48.568 Allocation of federal funds for children and family aids and child welfare. Subject to s. 48.563 (1) (b) and (c), if the department receives unanticipated federal foster care and adoption assistance payments under 42 USC 670 to 679a and it proposes to allocate the unanticipated funds so that an allocation limit in s. 48.563 is exceeded, the department shall submit a plan for the proposed allocation to the secretary of administration. If the secretary of administration approves the plan, he or she shall submit it to the joint committee on finance. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the secretary of administration that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the plan within 14 working days after the date of his or her submittal, the department may implement the plan, notwithstanding any allocation limits under s. 48.563. If within 14 working days after the date of the submittal by the secretary of administration the cochairpersons of the committee notify him or her that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the plan, the department may implement the plan, notwithstanding s. 48.563, only with the approval of the committee.
SECTION 443. 48.569 of the statutes is created to read:
48.569 Distribution of children and family aids funds to counties. (1) (am) The department shall reimburse each county from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (b) and (o) for children and family services as approved by the department under ss. 46.22 (1) (b) 2. f. and (e) 3. b.
(d) From the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (b) and (o), the department shall distribute the funding for children and family services, including funding for foster care, treatment foster care, or subsidized guardianship care of a child on whose behalf aid is received under s. 48.645 to county departments as provided under s. 48.563. County matching funds are required for the distribution under s. 48.563 (2). Each county's required match for the distribution under s. 48.563 (2) shall be specified in a schedule established annually by the department. Matching funds may be from county tax levies, federal and state revenue sharing funds, or private donations to the county that meet the requirements specified in sub. (1m). Private donations may not exceed 25 percent of the total county match. If the county match is less than the amount required to generate the full amount of state and federal funds distributed for this period, the decrease in the amount of state and federal funds equals the difference between the required and the actual amount of county matching funds.
(dc) The department shall prorate the amount allocated to any county department under par. (d) to reflect actual federal funds available.
(f) 1. If any state matching funds allocated under par. (d) to match county funds are not claimed, the funds shall be redistributed for the purposes the department designates.
2. The county allocation to match aid increases shall be included in the contract under s. 49.325 (2g), and approved by January 1 of the year for which funds are allocated, in order to generate state aid matching funds. All funds allocated under par. (d) shall be included in the contract under s. 49.325 (2g) and approved.
(1m) (a) A private donation to a county may be used to match the state grant-in-aid under sub. (1) (d) only if the donation is both of the following:
1. Donated to a county department and the donation is under the administrative control of that county department.
2. Donated without restrictions as to use, unless the restrictions specify that the donation be used for a particular service and the donor neither sponsors nor operates the service.
(b) Voluntary federated fund-raising organizations are not sponsors or operators of services within the meaning of par. (a) 2. Any member agency of such an organization that sponsors or operates services is considered to be an autonomous entity separate from the organization unless the board membership of the organization and the agency interlock.
(2) (a) The county treasurer and each director of a county department shall monthly certify under oath to the department, in the manner the department prescribes, the claim of the county for state reimbursement under this section, and if the department approves the claim it shall certify to the department of administration for reimbursement to the county for amounts due under this section and payment claimed to be made to the counties monthly. The department may make advance payments prior to the beginning of each month equal to one-twelfth of the contracted amount.
(b) To facilitate prompt reimbursement, the certificate of the department may be based on the certified statements of the county officers filed under par. (a). Funds recovered from audit adjustments from a prior fiscal year may be included in subsequent certifications only to pay counties owed funds as a result of any audit adjustment. By September 30 of each year the department shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) on funds recovered and paid out during the previous calendar year as a result of audit adjustments.
SECTION 444. 48.57 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (1) (g) Upon request of the department of health and family services or the department of corrections, to provide service for any child or expectant mother of an unborn child in the care of those departments.
SECTION 445. 48.57 (3) (a) 3. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3) (a) 3. (intro.) Received funding under s. 48.569 (1) (d) or under s. 46.495 (1) (d), 2005 stats., immediately prior to his or her 18th birthday; and
SECTION 446. 48.57 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3) (b) The funding provided for the maintenance of a child under par. (a) shall be in an amount equal to that which the child would receive under s. 46.495 48.569 (1) (d) if the child were 17 years of age.
SECTION 447. 48.57 (3m) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3m) (am) (intro.) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (kc), the department shall reimburse counties having populations of less than 500,000 for payments made under this subsection and shall make payments under this subsection in a county having a population of 500,000 or more. A county department and, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department shall make payments in the amount of $215 per month to a kinship care relative who is providing care and maintenance for a child if all of the following conditions are met:
SECTION 448. 48.57 (3n) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3n) (am) (intro.) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (kc), the department shall reimburse counties having populations of less than 500,000 for payments made under this subsection and shall make payments under this subsection in a county having a population of 500,000 or more. A county department and, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department shall make monthly payments for each child in the amount specified in sub. (3m) (am) (intro.) to a long-term kinship care relative who is providing care and maintenance for that child if all of the following conditions are met:
SECTION 449. 48.57 (3p) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (b) 1. After receipt of an application for payments under sub. (3m) or (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b), the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, shall conduct a background investigation of the applicant.
SECTION 450. 48.57 (3p) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (b) 2. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, may conduct a background investigation of any person who is receiving payments under sub. (3m) at the time of review under sub. (3m) (d) or at any other time that the county department or department of health and family services considers to be appropriate.
SECTION 451. 48.57 (3p) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (b) 3. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, may conduct a background investigation of any person who is receiving payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) at any time that the county department or department of health and family services considers to be appropriate.
SECTION 452. 48.57 (3p) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (c) 1. After receipt of an application for payments under sub. (3m) or (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b), the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, shall, in addition to the investigation under par. (b) 1., conduct a background investigation of all employees and prospective employees of the applicant who have or would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made and of each adult resident.
SECTION 453. 48.57 (3p) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (c) 2. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, may conduct a background investigation of any of the employees or prospective employees of any person who is receiving payments under sub. (3m) who have or would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made and of each adult resident at the time of review under sub. (3m) (d) or at any other time that the county department or department of health and family services considers to be appropriate.
SECTION 454. 48.57 (3p) (c) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (c) 2m. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, may conduct a background investigation of any of the employees or prospective employees of any person who is receiving payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) who have or would have regular contact with the child for whom payments are being made and of each adult resident at any time that the county department or department of health and family services considers to be appropriate.
SECTION 455. 48.57 (3p) (c) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (c) 3. Before a person who is receiving payments under sub. (3m) or (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) may employ any person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or permit any person to be an adult resident, the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services, with the assistance of the department of justice, shall conduct a background investigation of the prospective employee or prospective adult resident unless that person has already been investigated under subd. 1., 2. or 2m.
SECTION 456. 48.57 (3p) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (d) If the person being investigated under par. (b) or (c) is a nonresident, or at any time within the 5 years preceding the date of the application has been a nonresident, or if the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services determines that the person's employment, licensing or state court records provide a reasonable basis for further investigation, the county department or department of health and family services shall require the person to be fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards, each bearing a complete set of the person's fingerprints. The department of justice may provide for the submission of the fingerprint cards to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identity of the person fingerprinted and obtaining records of his or her criminal arrest and conviction.
SECTION 457. 48.57 (3p) (e) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (e) (intro.) Upon request, a person being investigated under par. (b) or (c) shall provide the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services with all of the following information:
SECTION 458. 48.57 (3p) (fm) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (fm) 1. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may provisionally approve the making of payments under sub. (3m) based on the applicant's statement under sub. (3m) (am) 4m. The county department or department of health and family services may not finally approve the making of payments under sub. (3m) unless the county department or department of health and family services receives information from the department of justice indicating that the conviction record of the applicant under the law of this state is satisfactory according to the criteria specified in par. (g) 1. to 3. or payment is approved under par. (h) 4. The county department or department of health and family services may make payments under sub. (3m) conditioned on the receipt of information from the federal bureau of investigation indicating that the person's conviction record under the law of any other state or under federal law is satisfactory according to the criteria specified in par. (g) 1. to 3.
SECTION 459. 48.57 (3p) (fm) 1m. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (fm) 1m. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may not enter into the agreement under sub. (3n) (am) 6. or make payments under s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) unless the county department or department of health and family services receives information from the department of justice relating to the conviction record of the applicant under the law of this state and that record indicates either that the applicant has not been arrested or convicted or that the applicant has been arrested or convicted but the director of the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services to review conviction records under this subdivision determines that the conviction record is satisfactory because it does not include any arrest or conviction that the director or person designated by the secretary determines is likely to adversely affect the child or the applicant's ability to care for the child. The county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may make payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) conditioned on the receipt of information from the federal bureau of investigation indicating that the person's conviction record under the law of any other state or under federal law is satisfactory because the conviction record does not include any arrest or conviction that the director of the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services to review conviction records under this subdivision determines is likely to adversely affect the child or the applicant's ability to care for the child.
SECTION 460. 48.57 (3p) (fm) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (fm) 2. A person receiving payments under sub. (3m) may provisionally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or provisionally permit a person to be an adult resident if the person receiving those payments states to the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services that the employee or adult resident does not have any arrests or convictions that could adversely affect the child or the ability of the person receiving payments to care for the child. A person receiving payments under sub. (3m) may not finally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or finally permit a person to be an adult resident until the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services receives information from the department of justice indicating that the person's conviction record under the law of this state is satisfactory according to the criteria specified in par. (g) 1. to 3. and the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services so advises the person receiving payments under sub. (3m) or until a decision is made under par. (h) 4. to permit a person who is receiving payments under sub. (3m) to employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom payments are being made or to permit a person to be an adult resident and the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services so advises the person receiving payments under sub. (3m). A person receiving payments under sub. (3m) may finally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or finally permit a person to be an adult resident conditioned on the receipt of information from the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services that the federal bureau of investigation indicates that the person's conviction record under the law of any other state or under federal law is satisfactory according to the criteria specified in par. (g) 1. to 3.
SECTION 461. 48.57 (3p) (fm) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (fm) 2m. A person receiving payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) may provisionally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or provisionally permit a person to be an adult resident if the person receiving those payments states to the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the employee or adult resident does not have any arrests or convictions that could adversely affect the child or the ability of the person receiving payments to care for the child. A person receiving payment under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) may not finally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or finally permit a person to be an adult resident until the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services receives information from the department of justice relating to the person's conviction record under the law of this state and that record indicates either that the person has not been arrested or convicted or that the person has been arrested or convicted but the director of the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services to review conviction records under this subdivision determines that the conviction record is satisfactory because it does not include any arrest or conviction that is likely to adversely affect the child or the ability of the person receiving payments to care for the child and the county department or department of health and family services so advises the person receiving payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b). A person receiving payments under sub. (3n) or s. 48.62 (5) (a) or (b) may finally employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or finally permit a person to be an adult resident conditioned on the receipt of information from the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services that the federal bureau of investigation indicates that the person's conviction record under the law of any other state or under federal law is satisfactory because the conviction record does not include any arrest or conviction that the director of the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services to review conviction records under this subdivision determines is likely to adversely affect the child or the ability of the person receiving payments to care for the child.
SECTION 462. 48.57 (3p) (g) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (g) (intro.) Except as provided in par. (h), the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may not make payments to a person applying for payments under sub. (3m) and a person receiving payments under sub. (3m) may not employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or permit a person to be an adult resident if any of the following applies:
SECTION 463. 48.57 (3p) (g) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (g) 3. The person has been convicted of a violation of ch. 940, 944m or 948, other than a violation of s. 940.291, 940.34, 944.36, 948.45, 948.63m or 948.70, or of a violation of the law of any other state or federal law that would be a violation of ch. 940, 944m or 948, other than a violation of s. 940.291, 940.34, 944.36, 948.45, 948.63m or 948.70, if committed in this state, except that a county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may make payments to a person applying for payments under sub. (3m) and a person receiving payments under sub. (3m) may employ in a position in which the person would have regular contact with the child for whom those payments are being made or permit to be an adult resident a person who has been convicted of a violation of s. 944.30, 944.31, or 944.33 or of a violation of the law of any other state or federal law that would be a violation of s. 944.30, 944.31, or 944.33 if committed in this state, if that violation occurred 20 years or more before the date of the investigation.
SECTION 464. 48.57 (3p) (h) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (h) 2. The request for review shall be filed with the director of the county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, with the person designated by the secretary of health and family services to receive requests for review filed under this subdivision. If the governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band has entered into an agreement under sub. (3t) to administer the program under this subsection and sub. (3m), the request for review shall be filed with the person designated by that governing body to receive requests for review filed under this subdivision.
SECTION 465. 48.57 (3p) (h) 3. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (h) 3. (intro.) The director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services shall review the denial of payments or the prohibition on employment or being an adult resident to determine if the conviction record on which the denial or prohibition is based includes any arrests, convictions, or penalties that are likely to adversely affect the child or the ability of the kinship care relative to care for the child. In reviewing the denial or prohibition, the director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of the federally recognized American Indian tribe or band or the person designated by the secretary of health and family services shall consider, but not be limited to, all of the following factors:
SECTION 466. 48.57 (3p) (h) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (h) 4. If the director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of the federally recognized American Indian tribe or band or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary of health and family services determines that the conviction record on which the denial of payments or the prohibition on employment or being an adult resident is based does not include any arrests, convictions, or penalties that are likely to adversely affect the child or the ability of the kinship care relative to care for the child, the director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of the federally recognized American Indian tribe or band, or the person designated by the secretary of health and family services may approve the making of payments under sub. (3m) or may permit a person receiving payments under sub. (3m) to employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom payments are being made or permit a person to be an adult resident.
SECTION 467. 48.57 (3p) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (i) A county department and, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services shall keep confidential all information received under this subsection from the department of justice or the federal bureau of investigation. Such information is not subject to inspection or copying under s. 19.35.
SECTION 468. 48.57 (3p) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.57 (3p) (j) A county department or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department of health and family services may charge a fee for conducting a background investigation under this subsection. The fee may not exceed the reasonable cost of conducting the investigation.
SECTION 469. 48.576 of the statutes is created to read:
48.576 Shelter care facilities; general supervision and inspection by department. (1) GENERALLY. The department shall investigate and supervise all shelter care facilities and familiarize itself with all the circumstances affecting their management and usefulness.
(2) INSPECTIONS. The department shall inquire into the methods of treatment, instruction, government, and management of children placed in shelter care facilities; the conduct of the trustees, managers, directors, superintendents, and other officers and employees of those facilities; the condition of the buildings, grounds, and all other property pertaining to those facilities; and all other matters pertaining to the usefulness and management of those facilities; and recommend to the officers in charge such changes and additional provisions as the department considers proper.
(3) FREQUENCY OF INSPECTIONS. The department shall inspect and investigate each shelter care facility at least annually and, when directed by the governor, the department shall conduct a special investigation into a shelter care facility's management, or anything connected with its management, and report to the governor the testimony taken, the facts found, and conclusions drawn.
(4) ENFORCEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. Upon request of the department, the attorney general or the district attorney of the proper county shall aid in any investigation, inspection, hearing, or trial had under the provisions of this chapter relating to powers of the department, and shall institute and prosecute all necessary actions or proceedings for the enforcement of those provisions and for the punishment of violations of those provisions. The attorney general or district attorney so requested shall report or confer with the department regarding the request, within 30 days after the receipt of the request.
(5) OPPORTUNITY TO INSPECT. All trustees, managers, directors, superintendents, and other officers or employees of a shelter care facility shall at all times afford to every member of the department and its agents unrestrained facility for inspection of and free access to all parts of the buildings and grounds and to all books and papers of the shelter care facility, and shall give, either verbally or in writing, such information as the department requires. Any person who violates this subsection shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $100.
(6) TESTIMONIAL POWER; EXPENSES. The department or any person delegated by the department may administer oaths, take testimony, and cause depositions to be taken. All expenses of the investigations, including fees of officers and witnesses, shall be charged to the appropriation for the department.
(7) STATISTICS TO BE FURNISHED. Whenever the department is required to collect statistics, the person or agency shall furnish the required statistics on request.
SECTION 470. 48.578 of the statutes is created to read:
48.578 Shelter care facilities; establishment, approval, inspection. (1) The department shall fix reasonable standards and regulations for the design, construction, repair, and maintenance of shelter care facilities, with respect to their adequacy and fitness for the needs that they are to serve.
(2) The selection and purchase of the site, and the plans, specifications, and erection of buildings for shelter care facilities shall be subject to the review and approval of the department. Department review shall include review of the proposed program to be carried out by the shelter care facility.
(3) Before any shelter care facility is occupied, and at least annually thereafter, the department shall inspect the shelter care facility, with respect to safety, sanitation, adequacy, and fitness, and report to the authorities managing the shelter care facility any deficiency found, and order the necessary work to correct that deficiency. If within 6 months after the inspection the work is not commenced, or not completed within a reasonable period after commencement of the work, to the satisfaction of the department, the department shall suspend the allowance of state aid for, and prohibit the use of the shelter care facility, until the order is complied with.
SECTION 471. 48.60 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.60 (3) Before issuing or continuing any license to a child welfare agency under this section, the department of health and family services shall review the need for the additional placement resources that would be made available by licensing or continuing the license of any child welfare agency after August 5, 1973, providing care authorized under s. 48.61 (3). Neither the department of health and family services nor the department of corrections may make any placements to any child welfare agency where the departmental review required under this subsection has failed to indicate the need for the additional placement resources.
SECTION 472. 48.62 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.62 (5) (d) The department shall request from the secretary of the federal department of health and human services a waiver of the requirements under 42 USC 670 to 679a that would authorize the state to receive federal foster care and adoption assistance reimbursement under 42 USC 670 to 679a for the costs of providing care for a child who is in the care of a guardian who was licensed as the child's foster parent or treatment foster parent before the guardianship appointment and who has entered into a subsidized guardianship agreement with the county department or department. If the waiver is approved for a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department shall provide the monthly payments under par. (a) from the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cx), (gx), (kw), and (mx). If the waiver is approved for any other county, the department shall determine which counties are authorized to provide monthly payments under par. (a) or (b), and the county departments of those counties shall provide those payments from moneys received under s. 46.495 48.569 (1) (d).
SECTION 473. 48.627 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.627 (2) (c) The department shall conduct a study to determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing insurance to provide standard homeowner's or renter's liability insurance coverage for applicants who are granted a waiver under par. (b). If the department determines that it would be cost-effective to purchase such insurance, it may purchase the insurance from the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd).
SECTION 474. 48.627 (2c) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.627 (2c) The department shall determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing private insurance that would provide coverage to foster, treatment foster, and family-operated group home parents for acts or omissions by or affecting a child who is placed in a foster home, a treatment foster home, or a family-operated group home. If this private insurance is cost-effective and available, the department shall purchase the insurance from the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd). If the insurance is unavailable, payment of claims for acts or omissions by or affecting a child who is placed in a foster home, a treatment foster home, or a family-operated group home shall be in accordance with subs. (2m) to (3).
SECTION 475. 48.627 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.627 (2m) Within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd), the department shall pay claims to the extent not covered by any other insurance and subject to the limitations specified in sub. (3), for bodily injury or property damage sustained by a licensed foster, treatment foster, or family-operated group home parent or a member of the foster, treatment foster, or family-operated group home parent's family as a result of the act of a child in the foster, treatment foster, or family-operated group home parent's care.
SECTION 476. 48.627 (2s) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.627 (2s) (intro.) Within the limits of the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cf) and (pd), the department may pay claims to the extent not covered by any other insurance and subject to the limitations specified in sub. (3), for all of the following:
SECTION 477. 48.627 (3) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
48.627 (3) (f) If the total amount of the claims approved during any calendar quarter exceeds 25% of the total funds available during the fiscal year for purposes of this subsection plus any unencumbered funds remaining from the previous quarter, the department shall prorate the available funds among the claimants with approved claims. The department shall also prorate any unencumbered funds remaining in the appropriation under s. 20.435 (3) 20.437 (1) (cf) at the end of each fiscal year among the claimants whose claims were prorated during the fiscal year. Payment of a prorated amount from unencumbered funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year constitutes a complete payment of the claim for purposes of this program, but does not prohibit a foster parent or treatment foster parent from submitting a claim under s. 16.007 for the unpaid portion.
