PR $24,700
Governor/Legislature: Provide $10,700 in 1999-00 and $14,000 in 2000-01 for increased supplies and services costs related to the Division of Hearings and Appeals provision of special education due process hearings for DPI. Through a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies, the Division conducts all special education due process hearings for DPI. These hearings arise wahen there is a disagreement between a school district and a parent over special education services to be provided to a student. The Division currently employs a 0.5 attorney and 0.5 program assistant to conduct these hearings on behalf of DPI. The revenues for these increased expenditures would come from charge-backs to DPI for the cost of the hearing services provided. In turn, DPI assesses the involved school districts for these costs.
4. HEARINGS AND APPEALS -- FUNDING SHIFT [LFB Paper 201]
Funding Positions
GPR - $272,000 - 1.40
PR 272,000 1.40
Total $0 0.00
Joint Finance/Legislature: Delete $136,000 GPR annually and 1.4 GPR positions and provide $136,000 PR annually and 1.4 PR positions to reflect a re-distribution of salary costs between funding sources for supervisory personnel.
5. COLLEGE TUITION PREPAYMENT PROGRAM
Governor/Legislature: Modify the college tuition prepayment program (EdVest) by specifying that a beneficiary can use tuition units purchased on his or her behalf for the payment of mandatory student fees as well as tuition. In addition, delete the provision that prohibits DOA from issuing a refund for one year following termination of an EdVest account and limit the number of tuition units for which a refund can be issued to 100 tuition units per year, if the account is terminated under certain circumstances. Instead, DOA would determine the method and schedule of the payment of refunds, as it does currently for other refunds.
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.
[Act 9 Sections: 56, 58, 60 and 61]
6. TRANSFER THE COLLEGE TUITION PREPAYMENT PROGRAM TO THE OFFICE OF THE STATE TREASURER [LFB Paper 890]
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.
Joint Finance/Legislature: Modify the Governor's recommendation to provide that when the general fund is ultimately reimbursed from available EdVest trust fund earnings, the Secretary of DOA must ensure that the amounts repaid include all GPR-supported start-up and ongoing administrative expenditures incurred since the inception of the EdVest program.
[Act 9 Sections: 52 thru 59, 61, 62, 587, 718, 1686, 3101 and 9101(9)]
7. TRANSFER STATE NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD
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 Promise 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 existing employment status and rights and be exempt from any new 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).
Senate/Legislature: Delete the provision that would transfer the National and Community Service Board from DOA to the DHFS. Provide an additional $599,800 annually and increase the authorized federal position level by 1.0 beginning in 1999-00. Federal funding for the Board is available from the Corporation for National Service under the federal National and Community Service Act of 1990.
Veto by Governor [E-6]: Delete the following inadvertently retained provisions from the Governor's original proposal to transfer the Board's activities to DHFS: (a) an unnecessary transfer of the Wisconsin challenge grant appropriation between programs within DOA; and (b) the creation of two appropriations in DHFS for NCSB activities.
[Act 9 Section: 9101(1mb)]
[Act 9 Vetoed Sections: 511, 532, 534 and 535]
8. PROMISE CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM
GPR - $848,000
Governor/Legislature: 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).
9. GLASS CEILING BOARD [LFB Paper 200]
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.
Joint Finance/Legislature: Delete provision.
10. GREEN BAY PACKERS LICENSE PLATE
Joint Finance: Direct DOA to make payments to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wisconsin from the revenues generated from the issuance of Green Bay Packers license plates. Create a new, PR, continuing appropriation for payments to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wisconsin. Specify that these provisions would become effective on the first day of the 5th month beginning after publication. [For more detail on the Green Bay Packers license plate see "Transportation -- Motor Vehicles."]
Conference Committee/Legislature: Delete provision.
11. MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
Joint Finance/Legislature: Create a management assistance grant program, administered by DOA, to provide financial assistance to counties to fund public safety, public health, public infrastructure, public employee training and economic development expenditures. Provide that grants be provided, subject to the availability of funds, to any county that meets the following criteria: (a) the county does not contain any incorporated municipalities; (b) the county has a geographic area of less than 400 square miles; (c) the county submits a detailed expenditure plan that identifies how the funds are proposed to be expended and how those expenditures meet the program's goals; and (d) the county maintains its financial records in accordance with accounting procedures established by DOR. Menominee County is the only county that currently meets criteria (a) and (b). Establish the grant amount for each eligible county at $500,000, annually. Create an appropriation to make grants under the program. Place $500,000 annually in tribal gaming revenues in the PR appropriation of the Joint Committee on Finance to be transferred under s. 13.10 to the management assistance grant program appropriation upon request by DOA and a finding that a county has met the eligibility criteria of the grant program. The state fiscal effect is reflected in this document under the section for "Program Supplements."
[Act 9 Sections: 1v, 45m, 518, 519, 527g and 586f]
12. CENSUS AWARENESS PROGRAM
Funding Positions
GPR $850,000 1.00
Senate: Provide $425,000 annually to the University of Wisconsin for a census awareness program that the UW System Board of Regents would be required to establish and maintain at UW Extension. Provide that the program would fund grants and public service announcements designed to increase public awareness of the importance of an accurate census and to encourage people to complete the census questionnaire.
Conference Committee/Legislature: Delete the Senate provisions. Instead, include the following provisions: Provide $250,000 GPR in 1999-00 and 1.0 GPR project position to the Department of Administration (DOA) and require DOA to conduct a statewide program to educate the public concerning federal census procedures and the importance of assuring a complete and accurate 2000 federal census in Wisconsin. Further, provide $600,000 GPR in a biennial appropriation under DOA for census education assistance grants.
Census Education Board. Create a Census Education Board, attached to DOA, consisting of two senators and two representatives appointed in the same manner as members of standing committees of the Legislature. Require that the Board approve the expenditure of any monies by DOA for a statewide census education program. Repeal the Board on July 1, 2000.
Census Education Assistance Grants. Require DOA to review and approve grants for programs designed to ensure a complete, accurate 2000 federal census in this state. Prohibit DOA from encumbering or expending any moneys for this purpose without Board approval.
Eligible Applicants. Provide that the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities or the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (associations), any county, municipality or group of municipalities which has a population of 20,000 or more, according to the 1990 federal census, or any county, municipality or group of municipalities which can demonstrate that a substantial portion of its population is hard to enumerate may apply for a census education assistance grant. Define "hard to enumerate" populations to include: (a) racial and ethnic minorities; (b) individuals for whom English is not their primary language; (c) homeless individuals; (d) migrant workers; (e) residents of public housing projects or other concentrations of rental units; (f) individuals who may be outside the mainstream of daily life, such as homebound, elderly or disabled individuals; and (g) student populations.
Grant Distribution. Require DOA to make grants on a matching basis in an initial amount not to exceed $200,000 per applicant. Provide that if the total amount of grants payable exceeds the funding available, DOA would prorate the grants. Provide that if, after DOA awards all grants, funding remains in the appropriation, DOA may award additional money to any original qualified applicants who apply to receive additional grant moneys. Specify that in distributing the additional grant money, DOA must distribute the money on a prorated basis based on the amounts awarded to each applicant originally, up to the amount of additional money matched by the applicant, not to exceed $250,000 to a single applicant. Provide that if after the additional grants are awarded funding still remains in the appropriation, DOA may continue to award grants on the prorated basis until all funding is expended. Prohibit applicants that received a grant in the amount of $250,000 from receiving any additional funding.
Eligible Costs. Provide that a grant may only be used to pay direct costs, which could include the costs of staff specifically assigned to a census complete count promotion, office space, data processing, staff travel within the area covered by the grant, communications, media advertising, printing, postage and supplies directly attributable to a complete count promotion. Costs not eligible to be paid from a grant would include equipment and property costs, application preparation costs, indirect costs and any costs considered by DOA to be inconsistent with the purposes of the program. Provide that no costs incurred after June 1, 2000, would be eligible for a grant
Application Requirements. Require applicants to include all of the following in their applications: (a) a description of the geographic area to be covered, including, except in the case of a association, the name of each county or municipality included within a group that is applying for a grant and the approximate total population of each county and municipality; (b) the categories of populations targeted for the census promotional program and the approximate number in each category; (c) an explanation of why the members of the population are hard to enumerate, if they are not included in the definition of "hard to enumerate"; (d) activities planned and associated costs to reach each of these populations, including tentative schedules, source and number of anticipated staff, and materials and other information which would provide a clear understanding of the promotional program; (e) the amount of the grant requested and the sources and amounts of matching funds; (f) a plan for the final accounting and evaluation of the promotion program; (g) the signature of the highest ranking official for each county, municipality or association making application for the grant or for each municipality included within a group making application for the grant; and (h) the name and title of the project coordinator who is responsible for the overall effort, if the application is made by an applicant other than a single county or municipality. Provide that DOA may reject any application which does not appropriately meet all of these requirements.
Application and Payment Dates. Provide that DOA would have to receive grant applications no later than the 30th day after the general effective date of the budget bill. Require that DOA announce the grant awards on or before the 15th day after the application deadline and pay 60% of each grant at the time of award. Require each grant recipient to provide a certified final accounting and submit a report on the accounting together with its request for final payment to DOA by July 15, 2000. Require DOA to make the final 40% payment of the grant when the final accounting has been satisfactorily completed.
Veto by Governor [E-5]: Delete requirement that applications must be received within 30 days after the general effective date of the budget bill.
[Act 9 Sections: 28am, 28an, 510m, 9101(19wx)&(19wy) and 9401(7wx)]
[Act 9 Vetoed Section: 9101(19wx)]
13. WTCS CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM
GPR $5,000,000
Conference Committee/Legislature: Provide $5,000,000 in 2000-01 in a new annual appropriation under DOA for grants to the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) districts to develop or expand programs in occupational areas where there is high demand for workers and to make capital expenditures necessary for such development or expansion, as determined by the Secretary of DOA. Require DOA to establish by rule criteria for the evaluation of applications from WTCS districts.
[Act 9 Sections: 40t, 531p and 898]
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION AND
PREGNANCY SERVICES BOARD
Budget Change Items
GPR $6,600
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
Governor/Legislature: 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 PROGRAMS WITH TANF FUNDS [LFB Paper 1113]
Governor: Provide $439,300 PR annually and delete $439,300 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.
Joint Finance/Legislature: Modify the bill as follows: (a) for grants, provide $87,900 GPR annually and reduce TANF (PR) funds by a corresponding amount; (b) for the Board's operations, provide $89,800 PR annually and reduce GPR by a corresponding amount and convert 1.2 GPR positions to 1.20 PR positions supported by TANF (PR) funds, beginning in 1999-00; (c) retain the GPR grants appropriation; and (d) create a PR state operations appropriation. Under this provision, both the Board's grants and state operations would be supported 80% with TANF (PR) funds and 20% with GPR.
[Act 9 Sections: 370g, 370m, 371, 475 and 1120]
AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Budget Change Items
Funding Positions
GPR $792,400 0.00
FED - 106,600 - 1.00
