(h) The corporation provides employes of the legislative audit bureau with access to all of the corporation's records.
(4) AID PAYMENTS. The secretary of administration shall pay aid under sub. (3) in instalments, as determined by the secretary.
SECTION 931. 40.02 (28) of the statutes is amended 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 and 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, except as provided under ss. 40.51 (7) and 40.61 (3), or a local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229 or a family care district created under s. 46.2895. Each employer shall be a separate legal jurisdiction for OASDHI purposes.
SECTION 932. 40.02 (36) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (36) "Governing body" means the legislature or the head of each state agency with respect to employes of that agency for the state, the common council in cities, the village board in villages, the town board in towns, the county board in counties, the school board in school districts, or the board, commission or other governing body having the final authority for any other unit of government, for any agency or instrumentality of 2 or more units of government, for 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 or, for a local exposition district created under subch. II of ch. 229 or for a family care district created under s. 46.2895.
SECTION 933. 40.02 (37) of the statutes is renumbered 40.02 (37) (intro.) and amended to read:
40.02 (37) (intro.) "Health insurance" means contractual any of the following:
(a) Contractual arrangements which may include, but are not limited to, indemnity or service benefits, or prepaid comprehensive health care plans, which will provide full or partial payment of the financial expense incurred by employes and dependents as the result of injury, illness or preventive medical procedures. The plans may include hospitalization, surgical and medical care, as well as ancillary items or services as determined by the group insurance board. The plans may include the type of coverage normally referred to as "major medical" insurance.
SECTION 934. 40.02 (37) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
40.02 (37) (b) For the purpose of health insurance premium credits under ss. 40.05 (4) (b), (bc), (bd), (be), (bf), (bm), (bp) and (bw) and 40.95, group health insurance within the meaning of par. (a) which is contracted or provided by the group insurance board under s. 40.03 (6) (a) or (b), including health care coverage under ss. 40.51 and 40.52, and, to the extent permitted by rules promulgated by the department, health insurance provided by a county pursuant to an election to remain covered under s. 753.07 (4) or 978.12 (6), including continuation coverage under s. 632.897 or federal law, but not conversion coverage.
SECTION 935. 40.02 (48) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.02 (48) (am) "Protective occupation participant" includes any participant whose name is certified to the fund as provided in s. 40.06 (1) (d) and (dm) and who is a conservation warden, conservation patrol boat captain, conservation patrol boat engineer, conservation pilot, conservation patrol officer, forest fire control assistant, member of the state traffic patrol, state motor vehicle inspector, police officer, fire fighter, sheriff, undersheriff, deputy sheriff, state probation and parole officer, county traffic police officer, state forest ranger, fire watcher employed by the Wisconsin veterans home, state correctional-psychiatric officer, excise tax investigator employed by the department of revenue, special criminal investigation agent in the department of justice, assistant or deputy fire marshal, or person employed under s. 61.66 (1).
SECTION 936. 40.02 (48) (b) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
40.02 (48) (b) 4. A "member of the state traffic patrol" includes one division administrator in the department of transportation who is counted under s. 230.08 (2) (e) 12. and whose duties include supervising the state traffic patrol, if the division administrator is certified by the law enforcement standards board under s. 165.85 (4) (b) 1. as being qualified to be a law enforcement officer.
SECTION 937. 40.02 (54) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 938. 40.03 (2) (rm) of the statutes is created to read:
40.03 (2) (rm) May promulgate rules, which do not conflict with the exclusion from income under section 106 of the Internal Revenue Code, for including additional health insurance plans under s. 40.02 (37) (b).
SECTION 939. 40.04 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.04 (2) (d) The costs of investing the assets of the benefit plans and retirement systems, including all costs due to s. 40.03 (1) (n), and the costs of legal services authorized under s. 40.03 (1) (c) shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.515 (1) (r) and charged directly against the appropriate investment income or reserve accounts of the benefit plan or retirement system receiving the services.
SECTION 940. 40.08 (6) (e) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
40.08 (6) (e) Pursuant to rules promulgated by the department and at a rate of interest established by rule, the department may credit interest on moneys refunded or credited under this subsection.
SECTION 941. 40.08 (7) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.08 (7) (c) If Pursuant to rules promulgated by the department and at a rate of interest established by rule, if an annuity underpayment exceeding exceeds the limits in par. (a) has not been corrected for at least 12 months, the payment to the annuitant to correct the underpayment shall include 0.4% interest on the amount of the underpayment for each full month during the period beginning on the date on which the underpayment occurred and ending on the date on which the underpayment is corrected.
SECTION 942. 40.24 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.24 (1) (e) A reduced annuity payable in the normal form or any of the optional life forms provided under this section, plus a temporary annuity payable monthly but terminating with the payment payable in the month following the month in which the annuitant attains age 62 or, if earlier, on the death of the annuitant the annuitant dies before attaining age 62, in the month in which the annuitant would have attained age 62. It is the intent of this option that so far as is practicable the amounts of the life annuity and temporary annuity shall be determined so that the annuitant's total anticipated benefits from the fund and from his or her primary OASDHI benefit will be the same each month both before and after attainment of age 62.
SECTION 943. 40.25 (6) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.25 (6) (a) 2. Applications A participating employe may submit one or more applications for reestablishment of creditable service must include all creditable service that has been forfeited except that the, except that a participating employe may not submit more than 2 applications in each calendar year. A participating employe may apply for all or part of the creditable service that he or she has forfeited, subject to rules promulgated by the department. The total number of years which may be reestablished under this subsection may not be greater than the creditable service of the participating employe at the date of application, or 10 years, whichever is smaller. The department must receive an application for reestablishment of creditable service under this subsection and the required payment no later than the date the participating employe terminates employment with a participating employer.
SECTION 944. 40.25 (6) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.25 (6) (a) 3. The participating employe applying for forfeited creditable service under this subsection shall pay to the fund an amount equal to the employe's statutory contribution on earnings under s. 40.05 (1) (a) for each year of forfeited service to be reestablished, based upon the participating employe's final average earnings, determined as if the employe retired on the date the department receives the application. The department must receive the application and the amount payable under this subdivision shall be paid in a lump sum payment, except that the department may, by rule, permit a participating employe to reestablish creditable service by making payments over a period of more than one year no later than the date the participating employe terminates employment with a participating employer. No employer may pay any amount payable under this subdivision on behalf of any participating employe.
SECTION 945. 41.11 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:
41.11 (4m) ACCESS TO CUSTOMER INFORMATION; FEES. Notwithstanding s. 19.35, the department may refuse to reveal names, addresses and related demographic information maintained on any list that the department has compiled of persons who have requested information about travel opportunities in the state. Notwithstanding s. 19.71, if the department provides information from a list of persons requesting travel information, the department may charge the person requesting the information a fee to recover the department's actual costs of compiling and providing the information. The department may reduce or waive the fee under this subsection if the department determines that the reduction or waiver is in the public interest.
SECTION 946. 44.20 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.20 (1) The historical society shall operate and maintain the historic sites known as Stonefield Village, Pendarvis, Villa Louis, Old Wade House, Madeline Island, Old World Wisconsin, Northern Great Lakes Center and, if the First Capitol state park has been transferred to the historical society under 1993 Wisconsin Act 16, section 9142 (1e), First Capitol.
SECTION 947. 44.53 (1) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:
44.53 (1) (fm) Conduct a program identical to that described in par. (f), but only for American Indian individuals and groups. The program shall be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.215 (1) (km).
SECTION 948. 44.53 (2) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
44.53 (2) (am) Enter into contracts with American Indian individuals, organizations and institutions and American Indian tribal governments for services furthering the development of the arts and humanities.
SECTION 949. 44.70 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:
44.70 (2g) "Educational agency" means a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college, public library system, public library board, the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped or the Wisconsin School for the Deaf.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.70 (2g). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-1506/2, LRB-1507/2 and LRB-0250/3.
SECTION 950. 44.70 (3e) of the statutes is created to read:
44.70 (3e) "Political subdivision" means any city, village, town or county.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.70 (3e). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-1508/1 (which creates s. 196.218 (4r) (a) 1r. with the same definition).
SECTION 951. 44.70 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
44.70 (3m) "Public library system" has the meaning given in s. 43.01 (5).
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.70 (3m). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-1506/2 (which creates s. 196.218 (4r) (a) 2r. with the same definition).
SECTION 952. 44.70 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
44.70 (5) "Universal service fund" means the trust fund established under s. 25.95.
SECTION 953. 44.71 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 44.71 (2) (a), and 44.71 (2) (a) 5. and 8., as renumbered, are amended to read:
44.71 (2) (a) 5. Subject to s. 196.218 (4r) (f) 44.73 (5), in cooperation with the department and the public service commission, provide telecommunications access to school districts, private schools, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, private colleges and public library boards educational agencies under the program established under s. 196.218 (4r) 44.73.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.71 (2) (a) 5. This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0250/3, LRB-1506/2, LRB-1507/2 and LRB-1508/1.
8. Purchase educational technology equipment for use by school districts, cooperative educational service agencies and public educational institutions in this state and permit the districts, agencies and institutions to purchase or lease the equipment, with an option to purchase the equipment at a later date. This paragraph subdivision does not require the purchase or lease of any educational technology equipment from the board.
SECTION 954. 44.71 (2) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
44.71 (2) (bm) The board may contract with the Wisconsin advanced telecommunications foundation to provide administrative services to the foundation.
SECTION 955. 44.72 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (1) (a) Award grants to applicants on a competitive basis through one funding cycle annually, except that the board shall ensure that at least one grant is awarded annually to an applicant located in the territory of each cooperative educational service agency.
SECTION 956. 44.72 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is repealed.
SECTION 957. 44.72 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (2) (e) The board shall distribute the grants under par. (b) 2. and 3. annually on the first Monday in February.
SECTION 958. 44.72 (4) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (4) (title) SUBSIDIZED EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE LOANS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
SECTION 959. 44.72 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (4) (a) Subsidized loans Financial assistance authorized. The board may make subsidized loans provide financial assistance under this subsection to school districts from the proceeds of public debt contracted under s. 20.866 (2) (zc) and to public library boards from the proceeds of public debt contracted under s. 20.866 (2) (zcm). Subsidized loans Financial assistance under this subsection may be used only for the purpose of upgrading the electrical wiring of school and library buildings in existence on October 14, 1997, and installing and upgrading computer network wiring.
SECTION 960. 44.72 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (4) (b) Subsidized loan Financial assistance applications, terms and conditions. The board shall establish application procedures for, and the terms and conditions of, subsidized loans financial assistance under this subsection. The board shall make a loan to a school district or public library board in an amount equal to 50% of the total amount of financial assistance for which the board determines the school district or public library board is eligible and provide a grant to the school district or public library board for the remainder of the total. The terms of any financial assistance under this subsection may include provision of professional building construction services under s. 16.85 (15). The board shall determine the interest rate on these loans under this subsection. The interest rate shall be as low as possible but shall be sufficient to fully pay all interest expenses incurred by the state in making the loans and to provide reserves that are reasonably expected to be required in the judgment of the board to ensure against losses arising from delinquency and default in the repayment of subsidized the loans. The term of a subsidized loan under this subsection may not exceed 10 years.
SECTION 961. 44.72 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (4) (c) Repayment of subsidized loans. A school district's or public library board's total payments on a loan made under this subsection shall be equal to 50% of the total debt service on the loan, as determined by the board. A school district or public library board is not obligated to pay the remaining 50% of the debt service on the loan. The board shall credit all moneys received from school districts under this paragraph for repayment of loans under this subsection to the appropriation account under s. 20.275 (1) (h). The board shall credit all moneys received from public library boards under this paragraph for repayment of loans under this subsection to the appropriation account under s. 20.275 (1) (hb).
SECTION 962. 44.72 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
44.72 (4) (d) Funding for subsidized loans financial assistance. The board, with the approval of the governor and subject to the limits of s. 20.866 (2) (zc) and (zcm), may request that the building commission contract public debt in accordance with ch. 18 to fund loans financial assistance under this subsection.
SECTION 963. 44.72 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
44.72 (5) FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION GRANTS. (a) Beginning in the 2000-01 fiscal year, the board shall award at least one grant in each fiscal year, on a competitive basis, to an educational organization or consortium of educational organizations for the development and implementation of a foreign language instruction program in a public school in grades kindergarten to 6.
(b) The board shall award grants under par. (a) from the appropriation under s. 20.275 (1) (b). The board may not award a grant to an organization or consortium of organizations unless the foreign language instruction is provided to pupils using data lines or video links for which access is provided under s. 44.73 (1) or for which a grant is awarded under s. 44.73 (6).
(c) The board shall promulgate rules defining "educational organization" for the purposes of this subsection.
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.72 (5). This SECTION has been affected by LRB-1769 and LRB-0250.
SECTION 964. 44.73 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:
44.73 (2g) An educational agency that is provided access to a data line under the program established under sub. (1) may not do any of the following:
1. Provide access to the data line to any business entity, as defined in s. 13.62 (5).
2. Request access to an additional data line for purposes of providing access to bandwidth to a political subdivision under a shared service agreement under sub. (2r) (a).
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.73 (2g). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0250/3 (which renumbers s. 196.218 (4r) (c)).
SECTION 965. 44.73 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:
44.73 (2r) (a) An educational agency that is provided access to a data line under the program established under sub. (1) may enter into a shared service agreement with a political subdivision that provides the political subdivision with access to any excess bandwidth on the data line that is not used by the educational agency. A shared service agreement under this subdivision is not valid unless the agreement allows an educational agency to cancel the agreement at any time after providing notice to the political subdivision.
(b) A political subdivision that obtains access to bandwidth under a shared service agreement under par. (a) may not receive compensation for providing any other person with access to the bandwidth.
(c) An educational agency shall provide the board with written notice within 30 days after entering into or modifying a shared service agreement under par. (a).
****NOTE: This is reconciled s. 44.73 (2r). This SECTION has been affected by drafts with the following LRB numbers: LRB-0250/3 (which renumbers s. 196.218 (4r) (c)).
SECTION 966. 45.01 of the statutes is amended to read:
45.01 Wisconsin veterans museum; space for. The department of administration shall provide suitable space for the purpose of a memorial hall, designated as the Wisconsin veterans museum, dedicated to the men and women of Wisconsin who served in the armed forces of the United States in the civil war of 1861 to 1865 or who meets meet one of the conditions listed in s. 45.35 (5) (a) 1. a. to d., and the department of veterans affairs shall operate and conduct the Wisconsin veterans museum. The mission of the Wisconsin veterans museum is to acknowledge, commemorate and affirm the role of Wisconsin veterans in the United States of America's military past by means of instructive exhibits and other educational programs.
SECTION 967. 45.25 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
45.25 (1) ADMINISTRATION. The department of veterans affairs shall administer a tuition and fee reimbursement program for eligible veterans enrolling as undergraduates in any institution within the university of Wisconsin system, enrolling in any technical college under ch. 38 of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state or receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47.
SECTION 968. 45.25 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
45.25 (2) (d) The individual is a resident at the time of application for the tuition and fee reimbursement program and was a Wisconsin resident at the time of entry or reentry into service or was a resident for any consecutive 5-year period after completing entry or reentry into service on active duty and before the time date of his or her application. If a person applying for a benefit under this section meets that 5-consecutive-year residency requirement, the department may not require the person to reestablish that he or she meets the 5-consecutive-year residency requirement when he or she later applies for any other benefit under this chapter that requires a 5-consecutive-year residency.
SECTION 969. 45.25 (2) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
45.25 (2) (e) The individual is enrolled for at least 12 credits during the semester for which reimbursement is sought.
SECTION 970. 45.25 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
45.25 (3) (a) Except as provided in par. (am), an individual who meets the requirements under sub. (2), upon satisfactory completion of an a full-time undergraduate semester in any institution within the university of Wisconsin system or a semester at any technical college district school under ch. 38 of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state or any institution from which the individual receives a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47, may be reimbursed for up to 50% 65% of the individual's tuition and fees, but that. The reimbursement under this paragraph is limited to a maximum of 50% 65% of the standard cost for a state resident for an equivalent undergraduate course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison per course or the difference between the individual's tuition and fees and the grants or scholarships, including those made under s. 21.49, that the individual receives specifically for the payment of the tuition or fees, whichever is less. Reimbursement is available only for tuition and fees that are part of a curriculum that is relevant to a degree in a particular course of study at the institution or school.
SECTION 971. 45.25 (3) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
