Department of Natural Resources to be deleted, which includes 7.8 FTE GPR positions, 9.1 FTE FED positions, 4.0 FTE PR positions and 11.2 FTE SEG positions.
I am partially vetoing the provision to remove the deadline and the Committee's 14-day passive review process because it is inconsistent with a similar provision in the bill and creates unnecessary workload. Under the bill, the Department of Administration is also required to report to the Joint Committee on Finance on the identification of 450 FTE positions to be eliminated from state agencies no later than January 1, 2015. I am directing the Department of Administration to include the separately-identified Department of Natural Resources positions in the report on the 450 FTE positions.
34. Unclassified Position Authority
Sections 2002, 2006m, 2182m and 9138 (8c)
These sections reduce the number of unclassified division administrators authorized for the Department of Safety and Professional Services and repeal the department's authority for unclassified bureau directors.
I am vetoing these sections because I object to reducing the current number of unclassified positions in the department at this time. Staffing levels will be examined as part of the study of the department and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection identified in section 9101 (3s) of the bill, and changes to unclassified position authority should be delayed until that study is completed. While the veto will permit the department to have up to eight unclassified division administrators and up to five unclassified bureau directors, I am directing the department to maintain current staffing levels and to remain within its current position authorization level.
E. investing in Infrastructure
35. Building Program Issued Bonds
Section 9104 (11i)
This section specifies that $250,000,000 in general obligation bonding shall not be issued for enumerations in the 2007-09 and 2013-15 state building programs.
I am partially vetoing this section because I object to the language in the bill. However, I support the goal of reducing general obligation bond issuance in the 2013-15 biennium for the state building program. Therefore, I direct the Department of Administration secretary to reduce $250,000,000 in general obligation bonds issued in the 2013-15 biennium for the newly enumerated projects in this act. With this partial veto, I remain committed to reducing the issuance of $250,000,000 in general obligation bonds while providing flexibility for implementation.
36. Bonding Refunding Authority
Section 489 [as it relates to restrictions on refunding transactions]
This section includes a restriction specifying that refunding bond transactions may only occur where the annual principal payment on the refunding bonds does not exceed the annual principal payments on the current bonds.
I am partially vetoing this section to remove this restriction because it prevents refunding transactions from occurring in market environments where principal payments may be higher while still providing debt service savings. Current market conditions provide premium purchase pricings for bonds, which provide debt service savings from reduced principal payments. In future markets, refunding transactions may have annual debt service savings resulting from reduced interest payments; in this environment, the annual principal payment costs of the refunding bonds may be equal to or greater than the annual principal payment costs of the refunded bonds. With this veto, I am ensuring that refunding transactions and debt service savings can be realized in different market conditions.
37. State-Owned Real Property Sales
Sections 14 and 132
These sections modify the authority of the Department of Administration and the Building Commission regarding the sale or lease of state-owned real property, so as to allow the sale of additional state properties if it is in the best interest of the State to do so and to make statutory language regarding sale procedures and the treatment of net proceeds
consistent across both sections.
Because I believe that state assets should only be sold when it is in the best interest of the State to do so, I am maintaining both the Building Commission's and the Joint Committee on Finance's oversight of state-owned real property sales or leases. I am partially vetoing provisions relating to the use of remaining net sale or lease proceeds, after all other conditions have been met, because I object to limiting the flexibility of the Building Commission and Department of Administration in determining which public debt to retire. The effect of this veto is to allow the Building Commission or the Department of Administration secretary the authority to use the net remaining proceeds toward retirement of debt, wherever it is in the best interest of the State to do so.
38. Disaster Damage Aids Passive Review Requirement
Section 1587 [as it relates to the Joint Committee on Finance in s. 86.34 (6) (a) and (b)] Section 1587 [as it relates to the Joint Committee on Finance in s. 86.34 (6) (a) and (b)] requires the Department of Transportation to submit expenditures of greater than $1,000,000 from the department's disaster damage aids, state funds appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (fs), resulting from a single disaster, to the Joint Committee on Finance for 14-day passive review and approval. I am partially vetoing this section to remove the Joint Committee on Finance's 14-day passive review requirement for expenditures of more than $1,000,000 related to a single
disaster. I am vetoing this provision because disaster damage aids should not be subject to passive review, as disaster response is needed rapidly. Subjecting these expenditures to passive review may unnecessarily delay the release of funding to repair disaster-related damages.
39. Environmental Impact Statement – East Arterial Highway
Section 1534g
Section 1534g requires the Department of Transportation to conduct an environmental impact statement in the 2013-15 fiscal biennium for a proposed major east arterial highway that begins at the intersection of STH 54 and STH 73 in the village of Port Edwards and extends to the intersection of STH 54 and CTH W in the city of Wisconsin Rapids with funding from the department's major highway development program. This section requires the department to conduct the environmental impact statement notwithstanding the current law requirement that the Transportation Projects Commission recommend the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment for a proposed major highway development project before the department undertakes such an action.
I am vetoing this section because the effort and funding that would be expended to complete the environmental impact statement are premature. The conditions which will be evaluated by the environmental impact statement required by this provision may change sufficiently, prior to the enumeration of the project, that a new environmental impact statement may be needed before the project proceeds. This may lead to redundant department expenditures.
40. Strategic Blight Elimination Grants
Sections 200 [as it relates to s. 20.490 (1) (k)], 204b, 413m, 2055b, 9214 and 9226 (1L) These provisions provide for the transfer of funds from the Department of Financial Institutions and Department of Justice for grants issued by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for the elimination of blighted, abandoned properties.
I am vetoing these provisions in their entirety because I object to the Legislature directing how the Attorney General uses discretionary settlement funds and how the Department of Financial Institutions should use funds from its gifts and grants appropriation. Both departments have already contributed towards WHEDA's statewide blight mitigation program that was begun in 2012 and based on the success of the program, have discussed continuation of the program beyond July 2013. I encourage the departments to continue to participate in the next round of grants to the greatest extent possible given competing priorities for these funds.
F. Improving Mental Health Programs
41. Family Care Enrollees Admitted to Mental Health Institutes
Sections 200 [as it relates to s. 20.865 (4) (a)], 347j, 347k, 831f, 831p, 9118 (5e) and 9418 (10e) This provision appropriates $500,000 GPR in one-time funding during the 2013-15 biennium in the Joint Committee on Finance supplemental appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a) to fund a portion of the costs that counties will incur for county residents who were enrolled in the Family Care program who receive inpatient services from a state mental health institute prior to July 1, 2015. The provision requires the Department of Health Services to report to the Joint Committee on Finance by September 1, 2013, on issues related to county cost liability for residents formerly enrolled in Family Care who are admitted to the state mental health institutes; request the release of the funds
following the submission of the report; reimburse counties for qualifying costs using a specified schedule; and notify responsible counties of new admissions within 48 hours. Further, the provision requires managed care organizations to maintain records of enrollee emergency contacts, require managed care organizations and counties to create emergency plans for Family Care enrollees deemed at risk of admission to a mental health institute, and specify the members of a placement team that must be created for each Family Care member admitted into a state mental health institute.
I am vetoing sections 347j, 347k, 831f, 831p, 9118 (5e) and 9418 (10e) and writing down section 200 [as it relates to s. 20.865 (4) (a)] because I object to the establishment of a short-term stop-gap program to address the ongoing, complex issues that hamper the placement of individuals with long-term care and mental health treatment needs in the most appropriate setting. Instead, I am directing the Department of Health Services to analyze the factors that contribute to impediments in providing appropriate, patient-centered and coordinated treatment for individuals with co-occurring mental health, behavioral health and long-term care needs, including an insufficient number of placement options, and to recommend options for addressing these factors, including the role of the department's mental health institutes and centers for the developmentally disabled. Further, I am directing the department to review and recommend organizational changes to improve the development and implementation of policies to better address the needs of individuals with mental and behavioral health needs in the state's long-term care delivery systems. By lining out the appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a) and writing in a smaller amount that deletes $500,000 in fiscal year 2013-14, I am vetoing the portion of the bill that funds this provision. Finally, I am requesting the Department of Administration secretary not to allot these funds. G. Helping Victims of Domestic Violence
42. Global Positioning System Tracking Grant Program
Section 1942m [as it relates to matching funds]
This provision creates a pilot program for the Department of Justice to provide grants to counties to establish a global positioning system (GPS) tracking program for persons who are subject to domestic abuse or harassment temporary restraining orders or injunctions. Counties are required to provide a 50 percent match for any grant funds received under the program, and two or more counties may jointly establish and administer a program, and apply for and receive a grant under the GPS tracking pilot grant program.
I am partially vetoing this provision because I object to the 50 percent match requirement in order for a county or counties to receive grant funds. This creates an additional financial burden on smaller counties and is counterproductive for the purposes of a pilot program.
H. Reforming Health Care Entitlements
43. Voluntary Reduction in FoodShare Benefits
Section 1211v
This section requires the Department of Health Services to allow recipients to elect to receive FoodShare benefits in an amount that is less than the amount for which the individual or the individual's household is eligible.
Although I support the intent of the provision to allow recipients to elect to receive a lower benefit amount, thereby reducing program costs, I am vetoing this section because it is prohibitively difficult to implement and administer, likely resulting in higher administrative expenditures than the amount saved from the reduction in benefit payments. Further, the additional administrative cost is unnecessary since FoodShare recipients may currently elect to spend less than the amount of benefits issued in each month, with unexpended benefits expiring after 12 months.
44. Allocations to Income Maintenance Consortia
Section 1211b
This section requires the Department of Health Services to reimburse a multicounty consortium for income maintenance services provided under contract using a method determined by the department that includes the number of cases for which the consortium is responsible and the complexity of those cases.
I am partially vetoing this section because the criteria for allocation of the funding are overly vague and not defined in statute. Further, I object to the inflexibility of the language as it prevents the department and multicounty consortia from modifying the allocation criteria in the future to meet changing program needs. The partial veto will allow the department to work cooperatively with the multicounty income maintenance consortia to determine a funding allocation methodology that best reflects income maintenance workloads.
45. FoodShare Employment and Training Reporting Requirement
Section 1215m
This section requires the Department of Health Services to report annually, beginning January 1, 2015, to the Joint Committee on Finance and Legislature on FoodShare employment and training outcomes, including the number of able-bodied adults subject to the benefit time limit, the number of able-bodied adults subject to the benefit time limit who disenrolled from the program, and the impact of the work requirement enforcement on the payment error rate and income maintenance workloads.
Although I agree with the intent of the section to regularly report on the results of the employment and training program, I am vetoing this section because the program will not be fully implemented before the initial reporting date and a partial analysis would be premature. I am instructing the department to provide the requested information as soon
as practicable following a reasonable period of statewide implementation.
46. Certified Medical Coder Position
Section 1043p
This section requires the Department of Health Services to employ at least one full-time certified medical coder to improve Medicaid payment accuracy.
