2001 Wisconsin Act 16

16,1417 Section 1417. 44.70 (3d) of the statutes is created to read:

44.70 (3d) "Political subdivision" means any city, village, town, or county.

16,1418 Section 1418. 44.70 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

44.70 (3r) "Secured correctional facility" means the Southern Oaks Girls School, the Ethan Allen School, the Youth Leadership Training Center, and the Lincoln Hills School.

16,1419 Section 1419. 44.70 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.70 (4) "Telecommunications" has the meaning given in s. 16.99 (1) 22.01 (10).

16,1420 Section 1420. 44.71 (2) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 44.71 (2), and 44.71 (2) (g) and (h), as renumbered, are amended to read:

44.71 (2) (g) Coordinate the purchasing of educational technology materials, supplies, equipment, and contractual services for school districts, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, and the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System by the department under s. 16.72 (8), and, in cooperation with the department and subject to the approval of the department of electronic government, establish standards and specifications for purchases of educational technology hardware and software by school districts, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, and the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System.

(h) Purchase With the approval of the department of electronic government, 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 subdivision paragraph does not require the purchase or lease of any educational technology equipment from the board.

16,1420m Section 1420m. 44.71 (2) (i) of the statutes is created to read:

44.71 (2) (i) Administer, modify, or rescind any grant or award made by the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommunications Foundation to fund a project described in s. 14.28 (3) (a) 1. to 5., 1999 stats., to the extent allowed under a contract for making the grant or award.

16,1422 Section 1422. 44.72 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (1) Educational technology training and technical assistance grants. (intro.) From the appropriation under s. 20.275 (1) (et), the board shall award grants to cooperative educational service agencies and to consortia consisting of 2 or more school districts, charter school sponsors, secured correctional facilities, or cooperative educational service agencies, or one or more school districts, charter school sponsors, secured correctional facilities, or cooperative educational service agencies and one or more public library boards, to provide technical assistance and training in the use of educational technology. An applicant for a grant shall submit to the board a plan that specifies the school districts, charter school sponsors, secured correctional facilities, and public library boards that will participate in the program and describes how the funds will be allocated. The board shall do all of the following:

16,1424 Section 1424. 44.72 (2) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (2) (b) 2. From the appropriation appropriations under s. 20.275 (1) (f), (im), (jm), (js), and (mp), annually the board shall pay $5,000 to each eligible school district and $5,000 to the department of corrections for each eligible correctional facility. The department of corrections shall allocate funds received under this subsection among the eligible secured correctional facilities as it deems appropriate. The board shall distribute the balance in the appropriation to eligible school districts and to charter school sponsors in proportion to the weighted membership of each school district, which and in proportion to the number of pupils attending each charter school on the 3rd Friday of September. The weighted membership for a school district shall be determined by dividing the statewide average equalized valuation per member by the school district's equalized valuation per member and multiplying the result by the school district's membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5).

16,1425 Section 1425. 44.72 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (2) (c) A school district is eligible for a grant under par. (b) 2. only if the annual meeting in a common school district, or the school board in a unified school district or in a school district operating under ch. 119, adopts a resolution requesting the grant. A secured correctional facility is eligible for a grant under par. (b) 2. only if the secretary of corrections submits a written request to the board. A charter school sponsor is eligible for a grant under par. (b) 2. only if it submits a written request to the board. A grant under this subsection may not be used to replace funding available from other sources.

16,1426 Section 1426. 44.72 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (2) (d) A school district or secured correctional facility receiving a grant under par. (b) shall deposit the moneys in a separate fund. The moneys may be used for any purpose related to educational technology, except that a school district or secured correctional facility may not use the moneys to pay the salary or benefits of any school district or secured correctional facility employee. A charter school sponsor that receives a grant under par. (b) may use the moneys for any purpose related to educational technology that benefits the pupils attending the charter school, except that a charter school sponsor may not use the moneys to pay the salary or benefits of any charter school employee.

16,1426m Section 1426m. 44.72 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

44.72 (3) Computer training. Annually, the board shall pay to the Racine Unified School District the amount appropriated under s. 20.275 (1) (q) for training teachers and pupils in computers, including training in use of the Internet, Web design, computer animation, graphic design, and video skills.

16,1428b Section 1428b. 44.72 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (4) (a) Financial assistance authorized. The board may provide financial assistance under this subsection to school districts and charter school sponsors 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). 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.

16,1430b Section 1430b. 44.72 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (4) (b) Financial assistance applications, terms and conditions. The board shall establish application procedures for, and the terms and conditions of, financial assistance under this subsection, including a condition requiring a charter school sponsor to use financial assistance under this subsection for wiring upgrading and installation that benefits pupils attending the charter school. The board shall make a loan to a school district, charter school sponsor, 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 and conditions 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 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 the loans. The term of a loan under this subsection may not exceed 10 years.

16,1431 Section 1431. 44.72 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.72 (4) (c) Repayment of loans. The board shall credit all moneys received from school districts and charter school sponsors 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 for repayment of loans under this subsection to the appropriation account under s. 20.275 (1) (hb).

16,1433 Section 1433. 44.73 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.73 (1) Except as provided in s. 196.218 (4t), the board, in consultation with the department and subject to the approval of the department of electronic government, shall promulgate rules establishing an educational telecommunications access program to provide educational agencies with access to data lines and video links.

16,1434 Section 1434. 44.73 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.73 (2) (a) Allow an educational agency to make a request to the board for access to either one data line or one video link, except that any educational agency may request access to additional data lines if the agency shows to the satisfaction of the board that the additional data lines are more cost-effective than a single data line and except that a school district that operates more than one high school or a public library board that operates more than one library facility may request access to both a data line and a video link and access to more than one data line or video link.

16,1435 Section 1435. 44.73 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.73 (2) (b) Establish eligibility requirements for an educational agency to participate in the program established under sub. (1), including a requirement that a charter school sponsor use data lines and video links to benefit pupils attending the charter school and a requirement that Internet access to material that is harmful to children, as defined in s. 948.11 (1) (b), is blocked on the computers of secured correctional facilities that are served by data links and video links subsidized under this section.

16,1436 Section 1436. 44.73 (2) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

44.73 (2) (f) Ensure that secured correctional facilities that receive access under this section to data lines and video links use them only for educational purposes.

16,1437 Section 1437. 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:

(a) Provide access to the data line to any business entity, as defined in s. 13.62 (5).

(b) 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).

16,1438 Section 1438. 44.73 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:

44.73 (2r) (a) A public library board 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 public library board, except that a public library board may not sell, resell, or transfer in consideration for money or anything of value to a political subdivision access to any excess bandwidth. A shared service agreement under this paragraph is not valid unless the agreement allows the public library board 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) A public library board shall provide the technology for educational achievement in Wisconsin board with written notice within 30 days after entering into or modifying a shared service agreement under par. (a).

16,1439 Section 1439. 44.73 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

44.73 (3) The board shall submit an annual report to the department on the status of providing data lines and video links that are requested under sub. (2) (a) and the impact on the universal service fund of any payment under contracts under s. 16.974 (7).

16,1440b Section 1440b. 44.73 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 44.73 (6) (a) and amended to read:

44.73 (6) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.275 (1) (s) or (tm), the board may award an annual grant to a school district or private school that had in effect on October 14, 1997, a contract for access to a data line or video link, as documented by the board. The board shall determine the amount of the grant, which shall be equal to the cost incurred by the state to provide telecommunications access to a school district or private school under a contract entered into under s. 16.974 (7) (a) or (c) (1) or (3) less the amount that the school district or private school would be paying under sub. (2) (d) if the school district or private school were participating in the program established under sub. (1), except that the amount may not be greater than the cost that a school district or private school incurs under the contract in effect on October 14, 1997. A school district or private school receiving a grant under this subsection is not eligible to participate in the program under sub. (1). No grant may be awarded under this subsection after June 30, 2002 December 31, 2005.

16,1440c Section 1440c. 44.73 (6) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

44.73 (6) (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), the board may award a school district that operates more than one high school and that had in effect on October 14, 1997, a contract for access to more than one data line or video link an annual grant for each data line or video link serving each high school covered by that contract.

16,1441 Section 1441. 45.01 of the statutes is renumbered 45.014.

16,1442 Section 1442. 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 of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state, enrolling in a school that is approved under s. 45.35 (9m), enrolling in a proprietary school that is approved under s. 45.54, or receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47.

16,1443 Section 1443. 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 12-month period after entry or reentry into service and before the date of his or her application. If a person applying for a benefit under this section meets that 5-consecutive-year the residency requirement of 12 consecutive months, the department may not require the person to reestablish that he or she meets the 5-consecutive-year that residency requirement when he or she later applies for any other benefit under this chapter that requires a 5-consecutive-year that residency.

16,1444 Section 1444. 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 a full-time undergraduate semester in any institution of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state, any school that is approved under s. 45.35 (9m), any proprietary school that is approved under s. 45.54, or any institution from which the individual receives a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47, may be reimbursed for up to 65% an amount not to exceed the total cost of the individual's tuition and fees. The reimbursement under this paragraph is limited to a maximum of 65% of minus any grants or scholarships, including those made under s. 21.49, that the individual receives specifically for the payment of the tuition or fees, or 85% 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.

16,1447 Section 1447. 45.25 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.25 (4) (a) An individual is not eligible for reimbursement under sub. (2) for more than 120 credits or 8 full semesters of full-time study at any institution of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state, 60 credits or 4 full semesters of full-time study at any institution of higher education, as defined in s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state that offers a degree upon completion of 60 credits, or an equivalent amount of credits at a school that is approved under s. 45.35 (9m), at a proprietary school that is approved under s. 45.54, or at an institution where he or she is receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under s. 39.47.

16,1448 Section 1448. 45.35 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 45.012 and amended to read:

45.012 Definition. In this chapter subchapter, "board" means the board of veterans affairs.

16,1449 Section 1449. 45.35 (2g) of the statutes is created to read:

45.35 (2g) Definition. In this section, "department" means the department of veterans affairs.

16,1450 Section 1450. 45.35 (3d) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.35 (3d) (a) The council on veterans programs created under s. 15.497 shall advise the board of veterans affairs and the department of veterans affairs on solutions and policy alternatives relating to the problems of veterans.

16,1451 Section 1451. 45.35 (3d) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.35 (3d) (b) The council on veterans programs and the department of veterans affairs, jointly or separately, shall submit a report regarding the council on veterans programs to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) by November 1, 1989, and by September 30 of every odd-numbered year thereafter. The report shall include a general summary of the activities and membership over the past 2 years of the council and each organization on the council.

16,1451m Section 1451m. 45.35 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 45.35 (4) (a) and amended to read:

45.35 (4) (a) The Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d), the secretary shall appoint under the classified service such persons as are necessary to carry out the policy of the board and for the proper conduct of the Wisconsin veterans museum. All persons appointed by the department shall, if possible, be veterans as defined in sub. (5) and preference shall be given to disabled veterans.

16,1451n Section 1451n. 45.35 (4) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

45.35 (4) (b) The department shall employ not more than 8 regional coordinators. The duties of a regional coordinator shall include providing direct claims and benefit application assistance to veterans. The regional coordinators shall coordinate claims and benefit application assistance with the appropriate county veterans' service officers under s. 45.43 to maximize the level of assistance and benefits provided to veterans.

16,1451p Section 1451p. 45.35 (4) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

45.35 (4) (c) The department shall employ no more than 7 claims officers. The claims officers shall provide federal claims and benefit assistance to veterans and shall be based in the department's regional office in Milwaukee County.

16,1451r Section 1451r. 45.35 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

45.35 (4) (d) The department shall employ no more than 2 mobile claims officers in the department's southeast region and shall employ no more than one mobile claims officer in each of the department's other 3 regions. The mobile claims officers shall provide claim and benefit assistance to veterans. The mobile claims officers shall coordinate that claim and benefit assistance with the appropriate county veterans' service officers under s. 45.43 to maximize the level of assistance and benefits provided to veterans.

16,1452 Section 1452. 45.35 (5) (a) 2. c. of the statutes is amended to read:

45.35 (5) (a) 2. c. Has been a resident of this state for any consecutive 5-year 12-month period after entry or reentry into service and before the date of his or her application or death. If a person applying for a benefit under this subchapter meets that 5-consecutive-year that residency requirement of 12 consecutive months, the department may not require the person to reestablish that he or she meets the 5-consecutive-year that residency requirement when he or she later applies for any other benefit under this chapter that requires a 5-consecutive-year that residency.

16,1453 Section 1453. 45.35 (5) (e) 8. of the statutes is amended to read:

45.35 (5) (e) 8. Persian Gulf war: Between August 1, 1990, and the ending date of Operation Desert Shield or the ending date of Operation Desert Storm as established by the department of veterans affairs by rule.

16,1454 Section 1454. 45.351 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.351 (1) Subsistence grants. The department may grant subsistence aid to any incapacitated individual who is a veteran or to any a dependent of a veteran in an amount that the department determines is advisable to prevent want or distress. The department may grant subsistence aid under this subsection to an individual whose incapacitation is the result of the individual's abuse of alcohol or other drugs if the individual is participating in an alcohol and other drug abuse treatment program that is approved by the department. The department may grant subsistence aid on a month-to-month basis or for a 3-month period. The department may grant subsistence aid for a 3-month period if the veteran or dependent whose incapacity is the basis for the aid will be incapacitated for more than 3 months and if earned or unearned income or aid from sources other than those listed in the application will not be available in the 3-month period. Subsistence aid is limited to a maximum of 3 months in a 12-month period unless the department determines that the need for subsistence aid in excess of this maximum time period is caused by the aid recipient's relapse. The department may submit a request to the joint committee on finance for supplemental funds from the veterans trust fund to be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (2) (vm) for subsistence grants to veterans. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the secretary of the department within 14 working days after the date of the department's submittal that the committee intends to schedule a meeting to review the request, the appropriation account shall be supplemented as provided in the request. If, within 14 working days after the date of the department's submittal, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the secretary of the department that the committee intends to schedule a meeting to review the request, the appropriation account shall be supplemented only as approved by the committee.

16,1457 Section 1457. 45.353 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.353 (2) Upon application the department shall make a payment to any state veterans organization that establishes that it, or its national organization, or both, has maintained a full-time service office at the regional office for at least 5 of the 10 years preceding the date of application. The payment shall equal 25% of all salaries and travel expenses under sub. (3) paid during the previous fiscal year by the state veterans organization to employees engaged in veterans claims service and stationed at the regional office, except that the sum paid to a state veterans organization annually shall not be less than either $2,500, or the amount of salaries and travel expenses paid by the state veterans organization to employees stationed at the regional office, whichever is less, nor more than $20,000 $30,000.

16,1457m Section 1457m. 45.353 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

45.353 (3) Application by any such state veterans organization shall be filed annually with the department for the 12-month period commencing on April 1 and ending on March 31 of the year in which it is filed. An application shall contain a statement of salaries and travel expenses paid to employees engaged in veterans claims service maintained at the regional office by such state veterans organization covering the period for which application for a grant is made, which statement has been certified as correct by an a certified public accountant licensed or certified under ch. 442 and sworn to as correct by the adjutant or principal officer of the state veterans organization. The application shall also contain the state organization's financial statement for its last completed fiscal year and such evidence of claims service activity as the department requires. Sufficient evidence shall be submitted with an initial application to establish that the state veterans organization, or its national organization, or both, has maintained a full-time service office at the regional office without interruption throughout 5 years out of the 10-year period immediately preceding such application. Subsequent applications must be accompanied by an affidavit by the adjutant or principal officer of such state veterans organization stating that a full-time service office was maintained at the regional office by such state veterans organization, or by such state organization and its national organization, for the entire 12-month period for which application for a grant is made.

16,1458 Section 1458. 45.353 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:

45.353 (3m) From the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (s), the department shall annually provide a grant of $100,000 to the Wisconsin department of the Disabled American Veterans for the provision of transportation services to veterans.

16,1458m Section 1458m. 45.353 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

45.353 (3r) From the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (vw) the department, annually, shall award a grant of $12,500 to the Wisconsin chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc., to reimburse the costs of training individuals to represent veterans in federal benefits disputes. No grant awarded under this subsection may be counted toward the payment limits under sub. (2).

16,1461x Section 1461x. 45.365 (1) (am) of the statutes is amended to read: