AB75: Bill Text

AB75, s. 787 Section 787. 40.05 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,489,13 40.05 (4) (b) Except as provided under pars. (bc) and (bp), accumulated unused sick leave under ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10, and 757.02 (5) and subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 of any eligible employee shall, at the time of death, upon qualifying for an immediate annuity or for a lump sum payment under s. 40.25 (1) or upon termination of creditable service and qualifying as an eligible employee under s. 40.02 (25) (b) 6. or 10., be converted, at the employee's highest basic pay rate he or she received while employed by the state, to credits for payment of health insurance premiums on behalf of the employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents. Any supplemental compensation that is paid to a state employee who is classified under the state classified civil service as a teacher, teacher supervisor, or education director for the employee's completion of educational courses that have been approved by the employee's employer is considered as part of the employee's basic pay for purposes of this paragraph. The full premium for any eligible employee who is insured at the time of retirement, or for the surviving insured dependents of an eligible employee who is deceased, shall be deducted from the credits until the credits are exhausted and paid from the account under s. 40.04 (10), and then deducted from annuity payments, if the annuity is sufficient. The department shall provide for the direct payment of premiums by the insured to the insurer if the premium to be withheld exceeds the annuity payment. Upon conversion of an employee's unused sick leave to credits under this paragraph or par. (bf), the employee or, if the employee is deceased, the employee's surviving insured dependents may initiate deductions from those credits or may elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, but only if the employee or surviving insured dependents are covered by a comparable health insurance plan or policy during the period beginning on the date of the conversion and ending on the date on which the employee or surviving insured dependents later elect to initiate deductions from those credits. If an employee or an employee's surviving insured dependents elect to delay initiation of deductions from those credits, an employee or the employee's surviving insured dependents may only later elect to initiate deductions from those credits during the annual enrollment period under par. (be). A health insurance plan or policy is considered comparable if it provides hospital and medical benefits that are substantially equivalent to the standard health insurance plan established under s. 40.52 (1).

AB75, s. 788 Section 788. 40.05 (4) (bw) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,489,25 40.05 (4) (bw) On converting accumulated unused sick leave to credits for the payment of health insurance premiums under par. (b), the department shall add additional credits, calculated in the same manner as are credits under par. (b), that are based on a state employee's accumulated sabbatical leave or earned vacation leave from the state employee's last year of service prior to retirement, or both. The department shall apply the credits awarded under this paragraph for the payment of health insurance premiums only after the credits awarded under par. (b) are exhausted. This paragraph applies only to state employees who are eligible for accumulated unused sick leave conversion under par. (b) and who are entitled to the benefits under this paragraph pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111.

AB75, s. 789 Section 789. 40.05 (4g) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,490,6 40.05 (4g) (a) 4. Has received a military leave of absence under s. 230.32 (3) (a) or 230.35 (3), under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111 or under rules promulgated by the director of the office of state employment relations or is eligible for reemployment with the state under s. 321.64 after completion of his or her service in the U.S. armed forces.

AB75, s. 790 Section 790. 40.05 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,490,12 40.05 (5) Income continuation insurance premiums. (intro.) For the income continuation insurance provided under subch. V the employee shall pay the amount remaining after the employer has contributed the following or, if different, the amount determined under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10:

AB75, s. 791 Section 791. 40.05 (5) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,490,16 40.05 (5) (b) 4. The accrual and crediting of sick leave shall be determined in accordance with ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10 and 757.02 (5) and subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111.

AB75, s. 792 Section 792. 40.05 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,490,25 40.05 (6) (a) Except as otherwise provided in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111 or s. 230.12 or 233.10, each insured employee under the age of 70 and annuitant under the age of 65 shall pay for group life insurance coverage a sum, approved by the group insurance board, which shall not exceed 60 cents monthly for each $1,000 of group life insurance, based upon the last amount of insurance in force during the month for which earnings are paid. The equivalent premium may be fixed by the group insurance board if the annual compensation is paid in other than 12 monthly installments.

AB75, s. 793 Section 793. 40.08 (8) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,491,12 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.

AB75, s. 794 Section 794. 40.08 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,491,19 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.

AB75, s. 795 Section 795. 40.22 (2m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,491,24 40.22 (2m) (a) At least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, or, for an educational support personnel employee, at least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment for a teacher.

AB75, s. 796 Section 796. 40.23 (2m) (fm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,492,13 40.23 (2m) (fm) Notwithstanding s. 40.02 (17) (intro.), for purposes of determining creditable service under par. (f) 2., participants with at least 0.75 of a year a participant's amount of creditable service in any annual earnings period shall be treated as having one year the amount of creditable service that a teacher would earn for that annual earnings period. To be eligible for the treatment provided by this paragraph, the participant must have earned only a partial year of creditable service in at least 5 of the 10 annual earnings periods immediately preceding the annual earnings period in which the participant terminated covered employment, and the participant must notify the department of the applicability of this paragraph to the participant's service. The participant is not eligible for the treatment provided by this paragraph if such notification is provided by the participant later than 60 days after the participant's annuity effective date. This paragraph does not apply to service credited under s. 40.02 (15) or to creditable service as a teacher.

AB75, s. 797 Section 797. 40.23 (4) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,492,18 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.

AB75,492,22 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.

AB75,492,25 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.

AB75,493,3 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.

AB75,493,6 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.

AB75, s. 798 Section 798. 40.23 (4) (f) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,493,10 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:

AB75, s. 799 Section 799. 40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,493,25 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:

AB75, s. 800 Section 800. 40.24 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,494,13 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.

AB75, s. 801 Section 801. 40.25 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,494,23 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.

AB75, s. 802 Section 802. 40.52 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,495,13 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.

AB75, s. 803 Section 803. 40.53 of the statutes is renumbered 146.45, and 146.45 (2) and (3), as renumbered, are amended to read:

AB75,495,25 146.45 (2) The group insurance board department shall develop a purchasing pool for pharmacy benefits that uses a preferred list of covered prescription drugs. The pool shall consist of the state and any eligible party that satisfies the conditions established under sub. (3) for joining the pool. The group insurance board department shall seek to develop the preferred list of covered prescription drugs under an evidence-based analysis that first identifies the relative effectiveness of prescription drugs within therapeutic classes for particular diseases and conditions and next identifies the least costly prescription drugs, including prescription drugs with generic names that are alternatives to prescription drugs with brand names, among those found to be equally effective.

AB75,496,2 (3) The group insurance board department shall propose conditions that an eligible party must satisfy to join the purchasing pool established under sub. (2).

AB75, s. 804 Section 804. 40.55 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,496,11 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.

AB75, s. 805 Section 805. 40.62 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,496,15 40.62 (2) Sick leave accumulation shall be determined in accordance with rules of the department, any collective bargaining agreement under subch. I or, V, or VI of ch. 111, and ss. 13.121 (4), 36.30, 230.35 (2), 233.10, 757.02 (5) and 978.12 (3).

AB75, s. 806 Section 806. 40.65 (5) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,496,19 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.

AB75, s. 807 Section 807. 40.65 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,496,25 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.

AB75, s. 808 Section 808. 40.65 (7) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,497,6 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:

AB75, s. 809 Section 809. 40.65 (7) (am) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,497,14 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.

AB75, s. 810 Section 810. 40.65 (7) (am) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,497,21 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.

AB75, s. 811 Section 811. 40.65 (7) (ar) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,498,3 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:

AB75,498,10 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.

AB75,498,15 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.

AB75, s. 812 Section 812. 40.80 (2r) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,498,20 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.

AB75, s. 813 Section 813. 40.80 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,498,23 40.80 (3) Any action taken under this section shall apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111.

AB75, s. 814 Section 814. 40.81 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,499,2 40.81 (3) Any action taken under this section shall apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement under subch. IV or , V, or VI of ch. 111.

AB75, s. 815 Section 815. 40.95 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,499,5 40.95 (1) (a) 2. The employee has his or her compensation established in a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V or VI of ch. 111.

AB75, s. 816 Section 816. 40.98 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,499,11 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.

AB75, s. 817 Section 817. 41.11 (6) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

AB75,499,14 41.11 (6) (e) In each fiscal year, at least $200,000 for grants to Native American Tourism of Wisconsin.

AB75, s. 818 Section 818. 43.24 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,499,20 43.24 (1) (a) 1. Determine the percentage change in the total amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (e) (qm) between the previous fiscal year and the current fiscal year, except that for the 2009-10 fiscal year, determine the percentage change in the total amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (e), 2007 stats., and (qm) in the previous fiscal year, and s. 20.255 (3) (qm) in the current fiscal year.

AB75, s. 819 Section 819. 43.24 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,500,2 43.24 (1) (c) Beginning in the fiscal year in which the total amount of state aid appropriated for public library systems under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm), as determined by the department, equals at least 11.25% of the total operating expenditures for public library services from local and county sources in the calendar year ending in that fiscal year, the amount paid to each system shall be determined by adding the result of each of the following calculations:

AB75,500,4 1. Multiply the system's percentage of the state's population by the product of the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm) and 0.85.

AB75,500,6 2. Multiply the system's percentage of the state's geographical area by the product of the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm) and 0.075.

AB75,500,12 3. Divide the sum of the payments to the municipalities and counties in the system under subch. I of ch. 79 for the current fiscal year, as reflected in the statement of estimated payments under s. 79.015, by the total of all payments under subch. I of ch. 79 for the current fiscal year, as reflected in the statement of estimated payments under s. 79.015, and multiply the result by the product of the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm) and 0.075.

AB75, s. 820 Section 820. 43.24 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,501,6 43.24 (3) Annually, the division shall review the reports and proposed service plans submitted by the public library systems under s. 43.17 (5) for conformity with this chapter and such rules and standards as are applicable. Upon approval, the division shall certify to the department of administration an estimated amount to which each system is entitled under this section. Annually on or before December 1 of the year immediately preceding the year for which aids are to be paid, the department of administration shall pay each system 75% of the certified estimated amount from the appropriations appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm). The division shall, on or before the following April 30, certify to the department of administration the actual amount to which the system is entitled under this section. On or before July 1, the department of administration shall pay each system the difference between the amount paid on December 1 of the prior year and the certified actual amount of aid to which the system is entitled from the appropriations appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm). The division may reduce state aid payments when any system or any participant thereof fails to meet the requirements of sub. (2). Beginning September 1, 1991, the division may reduce state aid payments to any system if the system or any participant in the system fails to meet the requirements of s. 43.15 (4).

AB75, s. 821 Section 821. 43.24 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,501,10 43.24 (3m) If the appropriations appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (e) and (qm) in any one year are is insufficient to pay the full amount under sub. (1), state aid payments shall be prorated among the library systems entitled to such aid.

AB75, s. 822 Section 822. 43.24 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,501,21 43.24 (6) In submitting information under s. 16.42 for purposes of the biennial budget bill, the department shall include an amount for public library services for each fiscal year of the fiscal biennium equal to 13% of the total operating expenditures for public library services, in territories anticipated to be within all systems in the state, from local and county sources in the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year for which aid under this section is to be paid. The amount shall include a recommendation for the appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (e) (qm) and recommendations for the funding of other public library services, as determined by the department in conjunction with public libraries and public library systems.

AB75, s. 823 Section 823. 44.02 (24) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,502,2 44.02 (24) Promulgate by rule procedures, standards and forms necessary to certify, and shall certify, expenditures for preservation or rehabilitation of historic property for the purposes of s. ss. 71.07 (9m) and (9r), 71.28 (6), and 71.47 (6). These standards shall be substantially similar to the standards used by the secretary of the interior to certify rehabilitations under 26 USC 47 (c) (2).

AB75, s. 824 Section 824. 45.03 (13) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,502,12 45.03 (13) (j) Provide grants to eligible persons who administer a program to identify, train, and place volunteers at the community level who will assist national guard members, members of the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces, and their spouses and dependents, who return to this state after serving on active duty. The department shall make available to the volunteers, veterans, and their spouses and dependents, a packet of information about the benefits that they may be eligible to receive from the state or federal government. The annual amount that may be expended under this paragraph may not exceed $201,000. This paragraph does not apply after June 30, 2007 2011.

AB75, s. 825 Section 825. 45.20 (2) (c) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB75,502,18 45.20 (2) (c) 2. a. Be completed and received by the department no later than 60 days after the completion of the semester or course. The department may accept an application received more than 60 days after the completion of the semester or course if the applicant shows good cause for the delayed receipt in a time limit set by administrative rule.

AB75, s. 826 Section 826. 45.20 (2) (f) of the statutes is repealed.