for the payment of child care services provided by a child care provider, reimburse an eligible parent for payments made by the parent to a child care provider for child care services, adopt, with the approval of the department, any other arrangement that the county considers appropriate or use any combination of these methods to provide child care.

(d) No funds distributed under par. (a) may be used to provide care for a child by a person who resides with the child, unless the county determines that the care is necessary because of a special health condition of the child.

27,1854 Section 1854 . 49.155 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (6) (a) The department Subject to review and approval by the department, each county shall establish the maximum reimbursement rate that a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 may pay for licensed child care services provided under this section. The department A county shall set the rate so that at least 75% of the number of places for children within the licensed capacity of all child care providers in each that county or in a multicounty area determined by the department can be purchased at or below that maximum rate.

27,1855 Section 1855 . 49.155 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (6) (b) The department Subject to review and approval by the department, each county shall set a maximum reimbursement rate that a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 may pay for Level I certified family day care providers for services provided to eligible individuals under this section. The maximum rate set under this paragraph may not exceed 75% of the rate established under par. (a).

27,1856 Section 1856 . 49.155 (6) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (6) (c) The department Subject to review and approval by the department, each county shall set a maximum reimbursement rate that a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 may pay for Level II certified family day care providers for services provided to eligible individuals under this section. The maximum rate set under this paragraph may not exceed 50% of the rate established under par. (a).

27,1857 Section 1857 . 49.155 (6) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.155 (6) (d) The department may promulgate rules to establish a system of rates for child care programs that exceed the quality of care standards required for licensure under s. 48.65 or for certification under s. 48.651 (1) (a) or a program of grants that the department will pay to child care providers that meet the higher quality of care standards established by rules promulgated under sub. (1d) (b). If a system of rates is established under this paragraph, the rates under that system shall be higher than the rates established under pars. (a) to (c).

27,1857f Section 1857f. 49.159 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.159 (2) Minor custodial parents; financial and employment counseling. A custodial parent who is under the age of 18 is eligible, regardless of that individual's or that individual's parent's income or assets, to meet with a financial and employment planner. The financial and employment planner may provide the individual with information regarding Wisconsin works eligibility, available child care services, employment and financial planning, family planning services, as defined in s. 253.07 (1) (b), community resources, eligibility for food stamps and other food and nutrition programs.

27,1857m Section 1857m. 49.161 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.161 (1) (title) Trial jobs and wage-paying community service jobs overpayments. Notwithstanding s. 49.96, the department shall recover an overpayment of benefits paid under s. 49.148 (1) (a) and (b) 2. from an individual who receives or has received benefits paid under s. 49.148 (1) (a) or (b) 2. The value of the benefit liable for recovery under this subsection may not exceed the amount that the department paid in wage subsidies with respect to that participant while the participant was ineligible to participate. The department shall promulgate rules establishing policies and procedures for administrating this subsection.

27,1857n Section 1857n. 49.161 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.161 (2) (title) Community Grant-paying community service jobs and transitional placements overpayments. Except as provided in sub. (3), the department shall recover an overpayment of benefits paid under s. 49.148 (1) (b) 1. and (c) from an individual who continues to receive benefits under s. 49.148 (1) (b) 1. and (c) by reducing the amount of the individual's benefit payment by no more than 10%.

27,1857o Section 1857o. 49.170 of the statutes is created to read:

49.170 Payments for certain tribal economic support programs. (1) Definition. In this section, “tribal economic support program" means an economic support program, operated by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state, that is funded under P.L. 104-193, section 103, and is not part of the Wisconsin works program under ss. 49.141 to 49.161.

(2) Department plan. The department shall develop a plan for making payments, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (3) (dz), to each federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state that operates a tribal economic support program, for the purpose of operating that tribal economic support program. As a condition of receiving a payment under this section, the tribal economic support program shall meet all requirements specified in the plan. These requirements shall be similar to the requirements of the Wisconsin works program under ss. 49.141 to 49.161. The plan shall specify the method of determining the amount of the payment to be made for each tribal economic support program.

(3) Joint committee on finance approval. No later than January 1, 1998, the department shall submit the plan under sub. (2) to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance for review by the joint committee on finance. The department may not make a payment under the plan unless the plan is approved by the joint committee on finance.

(4) Payments. If the joint committee on finance approves the plan submitted under sub. (3), the department shall make payments, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (3) (dz), in the manner specified in the plan.

27,1857p Section 1857p. 49.175 of the statutes is created to read:

49.175 Public assistance and local assistance funding. (1) Funds distribution. Except as provided in sub. (2), within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.445 (3) (a), (br), (cm), (dc), (dz), (e), (em), (g), (jg), (jL), (L), (Lm), (mc), (md), (nL), (pm) and (ps), the department shall allocate the following amounts for the following purposes:

(a) Aid to families with dependent children. For benefits under s. 49.19, $28,400,000 in fiscal year 1997-98.

(b) Subsidized employment. For payments to Wisconsin works agencies for subsidized employment costs, $155,375,100 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $158,678,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(bg) Long-term and refugee supplement. For payments to Wisconsin works agencies as a supplement for long-term and refugee cases, $8,200,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $9,800,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(bm) Wisconsin works agency office costs. For payments to Wisconsin works agencies for office costs, $104,117,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $115,293,800 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(br) Payments for 2-parent families. For payments under s. 49.15 (4), $735,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $1,100,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(c) Wisconsin works agency contingency fund. For contingency payments to Wisconsin works agencies for subsidized employment and office costs to be distributed under criteria established by the department, $25,000,000 in the 1997-99 fiscal biennium.

(d) Job opportunities and basic skills program. For services provided under s. 49.193, $15,079,800 in fiscal year 1997-98.

(e) County income maintenance administration. For county income maintenance administration, $6,665,600 in fiscal year 1997-98.

(f) State administration of public assistance programs. For state administration of public assistance programs, $37,449,500 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $34,338,100 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(g) Emergency assistance. For emergency assistance under s. 49.138, $3,300,000 in each fiscal year.

(h) Funeral expenses. For funeral expenses under s. 49.30, $3,300,000 in each fiscal year.

(i) Learnfare case management. For case management services for learnfare pupils under s. 49.26 (2), $2,619,100 in each fiscal year.

(j) Local learnfare projects. For local projects under the learnfare program under s. 49.26, $450,000 in fiscal year 1997-98.

(k) Children first. For services under the work experience program for noncustodial parents under s. 49.36, $1,316,400 in each fiscal year.

(L) County fraud investigations and error reduction. For county fraud investigations and error reductions under s. 49.197, $588,000 in each fiscal year.

(m) Job access loans. For job access loans under s. 49.147 (6), $3,645,600 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $866,900 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(n) Employment skills advancement grants. For employment skills advancement grants under s. 49.185, $833,300 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(o) Direct child care services. For direct child care services under s. 49.155, $155,547,200 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $177,427,200 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(p) Indirect child care services. For indirect child care services under s. 49.131 (2) (b), $6,002,400 in each fiscal year. Notwithstanding sub. (2), the department may not use any funds allocated under this paragraph for any other purpose under this subsection.

(q) Reserve for benefit payments in a county with a population of 500,000 or more. For a reserve for benefit payments in a county with a population of 500,000 or more, $11,000,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $10,000,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(r) Wisconsin works contracts in certain counties. For contracts with persons for oversight of the administrative structure of Wisconsin works, and of Wisconsin works agencies, in counties having a population of 500,000 or more, $1,000,000 in each fiscal year.

(s) New hope project. For the new hope project under s. 49.37, $1,560,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $690,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.

(t) Transportation assistance. For transportation assistance under s. 49.157, $1,000,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $2,000,000 in fiscal year 1998-99. The department may not distribute the funds under this paragraph unless the joint committee on finance supplements the appropriate appropriation from the appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (m).

(u) Hospital paternity incentives. For hospital paternity incentive payments under s. 69.14 (1) (cm), $54,000 in fiscal year 1997-98 and $144,000 in fiscal year 1998-99.