AB851: Bill Text

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 851

February 3, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Riemer, Genrich, Barca, Barnes, Bowen, Brostoff, Berceau, Considine, Danou, Doyle, Goyke, Hebl, Hesselbein, Johnson, Kahl, Kessler, Kolste, Mason, Meyers, Neylon, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Spreitzer, Subeck, Wachs, Young and Zepnick, cosponsored by Senators Harris Dodd and Carpenter. Referred to Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.

AB851,1,4 An Act to renumber 49.162 (2); to amend 49.162 (3), 49.162 (4) (a), 49.163 (2) (am) (intro.) and 49.163 (5) (a); and to create 49.162 (2) (b) and 49.163 (2) (ar) of the statutes; relating to: making unemployed veterans eligible for the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes unemployed veterans eligible to participate in the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs.

Under the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs, the Department of Children and Families pays an employer of a program participant a wage subsidy at not more than minimum wage for each hour worked by the participant, up to 40 hours per week, and may reimburse the employer for certain taxes, unemployment insurance contributions or taxes, and worker's compensation insurance premiums that are attributable to employment of the participant. To be eligible to participate in one of the programs, an individual must be at least 18 years old, and, if over 24 years old, must be the parent or primary relative caregiver of a child under the age of 18; must have household income below 150 percent of the poverty line; must be unemployed for at least four weeks; must be ineligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits; may not be participating in a Wisconsin Works employment position; and must satisfy requirements related to substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment. An individual may participate in a program for a maximum of 1,040 hours, which is equivalent to 26 40-hour weeks. The bill provides that, in addition to individuals who satisfy the current eligibility requirements, veterans who are unemployed may participate in the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs without satisfying any other eligibility criteria.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB851,1 Section 1. 49.162 (2) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is renumbered 49.162 (2) (a).

AB851,2 Section 2. 49.162 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB851,2,6 49.162 (2) (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an individual who is eligible under s. 49.163 (2) (ar) to participate in the Transform Milwaukee Jobs program or the Transitional Jobs program.

AB851,3 Section 3. 49.162 (3) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB851,2,14 49.162 (3) If an individual who undergoes a test under sub. (2) (a) tests negative for the use of a controlled substance, or tests positive for the use of a controlled substance but presents evidence satisfactory to the administering agency that the individual possesses a valid prescription for each controlled substance for which the individual tests positive, the individual will have satisfactorily completed the substance abuse testing requirements under this section.

AB851,4 Section 4. 49.162 (4) (a) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB851,3,5 49.162 (4) (a) If an individual who undergoes a test under sub. (2) (a) tests positive for the use of a controlled substance without presenting evidence of a valid prescription as described in sub. (3), the administering agency shall require the individual to participate in substance abuse treatment to remain eligible to participate in a program. If the individual refuses to participate in substance abuse treatment, the individual is not eligible to participate in a program until the individual complies with the requirement to participate in substance abuse treatment.

AB851,5 Section 5. 49.163 (2) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB851,3,8 49.163 (2) (am) (intro.) To Except as provided in par. (ar), to be eligible to participate in the program, an individual must satisfy all of the following criteria:

AB851,6 Section 6. 49.163 (2) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:

AB851,3,11 49.163 (2) (ar) Any individual who is a veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f), and who is unemployed is eligible to participate in the program.

AB851,7 Section 7. 49.163 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB851,3,16 49.163 (5) (a) The department may recover from any individual participating, or who has participated, in the program under this section any overpayment resulting from a misrepresentation by the individual as to any criterion for eligibility under sub. (2) (am) or (ar).

AB851,3,17 (End)