Under current law, these refund restrictions apply if the beneficiary is at least 18 years old and the account is terminated for one of the following reasons: (a) the beneficiary has not graduated from high school; (b) the beneficiary has decided not to attend an institution of higher education; and (c) the beneficiary attended an institution of higher education but voluntarily withdrew prior to completing his or her program.
[Bill Sections: 56, 58, 60 and 61]
5. TRANSFER THE COLLEGE TUITION PREPAYMENT PROGRAM TO THE OFFICE OF THE STATE TREASURER
Funding Positions
SEG - $1,492,800 - 4.00
Governor: Delete $746,400 annually and 4.0 positions to reflect the transfer of the college tuition prepayment program, which is currently administered by DOA, to the Office of the State Treasurer on the effective date of the bill. EdVest is a college savings program that allows parents and others to purchase "tuition units" on behalf of a beneficiary for the future payment of college tuition. Funds used to purchase the tuition units are placed in a tuition trust fund
and invested by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. The program's administrative costs are currently funded from the tuition trust fund.
[Bill Sections: Shown under "State Treasurer"]
6. TRANSFER STATE NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD
Funding Positions
FED - $3,338,600 - 2.00
Governor: Provide a reduction of $1,669,300 FED annually and 2.0 positions to reflect the transfer of the National and Community Service Board (NCSB), except the Badger Challenge grant program, from DOA to DHFS. The Board is currently statutorily attached to DOA for administrative purposes. The statutory responsibilities and appropriations for the Board would be relocated under DHFS.
Provide that the transfer of the following items, that are determined by the Secretary of DOA as primarily related to the administration of the National and Community Service Board, except the Badger Challenge grant program, would be handled as follows on the effective date of the budget bill: (a) all assets and liabilities (including tangible public property and records), would be transferred from DOA to DHFS; (b) all positions and incumbent employees primarily related to the NCSB would be transferred from DOA to DHFS and the employees would retain their employment status and rights and be exempt from any probationary period; and (c) all existing contracts entered into by DOA would be transferred to DHFS and remain in effect after the transfer until modified or rescinded by DHFS to the extent allowed under the contract.
The Board is responsible for providing an annual plan for the provision of national service programs in this state and for awarding grants (from federal funds received from the Corporation for National and Community Services) to persons providing national service programs in the state, with priority being given to youth corps programs.
In November, 1997, DOA, the Department of Commerce and the Board entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that temporarily transferred the Board and its employes to Commerce, although funding remained in DOA and the transferred employes were still payrolled from the appropriations in DOA. At this time, a similar MOU is under development between DOA, DHFS, and the Board to transfer the activities of the Board to DHFS for the remainder of this fiscal year. The budget provision would statutorily attach the Board to DHFS and transfer the Board’s position authority and budget to DHFS. The base budget for the Board is $1,674,900 FED (of which $174,900 is for administration and $1,500,000 is for grants).
[Bill Sections: 20 thru 24, 46 thru 49, 51, 397, 533 thru 535, 2009, 3158 and 9101(1)]
7. PROMISE CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM
GPR - $848,000
Governor: Reduce base level funding by $424,000 annually to reflect deletion of one-time funding provided in 1998-99 for the promise challenge grant program. A provision of 1997 Wisconsin Act 237 provided $424,000 in 1998-99 for promise challenge grants to countywide consortia to assist in youth development activities. Act 237 further provided that the administration of the program be assigned to the National and Community Service Board (NCSB) which is currently attached to DOA for administrative purposes and provided that the program sunset on January 1, 2000). Under the Governor's budget, DOA would become responsible for the promise challenge grant program until its expiration on January 1, 2000, while the rest of the NCSB activities would be transferred to DHFS.
[Bill Sections: 50, 511, 532, 3265 thru 3268, 9101(1) and 9401(1)]
8. GLASS CEILING BOARD
Funding Positions
GPR $135,500 1.0043
Governor: Provide $60,500 in 1999-00 and $75,000 in 2000-01 and 1.0 position to the Women's Council to staff a Glass Ceiling Board. Create a Glass Ceiling Board which would have the following duties:
· Administer an annual "Governor's Glass Ceiling Award Program" to recognize Wisconsin businesses and organizations that advance, or promote the advancement of, women and minority group members to upper-level management positions;
· Conduct outreach and provide other resources to disseminate information to employers on glass ceiling issues and effective programs that have helped eliminate barriers to promotion of women and minority group members to upper-level management positions;
· Identify businesses and industries that provide exceptional opportunities for women and minority group members to upper-level management positions, and, whenever appropriate, promote the expansion of such businesses and industries in the state; and
· Actively promote the appointment of qualified women and minority group members to public and private governing bodies.
Define "glass ceiling" as a formal or informal barrier to full participation of women and minority group members in the management of public and private sector employes.
Provide that the Board be attached to DOA for administrative purposes and staffed by the Women's Council. Authorize the Governor to annually choose the Chairperson of the Board. Specify that Board membership shall consist of 25 members as follows: (a) two Senators and two Representatives of the Assembly selected in the same manner as members of standing committees are chosen; and (b) 21 persons holding public or private sector positions, appointed by the Governor to three-year terms. Provide that the initial non-legislative membership of the Board be named by the Governor to staggered terms with one-third of the 21 initial members each serving terms expiring May 1, 2001, May 1, 2002, and May 1, 2003, respectively.
[Bill Sections: 16, 28, 43, 45 and 9101(17)]
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION AND PREGNANCY SERVICES BOARD
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
GPR $6,600
Governor: Provide $3,300 annually for adjustments to the Board's base budget for: (a) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($3,200 annually); and (b) full funding of charges for financial services ($100 annually).
2. SUPPORT GRANTS WITH TANF FUNDS
GPR - $878,600
PR 878,600
Total $0
Governor: Provide $439,300 PR annually and delete $439,000 GPR annually to fund grants awarded by the Board with TANF funds transferred from DWD, rather than GPR, as provided under current law. Repeal the current GPR appropriation for grants and create a PR appropriation for interagency and intra-agency aids that would authorize the Board to expend up to $439,300 PR annually for grants. Delete references to grant amounts for fiscal years 1997-98 and 1998-99. The Board distributes these grants to organizations to provide adolescent pregnancy prevention programs or pregnancy services that include health care, education, counseling and vocational training.
[Bill Sections: 370, 371 and 1120]
AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
Funding Positions
GPR $792,400 0.00
FED - 106,600 - 1.00
PR - 375,400 0.00
SEG 172,100 0.00
Total $482,500 - 1.00
Governor: Provide $233,900 in 1999-00 and $248,600 in 2000-01 for adjustments to the base budget for: (a) turnover reduction (-$289,800 GPR and -$109,600 PR annually); (b) removal of noncontinuing items (-$70,000 GPR and -$53,300 FED with -1.0 FED position annually); (c) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($715,000 GPR, -$91,300 PR and $61,500 SEG annually); (d) full funding of financial services ($6,100 GPR, $9,200 PR and $3,100 SEG annually); (e) reclassifications ($20,600 GPR and $16,500 SEG in 1999-00 and $27,600 GPR and $24,200 SEG in 2000-01); and (f) fifth vacation week as cash for certain long-term employees ($10,800 GPR, $4,000 PR and $1,100 SEG annually).
2. DRAINAGE BOARD GRANTS
GPR $1,500,000
Governor: Provide $750,000 GPR each year in an annual appropriation for local assistance grants to drainage boards. County drainage boards are responsible for operating drainage districts, which drain land through the use of ditches, tiles, dikes and culverts on public as well as private property. Funding from the appropriation would be limited to 60% of board costs to comply with current drainage district laws and proposed administrative rules, including possibly requiring drainage district map development. DATCP would be required to promulgate rules for the administration of the grants. The bill would allow DATCP to promulgate emergency rules, to last for up to 150 days with extensions totaling no more than 120 days, for the proposed grant program without a finding of emergency.
[Bill Sections: 184, 1877 and 9104(3)]
3. SOIL AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BONDING
BR $3,575,000
Governor: Provide an increase in general obligation bonding authority of $3,575,000 for the soil and water resource management grant program. Funds would provide grants for such activities as regulatory animal waste response projects and agricultural shoreland management projects. $3,000,000 in bonding was provided in the 1997-99 budget, of which $2,397,700 is uncommitted as of March 1, 1999.
[Bill Section: 637]
4. LAND AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEER STAFF
Positions
GPR 1.00
Governor: Transfer $65,400 GPR in 1999-00 and $80,000 in 2000-01 from DATCP's soil and water resource management grant program appropriation to the program's general operations appropriation for 1.0 engineering position to provide training, consultation and oversight to county conservation staff for an 18-county area in Northern Wisconsin.
5. FARMLAND PRESERVATION MODIFICATIONS AND ACREAGE CREDITS
Governor: Modify the formula used to compute farmland preservation credits, effective with claims filed for tax years beginning after December 31, 2000. Sunset the farmland preservation credit program, with no new credits to be paid for a tax year that begins after December 31, 2002. Further, make numerous modifications to the farmland preservation agreement, exclusive agricultural zoning and soil and water conservation requirements of the farmland preservation program. Create a farmland preservation acreage income tax credit for the sale of development rights that would preserve farmland and green space. The credit would first be available in tax years beginning after December 31, 1998. Allow a claimant to receive both a farmland preservation credit and a farmland preservation acreage credit. Specify that no new claims for the acreage credit could be made for a tax year beginning after December 31, 2002. [See "Shared Revenue -- Property Tax Credits" for information on proposed changes to farmland preservation credits.]
