Under current law, DOR assesses the value of taxable property in a county or taxation district. A county or taxation district may appeal DOR's assessment of the property in the county or taxation district by filing an appeal with the tax appeals commission. If the tax appeals commission determines on appeal that DOR incorrectly assessed the taxable property in a county or taxation district, the tax appeals commission may redetermine the assessment. Under current law, the tax appeals commission is authorized to hear appeals of tax matters, at times and places designated by the commission, and tax matters that are small claims cases in which the amount in controversy is less than $2,500. The tax appeals commission may impose a $1,000 penalty on a taxpayer who pursues a frivolous appeal.
Under this bill, a county or taxation district may appeal DOR's assessment of the property of the county or taxation district by filing an appeal with DOR. DOR hears the appeal and, if DOR determines that the appealed assessment is incorrect, DOR redetermines the assessment. DOR's decision on appeal may be appealed to the tax appeals commission.
The bill authorizes the tax appeals commission to submit a case to summary proceedings (an alternative dispute resolution proceeding) if the amount in controversy is less than $100,000. The bill also increases the penalty for pursuing a frivolous appeal to $5,000 and provides that the commission may hold hearings only in the following places: Appleton, Eau Claire, LaCrosse, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau.
Under current law, if a person does not pay the tax that is due on a parcel of real property before September 1, the county treasurer must issue a tax certificate to the county that relates to that property. The issuance of a tax certificate begins the redemption period during which the taxpayer may retain his or her property by paying the delinquent taxes. If the property is not redeemed during the redemption period, which is usually two years, the county may acquire the property by taking a tax deed or by other methods.
Under this bill, if a county does not, within two years after the expiration of the redemption period, take a tax deed for property that is subject to a tax certificate and that is contaminated by a hazardous substance, the county must, upon receiving a written request from the city, village or town within whose jurisdiction the property is located, acquire the property by taking a tax deed. The county may then either retain ownership of the property or transfer ownership of the property, without consideration, to the municipality.
Under current law, a taxation district transfers its tax roll to the county or counties in which the taxation district is located. The county accepts all delinquent property taxes from the taxation district and credits the taxation district for delinquent taxes in the next tax levy. The county attempts to collect the delinquent property taxes by issuing a tax certificate. After the county issues a tax certificate, an owner of real property has two years to redeem the certificate by paying the delinquent taxes. If the taxes remain unpaid after two years, the county may record a tax deed on the property. However, a county may cancel the delinquent taxes if the property is contaminated by a hazardous substance and the property owner agrees to clean up, maintain and monitor the property. The taxation district that transferred the relevant tax roll receives a credit on its tax levy from the county even though the county has canceled the tax.
This bill requires a county that cancels delinquent taxes to charge back to the appropriate taxation district any or all of the amount of the canceled taxes and to include that amount in the county's next tax levy against the taxation district.
Other taxation
Under current law, computers are exempt from the general property tax paid by businesses. Also under current law, computers owned by telephone companies, which are ad valorem taxpayers, are exempt from the ad valorem tax. An ad valorem tax is a tax imposed on property or on an article of commerce in proportion to its value.
This bill exempts from ad valorem taxation computers owned by other ad valorem taxpayers, such as railroads, airlines, pipeline companies, conservation and regulation companies and municipal electric association projects.
The bill also creates a personal property tax exemption for fax machines, copiers, cash registers and automated teller machines.
Under current law, the sale of time-share property is subject to the real estate transfer fee. This bill exempts from real estate transfer fees conveyances of those time-share properties that give the owner the right to use or occupy the real property during at least four separate periods over at least four years. Under current law, some, but not all, conveyances that are exempt from the real estate transfer fee are also exempt from the requirement of filing a real estate transfer return. This bill exempts from the requirement of filing a real estate transfer return these conveyances of time-share property.
The furnishing of rooms or lodging through the sale of time-share properties that are exempted from the real estate transfer fee by this bill is currently subject to the sales tax only if the use of the rooms or lodging is not fixed at the time of sale as to the starting date or the lodging unit and is for less than one month. This bill subjects to the sales tax all sales of time-share properties that are for less than one month, whether or not they are exempted from the real estate transfer fee by this bill, and whether or not the use of the rooms or lodging is fixed at the time of the sale.
The bill also subjects to the sales tax those charges associated with time-share property that at the time of the charges would be subject to the sales tax.
Under current law, a county may adopt an ordinance to impose sales and use taxes upon county retailers. DOR collects the sales and use taxes imposed by counties. The state retains 1.5% of the sales and use taxes collected to cover the costs incurred by the state to administer, enforce and collect the taxes. DOR distributes the remaining taxes collected to the respective counties. This bill increases from 1.5% to 1.75% the amount of taxes collected that are retained by the state.
This bill changes the tobacco products tax from an occupational tax to an excise tax. The change allows the state to tax certain sales of tobacco products sold on reservations by American Indians to persons who are not American Indians.
This bill permits DOR to enter into agreements with American Indian tribes to provide for the refunding of the tobacco products tax imposed on tobacco products sold on reservations to enrolled members of the tribe residing on the tribal reservation. In addition, DOR is required to refund 50% of the taxes collected with respect to sales on reservations or trust lands of an American Indian tribe to the tribal council of the tribe having jurisdiction over the reservation or trust land on which the sale is made. These two provisions parallel existing authority of DOR in regard to cigarette taxes.
The bill also reduces from 70% to 50% the percentage of cigarette tax revenue collected in sales on reservations or trust lands that must be refunded to American Indian tribes.
Under current law, any taxpayer may petition DOR to compromise delinquent income or franchise taxes, including any applicable costs, penalties and interest. Under this bill, DOR is authorized to compromise any taxes, interest, penalties and costs that are due this state and that have not yet been recorded as delinquent.
This bill changes the rate of the gross earnings tax that is levied on a car line company and the amount that a railroad company must withhold from rental payments made to a car line company. A car line company is any person, other than a railroad, engaged in the business of leasing or furnishing car line equipment to a railroad and car line equipment is any railroad car or other equipment used in railroad transportation under a rental agreement.
Under current law, delinquent sales and use tax returns are subject to a $10 late filing fee unless the return was not timely filed because of the death of the person required to file or because of reasonable cause, but not because of neglect. This bill changes the late filing fee to $30 for returns that are filed for periods beginning after September 30, 1999.
This bill removes the requirement that the recertification application for assessors and assessment personnel be notarized and that it be submitted at least 60 days before the expiration date of the current certificate. Under the bill, DOR may, for good cause, accept an application for renewal up to one year after the expiration of the current certificate if the applicant has complied with the current continuing education and other recertification requirements.
transportation
Highways
Current law requires that any major highway project, unlike other construction projects undertaken by the department of transportation (DOT), receive the approval of the transportation projects commission (TPC) and the legislature before the project may be constructed. A major highway project is a project having a total cost of more than $5,000,000 and involving construction of a new highway 2.5 miles or more in length; reconstruction or reconditioning of an existing highway that relocates at least 2.5 miles of the highway or adds one or more lanes five miles or more in length to the highway; or improvement of an existing multilane divided highway to freeway standards. There are currently 75 enumerated major highway projects approved for construction. This bill adds one major highway project to the list of 75 enumerated projects already approved for construction.
Under current law, the building commission may issue revenue bonds in a principal amount of $1,348,058,900, of which $1,255,499,900 may be used for major highway projects and other transportation facilities and $92,559,000 may be used for fees and other expenses related to the revenue obligations.
This bill increases the level of revenue bonding for major highway projects and transportation administrative facilities by 14.3% to $1,435,165,900. The bill also authorizes the building commission to contract revenue obligations in any amount to pay fees and other expenses related to the revenue obligations.
This bill authorizes DOT to designate highways that have outstanding intrinsic value as scenic byways. The bill allows DOT to apply for federal designation of a scenic byway as a national scenic byway. Federal designation would make the scenic byway eligible for federal aid for scenic byways.
Under current law, outdoor advertising signs that are located along interstates and certain other highways and that advertise activities conducted on the property on which the signs are located (on-property signs) are subject to restrictions as to size, number and location. This bill prohibits the erection of on-property signs at locations that constitute traffic hazards and eliminates specific restrictions that apply solely to on-property signs located outside the incorporated area of a city or village. The bill specifies that on-property signs do not require permits issued by DOT.
Drivers and motor vehicles
Current law authorizes circuit courts and municipal courts to suspend or revoke a person's motor vehicle operating privilege for a variety of reasons, including failure to pay an amount ordered by the court for ordinance violations unrelated to operating a motor vehicle, such as failing to properly keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice. Suspensions and revocations for failure to pay generally continue until the person pays the amount owed. The suspension and revocation orders are forwarded to DOT, which updates the person's driving record to reflect the suspension or revocation.
This bill requires DOT to develop a process, by rule, to charge courts a processing fee for each court order that suspends or revokes a person's operating privilege for failure to pay a forfeiture that was imposed for violating an ordinance unrelated to the violator's operation of a motor vehicle. The bill also allows courts to charge the violator a fee in an amount not more than the fee DOT charges the court for processing the order.
Current law requires DOT to redesign motor vehicle registration plates that are issued to certain specified vehicles, primarily automobiles and light-duty trucks, or that identify the registrant as a member of an authorized special group (such as U.S. military or veteran, physically disabled, University of Wisconsin campus or natural resources). DOT must begin issuing the newly designed plates beginning with registrations effective July 1, 2000, and must issue newly designed plates for every specified vehicle registered in this state by July 1, 2003. Vehicle registrants must pay $10 or $15, depending on the type of plate, for the newly designed plates.
This bill allows DOT until July 1, 2005, to complete the issuance of the newly designed plates. The bill also requires DOT to redesign these registration plates every six years, and to issue plates of the new design to replace plates that are six or more years old.
Under current law, if a person arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant (OWI) refuses to take a test to determine the amount of alcohol in his or her blood or breath, the law enforcement officer who requested the test takes possession of the person's license, prepares a notice of intent to revoke the person's operating privilege and gives a copy of the notice to the person, to the circuit court and to the district attorney. The notice informs the person of a number of items, including the right to request a court hearing to contest the revocation. The Wisconsin court of appeals, in State v. Schoepp, 204 Wis. 2d 266 (1996), held that a person who receives a notice of intent to revoke the person's operating privilege may utilize the full range of discovery procedures under state law, including the use of depositions and interrogatories.
This bill prohibits either party's use of discovery in these cases, except that if a hearing is requested, the person who refused to take the test has the right to receive a copy of any written or voice recorded statement of a witness before that witness testifies.
Currently, 31.29% of all moneys received by the state as driver improvement surcharges from persons convicted of OWI is used to pay for chemical testing and services provided by the state traffic patrol. The secretary of administration transfers the remaining driver improvement surcharge moneys to programs or purposes related to OWI, such as for the purchase of breath screening devices. Under this bill, the separate 31.29% payment is eliminated and the chemical testing and services program is eligible for a funding transfer approved by the secretary of administration as are the other OWI-related programs.
Under current law, DOT may contract with third-party testers to conduct on-the-road tests for commercial motor vehicle drivers, abbreviated on-the-road tests for school bus drivers and special examinations for school bus drivers. This bill permits DOT to contract with third-party testers to conduct on-the-road tests for noncommercial motor vehicle drivers, except on-the-road tests for authorization to operate certain motorcycles.
This bill raises the fee for a driving skills test in a school bus or in a noncommercial motor vehicle from $10 to $15.
Current law requires DOT to issue a distinctive license document to any person who is under the legal drinking age when the license is issued. Under this bill, beginning on January 1, 2000, DOT must also issue a distinctive license document to any person who is under 18 years of age when the license is issued.
Under current law, no person may operate a school bus unless the person possesses an endorsement to operate school buses. A school bus endorsement is valid for the eight-year duration of the person's operator's license. This bill requires each school bus operator to pass an examination of his or her ability to safely operate a school bus at least once every 4 years.
1997 Wisconsin Act 84 made extensive changes to this state's laws regarding operating a motor vehicle with an operating privilege that is revoked or suspended (OAR or OWS). Most of those changes are scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2000, or sooner if DOT's computer system can accommodate the necessary changes.
This bill delays the effective date of 1997 Wisconsin Act 84 until May 1, 2001, or until DOT's computer system can accommodate the necessary changes, whichever occurs earlier. The bill specifies that DOT is not required to implement all of that act's changes simultaneously, but may establish different effective dates for those changes. The bill makes an OAR or OWS committed in another jurisdiction a minor traffic offense for purposes of determining whether the offending driver is a habitual traffic offender. Under the bill, all OAR and OWS will be treated as minor traffic offenses, without regard to where the offense was committed.
Currently, DOT is required to revoke the operating privilege of a person determined to be a habitual traffic offender. The revocation commences on the day on which DOT mails the person notice of the revocation or, if the person is already suspended or revoked, on the day on which the person is convicted and first considered a habitual traffic offender, or on the date on which the person surrendered his or her operator's license to begin the current revocation or suspension period. This bill makes all revocations by DOT for habitual traffic offenders begin on the date DOT mails notice of the revocation.
Under current law, a highway authority may impose special weight limitations on highways that would likely be seriously damaged or destroyed if such limitations were not imposed. The weight limits are effective only if weight limit notice signs are properly posted. This bill requires the posting of advance weight limit notice signs, in addition to the weight limit notice signs, to allow motorists to avoid the weight-limited highway altogether.
Current law prohibits any person from driving upon a highway any motor vehicle that exceeds the maximum permissible gross vehicle weight or the maximum permissible weight per axle. Current law allows additional weight, beyond the weight limits ordinarily applicable, for certain trucks transporting exclusively milk from the point of production to the primary market and returning with dairy supplies and dairy products from such primary market to the farm. Only milk trucks having axle measurements of nine feet, one inch or greater qualify for the additional 2,000 pound axle weight. This bill extends the 2,000 pound weight limit to milk trucks having an actual axle distance of eight feet, six inches or more.
Under current law, DOT utilizes a telephone call-in procedure through which applicants may obtain certain single trip permits to operate vehicles that exceed the statutory size or weight limits. This bill requires DOT to implement a telephone call-in procedure through which applicants may obtain single trip, annual, consecutive month and multiple trip permits to operate vehicles that exceed the statutory size or weight limits, together with the designated route of travel. The bill also raises fees for certain single trip, annual, consecutive month and multiple trip permits issued by DOT by 10% beginning on January 1, 2000, and ending on June 30, 2003, after which time the fees revert to their current amounts.
This bill increases the fee for late payment of fees for registering a motor truck through DOT's automated telephone registration system from $5 to $10.
This bill eliminates the $5 fee charged to financial institutions for processing electronic applications for motor vehicle title and registration.
Under current law, a claimant must serve legal process upon the secretary of transportation to commence a legal action against a nonresident driver for damages arising from a motor vehicle accident in this state. The secretary of transportation collects a $15 fee from the claimant for each defendant in the action and forwards the legal process to the nonresident driver. This bill increases this service-of-process fee to $25.
Transportation aids
Under current law, DOT provides state aid payments to local public bodies in urban areas served by mass transit systems to assist the local public bodies with the expenses of operating those systems. DOT makes state aid payments in amounts sufficient to ensure that the combination of state and federal aids contributed toward the operating expenses of an urban mass transit system equals the uniform percentage established by DOT for the class of mass transit system. The percentage varies for each of the three classes of mass transit systems but is uniform for all mass transit systems within a class. The three classes are: 1) mass transit systems serving urban areas having a population of less than 50,000; 2) mass transit systems serving urban areas having a population of more than 50,000 but having annual operating expenses of less than $20,000,000; and 3) mass transit systems having annual operating expenses of more than $20,000,000.
This bill modifies the classes of mass transit systems and revises the amount of state aids payable to local public bodies served by those systems. The bill creates two classes of mass transit systems: 1) those having operating expenses of more than $20,000,000 (Tier A); and 2) those having operating expenses of $20,000,000 or less (Tier B). Under the bill, the sum of state and federal aid provided to a local public body served by a Tier A mass transit system may not exceed 50% of the mass transit system's projected operating expenses. The sum of state and federal aid provided to a local public body served by a Tier B mass transit system may not exceed 65% of the mass transit system's projected operating expenses, except that the sum of aids provided to local public bodies served by certain Tier B mass transit systems may not exceed 60% for calendar years 2000 and 2001.
Current law requires a local public body that receives state aid under the urban mass transit operating assistance program to pay a local contribution towards the mass transit system's operating expenses in an amount equal to at least 20% of the amount of state aid received under the program. This local contribution does not apply to local public bodies served exclusively by a shared-ride taxicab system. This bill requires all recipients to pay at least 10% of the operating expenses, regardless of the amount of state aid received under the program, except that recipients served exclusively by a shared-ride taxicab system must pay at least 5% of the system's operating expenses.
Under current law, DOT makes general transportation aids payments to a county based on a share-of-costs formula, and to a municipality (city, village or town) based on the greater of a share-of-costs formula for municipalities or an aid rate per mile ($1,596 for 1998 and thereafter).
Beginning with general transportation aids payable for the year 2000, this bill increases the aid rate to $1,644 per mile and increases the maximum amount of aid that may be paid under the program from the current limit of $78,744,300 to $81,106,600 for counties, and from the current limit of $247,739,100 to $254,784,900 for municipalities. The bill also allows a portion of law enforcement costs to be considered in the share-of-costs formula, instead of as highway-related traffic police costs. The bill allows DOT to establish different portions for different classes of counties or municipalities.
This bill provides that aid amounts payable to any single municipality or county under the general transportation aids program may not be reduced by more than 2% annually.
This bill requires each municipality to assess biennially the condition of roads under its jurisdiction and to report the results to DOT.
This bill provides that the amount of aid that DOT may award under the elderly and disabled transportation capital assistance program, which provides aid for specialized vehicles and facilities used to provide transportation services to elderly and disabled persons, may not exceed the percentage of estimated costs specified by DOT or the percentage of costs that are eligible for federal aid, whichever is less.
Under current law, DOT may contract up to $19,000,000 in public debt for the acquisition and improvement of rail property. This bill increases this authorized general obligation bonding limit from $19,000,000 to $23,500,000.
Rail and aid transportation
Under current law, DOT, local governmental bodies, local residents and railroad companies may petition the office of the commissioner of railroads (OCR) for a determination of whether a railroad crossing over a public highway protects and promotes public safety. OCR may order the railroad to install automatic warning signals or other suitable safety device at the railroad crossing.
This bill creates a railroad grade crossings committee to review every railroad grade crossing in this state to recommend crossings for improvements. The bill generally prohibits DOT from paying for improvements to railroad grade crossings ordered by OCR unless the committee first recommended improvements to the crossing.
Currently, under the freight railroad assistance program, DOT makes loans to cities, villages, towns and counties for acquiring freight railroad facilities, rehabilitating or constructing rail property improvements or improving freight railroad infrastructure. The loans are made at the legal rate of interest of 5%, unless DOT and the borrower agree to a different rate. This bill requires DOT to specify by rule a rate of interest applicable to such loans.
Other transportation
This bill increases the authorized general obligation bonding limit for grants awarded by DOT for harbor improvements from $15,000,000 to $18,000,000.
Under current law, participants under the Wisconsin retirement system (WRS) whose principal duties involve law enforcement, require frequent exposure to a high degree of peril and require a high degree of physical conditioning are classified as protective occupation participants. Current law specifically classifies members of the state patrol as protective occupation participants. Under WRS, the normal retirement age of a protective occupation participant is lower, and the percentage multiplier used to calculate retirement annuities is higher, than for other participants.
This bill specifically classifies the administrator of the division of state patrol as a protective occupation participant for the purposes of WRS, if the division administrator is certified as qualified to be employed as a law enforcement officer in this state. The bill also makes the administrator a member of the state traffic patrol (having the same powers and duties of other members) if the administrator is certified as a law enforcement officer in this state. As a member of the state traffic patrol, the administrator is entitled to receive full pay and other benefits during any period in which the administrator is unable to work because of an injury sustained while performing certain duties that entail a considerable risk of injury or danger.
Under current law, the state traffic patrol consists of not more than 385 traffic officers in the classified service. This bill increases the authorized number of state patrol officers from 385 to 400.
Under current law, the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle (such as a police and fire vehicle or an ambulance) is exempt from certain traffic regulations when responding to an emergency call or when in pursuit of a suspected violator of the law. This exemption applies only when the operator is driving with due regard under the circumstances for the safety of all persons and, in most circumstances, is giving visible and audible signals.
This bill makes snowmobiles operated on state lands by DNR's law enforcement employes and all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles operated by conservation wardens, on or off state lands, authorized emergency vehicles.
This bill requires DOT to award a grant of $1,000,000 to the city of Superior for the construction of the Major Richard I. Bong Air Museum.
veterans and military affairs
Under current law, in response to a war, insurrection, rebellion, riot or invasion, in the event of a public disaster resulting from a flood, conflagration or tornado, or upon application of certain public officials, the governor may order into active service all or any portion of the national guard. This bill allows the governor to order all or any portion of the national guard into active service when the governor considers that activation necessary for the protection of persons or property.
Under current law, to be eligible for veterans benefits, a veteran must meet certain criteria, including residency in this state and service on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces. The veteran may be eligible for benefits if he or she meets certain types of service requirements, such as service in a war period or in specified conflicts or receipt of a specified service medal, or if he or she served on active duty for two consecutive years or the full period of his or her initial service obligation.
Under this bill, a veteran may also be eligible for benefits if he or she was a resident of this state for any consecutive five-year period after entry, reentry, enlistment or induction into service in the U.S. armed forces and before the date of his or her application for benefits or, if applicable, before the date of his or her death.
Currently, the department of veterans affairs (DVA) administers a mortgage loan program for veterans. Under the program, eligible veterans may obtain a mortgage loan for the purchase of a house or mobile home, construction of a home, home improvements, including construction of a garage, and certain refinancing related to a home purchase or construction. Under current law, the maximum loan amount for home improvements, including construction of a garage, is $15,000. This bill changes that maximum loan amount to $25,000.
Currently, DVA reimburses eligible nondisabled veterans for 50% of the tuition and fees incurred by the veteran while attending a postsecondary school as an undergraduate. This bill raises the reimbursement rate to 65% of the tuition and fees incurred by a nondisabled veteran.
Under current law, reimbursement is available under this program only for classes in an institution in the University of Wisconsin (UW) System or at a technical college or for classes attended by a veteran receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under the Minnesota-Wisconsin student reciprocity agreement. Reimbursement is limited to tuition and fees paid for 120 part-time or full-time credits at an institution in the UW System, or for 60 part-time or full-time credits at a technical college, or an equivalent amount of credits at the institution at which the veteran is receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition. This bill allows the veteran to attend any institution of higher education, including technical colleges, but requires the veteran to enroll for at least 12 credits during the semester for which reimbursement is requested.
Under current law, an eligible veteran who is a resident of this state and who completes a correspondence course or a course as a part-time student from an institution of higher education may apply for reimbursement from DVA for a portion of the costs of the course if the course is related to the veteran's occupational, professional or employment objectives. Under current law, the maximum reimbursement that may be paid is 50% of the tuition and fees paid for the course. This bill increases the maximum reimbursement percentage from 50% to 65%.
Currently, DVA may borrow money from the veterans mortgage loan repayment fund and enter into transactions with the state investment board to obtain money to make loans to veterans under the veterans personal loan program. If DVA borrows money from the veterans mortgage loan repayment fund, DVA must pledge the loans made under the veterans personal loan program as collateral for that borrowed money.
Under this bill, DVA may borrow money from the veterans mortgage loan repayment fund to obtain money for the veterans personal loan program, but is not required to pledge the loans made under the personal loan program as collateral for the borrowed money. The bill provides that transactions with the state investment board may include the sale of veterans' loans.
This bill uses moneys received under the Indian gaming compacts to fund an American Indian services coordinator as a project position in DVA. The bill also uses moneys received under the Indian gaming compacts to award grants to the governing bodies of federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands for the creation of a model program that helps American Indians overcome barriers to the receipt of federal and state veterans benefits.
Under current law, the state may contract public debt for the purpose of making loans to veterans for the purchase or construction of housing, for home improvements and for refinancing any existing mortgage for the purchase or construction of a home or for home improvements. Currently, the state is authorized to contract public debt in an amount not to exceed $1,807,500,000. This bill increases this amount to $1,918,000,000.
Under current law, DVA operates the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison. The museum contains the battle flags of Wisconsin armed forces units that served in the nation's wars and other relics and mementos of those wars. This bill provides that 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.
Under current law, only a county with a population of 100,000 or more, a bank or trust company and the commandant of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King may be a guardian of five or more unrelated wards at one time. The commandant may act as a guardian only of members of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King and is not allowed to charge a fee for that service. This bill eliminates the commandant of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King from among those who may act as guardian of five or more unrelated wards at one time.
Currently, the national guard, in the department of military affairs, operates the Badger Challenge program, which provides programs for high school aged disadvantaged youth to help them remain in and complete high school. This bill allows only youths who are members of families eligible to receive aid from the federal temporary assistance for needy families program to attend the Badger Challenge program. The bill removes state general purpose funding from the program and allows federal temporary assistance for needy families block grant moneys received by the department of workforce development to be used to fund the operation of the Badger Challenge program.
This bill will be referred to the joint survey committee on tax exemptions for a detailed analysis, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
This bill will be referred to the joint survey committee on retirement systems for a detailed analysis, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
