40.02 (25) (b) 3. The surviving spouse or domestic partner of an employee, or of a retired employee, who is currently covered by health insurance at the time of death of the employee or retired employee. The spouse or domestic partner shall have the same right to health insurance coverage as the deceased employee or retired employee, but without state contribution, under rules promulgated by the secretary.
SECTION 7. 40.08 (8) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.08 (8) (a) 4. The former spouse or domestic partner of a participant who is an alternate payee and whom the department cannot locate by reasonable efforts, with such efforts beginning by the end of the month in which the participant attains, or would have attained, the age of 65, shall be considered to have abandoned all benefits under the Wisconsin retirement system on the date on which the participant attains, or would have attained, the age of 70. The department shall close the alternate payee's account and shall transfer the moneys in the account to the employer accumulation reserve. The department shall restore the alternate payee's account and shall debit the employer accumulation reserve accordingly if the alternate payee subsequently applies for retirement benefits under this chapter before the participant attains or would have attained the age of 80.
SECTION 8. 40.08 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.08 (9) PAYMENTS OF BENEFITS TO MINORS AND INDIVIDUALS FOUND INCOMPETENT. In any case in which a benefit amount becomes payable to a minor or to an individual adjudicated incompetent, the department may waive guardianship proceedings, and pay the benefit to the person providing for or caring for the minor, or to the spouse or domestic partner, parent, or other relative by blood or adoption providing for or caring for the individual adjudicated incompetent.
SECTION 9. 40.23 (4) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.23 (4) (e) 1. Subject to subds. 2. to 4., if a participant dies before the distribution of benefits has commenced and the participant's beneficiary is the spouse or domestic partner, the department shall begin the distribution within 5 years after the date of the participant's death.
2. If the spouse or domestic partner files a subsequent beneficiary designation with the department, the payment of the distribution may be deferred until the January 1 of the year in which the participant would have attained the age of 70.5 years.
3. If the spouse or domestic partner does not apply for a distribution, the distribution shall begin as an automatic distribution as provided under subd. 1. or under par. (c), whichever distribution date is earlier.
4. If the spouse or domestic partner dies, but has designated a new beneficiary, the birth date of the spouse or domestic partner shall be used for the purposes of determining the required beginning date.
5. The department shall specify by rule all procedures relating to an automatic distribution to the spouse or domestic partner. These rules shall comply with the internal revenue code.
SECTION 10. 40.23 (4) (f) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.23 (4) (f) (intro.) If a participant dies before the distribution of benefits has commenced and the participant's beneficiary is not the spouse or domestic partner, the beneficiary shall do one of the following:
SECTION 11. 40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) Any participant who has been married to the same spouse, or in a domestic partnership with the same domestic partner, for at least one year immediately preceding the participant's annuity effective date shall elect the annuity option under sub. (1) (d), the annuity option under sub. (1) (e), if the reduced annuity under sub. (1) (e) is payable in an optional life form provided under sub. (1) (d), or an annuity option in a form provided by rule, if the annuity is payable for life with monthly payments of at least 75% of the amount of the annuity to be continued to the beneficiary, for life, upon the death of the participant, and the participant shall designate the spouse or domestic partner as the beneficiary, unless the participant's application for a retirement annuity in a different optional annuity form is signed by both the participant and the participant's spouse or domestic partner or unless the participant establishes to the satisfaction of the department that, by reason of absence or other inability, the spouse's or domestic partner's signature may not be obtained. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
SECTION 12. 40.24 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.24 (7) (b) In administering this subsection, the secretary may require the participant to provide the department with a certification of the participant's marital or domestic partnership status and of the validity of the spouse's or domestic partner's signature. If a participant is exempted from the requirements under par. (a) on the basis of a certification which the department or a court subsequently determines to be invalid, the liability of the fund and the department shall be limited to a conversion of annuity options at the time the certification is determined to be invalid. The conversion shall be from the present value of the annuity in the optional form originally elected by the participant to an annuity with the same present value but in the optional form under sub. (1) (d) and with monthly payments of 100% of the amount of the annuity paid to the annuitant to be continued to the spouse or domestic partner beneficiary.
SECTION 13. 40.25 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.25 (3m) A participant's application for a lump sum payment under sub. (1) (b) or (2), filed after May 7, 1994, shall be signed by both the participant and the participant's spouse or domestic partner, if the participant has been married to that spouse, or in a domestic partnership with that domestic partner, for at least one year immediately preceding the date the application is filed. The department may promulgate rules that allow for the waiver of the requirements of this subsection for a situation in which, by reason of absence or incompetency, the spouse's or domestic partner's signature may not be obtained. This subsection does not apply to any benefits paid from accumulated additional contributions.
SECTION 14. 40.52 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.52 (2) Health insurance benefits under this subchapter shall be integrated, with exceptions determined appropriate by the group insurance board, with benefits under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged and disabled. Exclusions and limitations with respect to benefits and different rates may be established for persons eligible under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged and disabled in recognition of the utilization by persons within the age limits eligible under the federal program. The plan may include special provisions for spouses, domestic partners, and other dependents covered under a plan established under this subchapter where one spouse or domestic partner is eligible under federal plans for hospital and health care for the aged but the others are not eligible because of age or other reasons. As part of the integration, the department may, out of premiums collected under s. 40.05 (4), pay premiums for the federal health insurance.
SECTION 15. 40.55 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.55 (1) Except as provided in sub. (5), the state shall offer, through the group insurance board, to eligible employees under s. 40.02 (25) (bm) and to state annuitants long-term care insurance policies which have been filed with the office of the commissioner of insurance and which have been approved for offering under contracts established by the group insurance board if the insurer requests that the policy be offered and the state shall also allow an eligible employee or a state annuitant to purchase those policies for his or her spouse, domestic partner, or parent.
SECTION 16. 40.65 (5) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (5) (b) 1. Any OASDHI benefit payable to the participant or the participant's spouse, domestic partner, or a dependent because of the participant's work record.
SECTION 17. 40.65 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (5) (c) The Wisconsin retirement board may not reduce a participant's benefit because of income or benefits that are attributable to the earnings or work record of the participant's spouse, domestic partner, or other member of the participant's family, or because of income or benefits attributable to an insurance contract, including income continuation programs.
SECTION 18. 40.65 (7) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (7) (am) (intro.) This paragraph applies to benefits based on applications filed on or after May 3, 1988. If a protective occupation participant dies as a result of an injury or a disease for which a benefit is paid or would be payable under sub. (4), and the participant is survived by a spouse, domestic partner, or an unmarried child under the age of 18, a monthly benefit shall be paid as follows:
SECTION 19. 40.65 (7) (am) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (7) (am) 1. To the surviving spouse or domestic partner until the surviving spouse remarries or the surviving domestic partner enters into a new domestic partnership or marries, if the spouse was married to the participant on the date that the participant was disabled under sub. (4) or the domestic partner was in a domestic partnership with the participant on the date that the participant was disabled under sub. (4), 50% of the participant's monthly salary at the time of death, but reduced by any amount payable under sub. (5) (b) 1. to 6.
SECTION 20. 40.65 (7) (am) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (7) (am) 2. To a guardian for each of that guardian's wards who is an unmarried surviving child under the age of 18, 10% of the participant's monthly salary at the time of death, payable until the child marries, dies or reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs first. The marital or domestic partnership status of the surviving spouse or domestic partner shall have no effect on the payments under this subdivision.
SECTION 21. 40.65 (7) (ar) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.65 (7) (ar) 1. This paragraph applies to benefits based on applications filed on or after May 12, 1998. If a protective occupation participant, who is covered by the presumption under s. 891.455, dies as a result of an injury or a disease for which a benefit is paid or would be payable under sub. (4), and the participant is survived by a spouse, domestic partner, or an unmarried child under the age of 18, a monthly benefit shall be paid as follows:
a. To the surviving spouse or domestic partner until the surviving spouse or domestic partner remarries or enters into a new domestic partnership, if the surviving spouse was married to the participant on the date that the participant was disabled under sub. (4) or the domestic partner was in a domestic partnership with the participant on the date that the participant was disabled under sub. (4), 70% of the participant's monthly salary at the time of death, but reduced by any amount payable under sub. (5) (b) 1. to 6.
b. If there is no surviving spouse or domestic partner or the surviving spouse or domestic partner subsequently dies, to a guardian for each of that guardian's wards who is an unmarried surviving child under the age of 18, 10% of the participant's monthly salary at the time of death, payable until the child marries, dies or reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 22. 40.80 (2r) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
40.80 (2r) (a) 2. Assigns all or part of a participant's accumulated assets held in a deferred compensation plan under this subchapter to a spouse, former spouse, domestic partner, former domestic partner, child, or other dependent to satisfy a family support or marital property obligation.
SECTION 23. 40.98 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
40.98 (1) (b) "Dependent" means a spouse or domestic partner, an unmarried child under the age of 19 years, an unmarried child who is a full-time student under the age of 21 years and who is financially dependent upon the parent, or an unmarried child of any age who is medically certified as disabled and who is dependent upon the parent.
SECTION 24. 50.032 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
50.032 (2) REGULATION. Standards Except as provided in sub. (2d), standards for operation of certified adult family homes and procedures for application for certification, monitoring, inspection, decertification and appeal of decertification under this section shall be under rules promulgated by the department under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 1. An adult family home certification is valid until decertified under this section. Certification is not transferable.
SECTION 25. 50.032 (2d) of the statutes is created to read:
50.032 (2d) ACCOMPANIMENT OR VISITATION. If an adult family home has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the adult family home shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 26. 50.033 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
50.033 (2) REGULATION. Standards Except as provided in sub. (2d), standards for operation of licensed adult family homes and procedures for application for licensure, monitoring, inspection, revocation and appeal of revocation under this section shall be under rules promulgated by the department under s. 50.02 (2) (am) 2. An adult family home licensure is valid until revoked under this section. Licensure is not transferable. The biennial licensure fee for a licensed adult family home is $135. The fee is payable to the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42 or 51.437, if the county department licenses the adult family home under sub. (1m) (b), and is payable to the department, on a schedule determined by the department if the department licenses the adult family home under sub. (1m) (b).
SECTION 27. 50.033 (2d) of the statutes is created to read:
50.033 (2d) ACCOMPANIMENT OR VISITATION. If an adult family home has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the adult family home shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 28. 50.034 (3) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
50.034 (3) (e) If a residential care apartment complex has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the residential care apartment complex shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 29. 50.035 (2d) of the statutes is created to read:
50.035 (2d) ACCOMPANIMENT OR VISITATION. If a community-based residential facility has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the community-based residential facility shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 30. 50.04 (2d) of the statutes is created to read:
50.04 (2d) ACCOMPANIMENT OR VISITATION. If a nursing home has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the nursing home shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 31. 50.06 (2) (am) 2. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
50.06 (2) (am) 2. b. The individual who is consenting to the proposed admission is the spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770 of the incapacitated person.
SECTION 32. 50.06 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
50.06 (3) (a) The spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770 of the incapacitated individual.
SECTION 33. 50.09 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
50.09 (1) (f) 1. Privacy for visits by spouse or domestic partner. If both spouses or both domestic partners under ch. 770 are residents of the same facility, they the spouses or domestic partners shall be permitted to share a room unless medically contraindicated as documented by the resident's physician or advanced practice nurse prescriber in the resident's medical record.
SECTION 34. 50.36 (3j) of the statutes is created to read:
50.36 (3j) If a hospital has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the hospital shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 35. 50.94 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
50.94 (3) (a) The spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770 of the person who is incapacitated.
SECTION 36. 50.942 of the statutes is created to read:
50.942 Accompaniment or visitation. If a hospice has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient, the hospice shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient's domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.
SECTION 37. 50.95 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
50.95 (1) Standards Except as provided in s. 50.942, standards for the care, treatment, health, safety, rights, welfare and comfort of individuals with terminal illness, their families and other individuals who receive palliative care or supportive care from a hospice and the maintenance, general hygiene and operation of a hospice, which will permit the use of advancing knowledge to promote safe and adequate care and treatment for these individuals. These standards shall permit provision of services directly, as required under 42 CFR 418.56, or by contract under which overall coordination of hospice services is maintained by hospice staff members and the hospice retains the responsibility for planning and coordination of hospice services and care on behalf of a hospice client and his or her family, if any.
SECTION 38. 51.30 (4) (b) 20. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
51.30 (4) (b) 20. (intro.) Except with respect to the treatment records of a subject individual who is receiving or has received services for alcoholism or drug dependence, to the spouse, domestic partner under ch. 770, parent, adult child or sibling of a subject individual, if the spouse, domestic partner, parent, adult child or sibling is directly involved in providing care to or monitoring the treatment of the subject individual and if the involvement is verified by the subject individual's physician, psychologist or by a person other than the spouse, domestic partner, parent, adult child or sibling who is responsible for providing treatment to the subject individual, in order to assist in the provision of care or monitoring of treatment. Except in an emergency as determined by the person verifying the involvement of the spouse, domestic partner, parent, adult child or sibling, the request for treatment records under this subdivision shall be in writing, by the requester. Unless the subject individual has been adjudicated incompetent in this state, the person verifying the involvement of the spouse, domestic partner, parent, adult child or sibling shall notify the subject individual about the release of his or her treatment records under this subdivision. Treatment records released under this subdivision are limited to the following:
SECTION 39. 51.30 (4) (cm) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
51.30 (4) (cm) Required access to certain information. (intro.) Notwithstanding par. (a), treatment records of an individual shall, upon request, be released without informed written consent, except as restricted under par. (c), to the parent, child, sibling, or spouse, or domestic partner under ch. 770 of an individual who is or was a patient at an inpatient facility; to a law enforcement officer who is seeking to determine whether an individual is on unauthorized absence from the facility; and to mental health professionals who are providing treatment to the individual at the time that the information is released to others. Information released under this paragraph is limited to notice as to whether or not an individual is a patient at the inpatient facility and, if the individual is no longer a patient at the inpatient facility, the facility or other place, if known, at which the individual is located. This paragraph does not apply under any of the following circumstances:
SECTION 40. 51.30 (4) (cm) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
51.30 (4) (cm) 1. To the individual's parent, child, sibling, or spouse, or domestic partner under ch. 770 who is requesting information, if the individual has specifically requested that the information be withheld from the parent, child, sibling, or spouse, or domestic partner.
SECTION 41. 66.0137 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 66.0137 (5) (b) and amended to read:
66.0137 (5) (b) The state or a local governmental unit may provide for the payment of premiums for hospital, surgical and other health and accident insurance and life insurance for employees and officers and, their spouses and dependent children, and their domestic partner under ch. 770 and dependent children. A local governmental unit may also provide for the payment of premiums for hospital and surgical care for its retired employees. In addition, a local governmental unit may, by ordinance or resolution, elect to offer to all of its employees a health care coverage plan through a program offered by the group insurance board under ch. 40. A local governmental unit that elects to participate under s. 40.51 (7) is subject to the applicable sections of ch. 40 instead of this subsection.
SECTION 42. 66.0137 (5) (a) of the statutes is created to read:
66.0137 (5) (a) In this subsection, "local governmental unit" includes the school district operating under ch. 119.
SECTION 43. 77.25 (8n) of the statutes is created to read:
77.25 (8n) Between an individual and his or her domestic partner under ch. 770.
SECTION 44. 101.9208 (4m) of the statutes is amended to read:
101.9208 (4m) Upon filing an application under sub. (1) or (4), a supplemental title fee to be paid by the owner of the manufactured home, except that this fee shall be waived with respect to an application under sub. (4) for transfer of a decedent's interest in a manufactured home to his or her surviving spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770. The fee required under this subsection shall be paid in addition to any other fee specified in this section.
SECTION 45. 102.475 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
102.475 (6) PROOF. In administering this section the department may require reasonable proof of birth, marriage, domestic partnership under ch. 770, relationship, or dependency.
SECTION 46. 102.49 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
102.49 (1) Where When the beneficiary under s. 102.46 or 102.47 (1) is the wife or husband spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770 of the deceased employee and is wholly dependent for support, an additional death benefit shall be paid from the funds provided by sub. (5) for each child by their marriage or domestic partnership under ch. 770 who is living at the time of the death of the employee, and who is likewise wholly dependent upon the employee for support. Such That payment shall commence at the time that primary death benefit payments are completed, or, if advancement of compensation has been paid, at the time when payments would normally have been completed. Payments shall continue at the rate of 10% of the surviving parent's weekly indemnity until the child's 18th birthday. If the child is physically or mentally incapacitated, such payments may be continued beyond the child's 18th birthday but the payments may not continue for more than a total of 15 years.
SECTION 47. 102.49 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
102.49 (2) A child lawfully adopted by the deceased employee and the surviving spouse or domestic partner under ch. 770, prior to the time of the injury, and a child not the deceased employee's own by birth or adoption but living with the deceased employee as a member of the deceased employee's family at the time of the injury shall for the purpose of this section be taken as a child by their marriage or domestic partnership under ch. 770.
