(6p) Payments to counties and municipalities. The department of natural resources shall determine whether the amount payable to each county and municipality in 2018 under section 77.84 (2) of the statutes is less than the amount received by the respective counties and municipalities in 2015 under sections 77.07 and 77.87, 2013 stats. For each county and municipality for which the department of natural resources determines that the amount payable in 2018 is at least $2,000 less than the amount received in 2015, the department of natural resources shall pay to each of those counties and municipalities an amount equal to the difference between the amount payable in 2018 and the amount received in 2015. The department of natural resources shall pay the amounts required under this subsection not later than March 1, 2018.
(6q) Audit of moneys received for forestry activities. The joint legislative audit committee is requested to direct the legislative audit bureau to perform an audit of the moneys received by the department of natural resources for forestry activities and how those moneys are spent. If the committee directs the legislative audit bureau to perform an audit, the bureau shall file its report as described under section 13.94 (1) (b) of the statutes on or before June 30, 2019.
(6r) Council on forestry report. The governor's council on forestry shall determine the relative priority of expenditures from the department of natural resources administrative account that allocates moneys appropriated from the conservation fund to programs relating to forestry. The governor's council on forestry shall report its determinations and recommendations for the 2019-21 biennial budget to the governor, the department of natural resources, and the senate and assembly standing committees having jurisdiction over forestry matters no later than July 1, 2018.
(6u) Recreational passport. The department of natural resources and the department of transportation shall jointly develop a plan to authorize the purchase of a recreational passport when an individual initiates or renews his or her annual vehicle registration. In the plan, the departments shall provide in detail the costs of implementing the plan, a timeline for implementing the plan, and the estimated revenue to be collected when the plan is fully implemented. One option that the departments shall evaluate in the plan is the creation of the recreational passport as a special license plate registration sticker that shows both the vehicle registration expiration year and an indicator that the sticker is also a recreational passport. The departments shall complete the plan in time for the plan to be included in the department of natural resources' 2019-21 biennial budget request.
(7p)
Tainter Lake biomanipulation pilot. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriation under section 20.370 (4) (mr) of the statutes, the department of natural resources shall expend not less than $65,000 to conduct a
pilot project to improve the water quality and fish habitat of Tainter Lake in Dunn County.
The project shall include a comprehensive fish study, the removal of zooplanktivorous and benthivorous fish, and the introduction of piscivorous game fish.
(7w) Village of Plover grant. During the 2017-19 fiscal biennium, the department of natural resources shall award a grant of $100,000 from the appropriation under section 20.370 (6) (gs) of the statutes to the Village of Plover for the purpose of employing an engineering firm and other experts qualified in wetland restoration and watershed enhancement to design solutions to increase the flow of the Little Plover River.
(8t) Burlington storm water study. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriation under section 20.370 (6) (dq) of the statutes, the department of natural resources shall provide a grant of $50,000 to the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to conduct a storm water management study for the city of Burlington. The study shall identify the location and destination of current storm water flows, identify city and private property owners that have storm water capacity issues, and provide recommendations for eliminating flooding at the city's major businesses.
59,9134
Section 9134.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Defender Board.
59,9135
Section 9135.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Instruction.
(1p) Implementation of early college credit program for the fall semester of the 2018-19 school year.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Early college credit program” means the program under section 118.55 of the statutes, as affected by this act.
2. “Institution of higher education” means all of the following:
a. An institution within the University of Wisconsin System or a tribally controlled college.
b. A private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this state.
3. “Participating private school” means a private school attended by a pupil who is enrolled in any of the grades 8 to 12.
(b) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall take whatever steps are necessary to implement the early college credit program under this act, including providing information to a school board, a participating private school, an institution of higher education, and a high school pupil who may be interested in enrolling in an institution of higher education in the fall semester of the 2018-19 school year for the purpose of taking one or more nonsectarian courses at the institution of higher education under the early college credit program.
(1t) Virtual charter school funding study. The department of public instruction shall, no later than January 1, 2019, prepare a report that compares the amount spent by the state for each pupil attending a virtual charter school under the program under section 118.51 of the statutes to the actual cost incurred by the virtual charter school to provide instruction to each such pupil. The department shall submit the report required under this subsection to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes.
(4f) School-based mental health services grant program
; advisory committee .
(a) The state superintendent of public instruction shall establish an advisory committee under sections 15.04 (1) (c) and 227.13 of the statutes to make recommendations to the department of public instruction about the criteria the department is required to establish by rule under section 115.367 (2) of the statutes. The state superintendent of public instruction shall include on the committee established under this paragraph at least all of the following:
1. A current or retired school administrator.
2. An individual who holds a license to teach issued by the department of public instruction or a license in a pupil services category under section PI 34.31 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code issued by the department of public instruction.
3. A provider of mental health services or a representative of an association that represents mental health service providers.
4. A family member of a pupil who is receiving or who may receive mental health services.
5. A representative of a school board or a charter school established under under section 118.40 (2r) or (2x) of the statutes.
(b) The advisory committee established under paragraph (a) terminates upon the publication of the permanent rules required to be promulgated by the department under section 115.367 of the statutes, unless the state superintendent of public instruction elects to maintain the committee established under paragraph (a) after the permanent rules are published.
(c) The department of public instruction may promulgate emergency rules under section 227.24 of the statutes to implement section 115.367 of the statutes, including establishing criteria under section 115.367 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (e) 1d. of the statutes, the department of public instruction is not required to prepare a statement of the scope if emergency rules are promulgated under this paragraph. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes, emergency rules promulgated under this paragraph remain in effect until July 1, 2019, or the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a) and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this paragraph as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this paragraph.
(4p) Whole grade sharing agreement; aid. By February 1, 2019, the department of public instruction shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance that includes all of the following:
(a) The number of school boards that applied for aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.
(b) The number of school boards approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.
(c) For each school board approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year, all of the following:
1. The name of the school board.
2. The number of grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.
3. The specific grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.
4. As of January 1, 2019, how much of the aid the school board is entitled to receive under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes during the 2018-19 school year has been encumbered and how much has been expended.
(4w) Reorganization of a low performing school district; study.
(a) Definition. In this subsection, “eligible school district” means a school district that satisfied all of the following in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years:
1. The school district was assigned to the lowest performance category on the accountability reports published under section 115.385 (1) of the statutes.
2. The school district received intradistrict transfer aid under section 121.85 (6) (a) of the statutes.
(b) Contract. The department of public instruction shall contract with an entity to study the effect of reorganizing an eligible school district to create one or more new school districts that consists of one or more villages located within the eligible school district and to report the results of the study to the department of public instruction by no later than 120 days after the contract is awarded to the entity. The contract shall require the entity to evaluate at least all of the following:
1. The estimated general and categorical school aid that the eligible school district and new school district or districts would be eligible to receive following the reorganization.
2. The impact the reorganization would have on the amount of property taxes paid by residents of the eligible school district and the new school district or districts.
3. An inventory of school buildings located in the eligible school district.
4. The assets and liabilities of the eligible school district.
(c) Request for proposal. By no later than 30 days after the effective date of this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall issue a request for proposals for the study and report under paragraph (b).
(d) Distribution of the report. The department of public instruction shall distribute the report submitted to the department under paragraph (b) to the village board of each village located in an eligible school district and to the school board of an eligible school district.
(5p) Teacher licensure; rules.
(a) The department of public instruction shall promulgate rules to revise chapter PI 34 of the administrative code. In promulgating rules under this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall simplify the teacher licensure system, to the extent practicable, by doing at least all of the following:
1. Simplifying the grade levels that a licensee is authorized to teach under his or her license.
2. Creating broad field subject licenses.
3. Allowing school boards to increase the number of teachers in a school district by offering internships and residency opportunities.
4. Creating a permit that authorizes an individual who is enrolled in a teacher preparatory program to teach in public schools as part of an internship, residency program, or other equivalent training program.
5. Simplifying licensure reciprocity for individuals who hold a license in another state.
6. Expanding pathways for individuals who hold a license issued by the department to obtain additional licenses to fill positions in geographic areas and subject areas that are in need of educational personnel.
(b) The department of public instruction may not promulgate rules required under paragraph (a) in a manner that decreases the quality standards for obtaining a license to teach from the department.
(c) The department of public instruction shall submit in proposed form the rules required under paragraph (a) to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than January 1, 2018.
59,9136
Section 9136.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Lands, Board of Commissioners of.
59,9137
Section 9137.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Service Commission.
59,9138
Section 9138.
Nonstatutory provisions; Revenue.
(1) Forestation state tax. For the property tax assessments as of January 1, 2017, the department of revenue shall prescribe a form for the property tax bills prepared under section 74.09 of the statutes that indicates that the state no longer imposes the forestation state tax. The form shall also indicate the amount of the forestation state tax that the taxpayer paid in the previous year.
(1f) Sales and use tax audits; statistical sampling. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the department of revenue shall promulgate the rules required under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to extension under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
59,9139
Section 9139.
Nonstatutory provisions; Safety and Professional Services.
(12) Professional assistance procedures; emergency rules. The department may use the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes to promulgate rules under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to one extension of 60 days under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. If the department uses this procedure to promulgate these rules, the department shall promulgate the rules no later than the 60th day after the effective date of this subsection. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
(17w) Occupational license study.
(a) Definitions. In this subsection:
1. “Department” means the department of safety and professional services.
2. “Occupational license” means any of the following:
a. A license, permit, certification, registration, or other approval granted under section 167.10 (6m) or chapters 101, 145, or 440 to 480 of the statutes.
b. A license, permit, certification, registration, or other approval not included under subdivision 2. a. if granted to a person by this state in order that the person may engage in a profession, occupation, or trade in this state or in order that the person may use one or more titles in association with his or her profession, occupation, or trade.
(b) Report. No later than December 31, 2018, the department shall submit a report to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under section 13.172 (2) of the statutes. The report shall include the department's recommendations for the elimination of occupational licenses based on all of the following:
1. The department's evaluation of whether the unregulated practice of the profession, occupation, or trade can clearly harm or endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the public, and whether the potential for the harm is recognizable and not remote or speculative.
2. The department's evaluation of whether the public reasonably benefits from the occupational license requirement.
3. The department's evaluation of whether the public can be effectively protected by any means other than requiring an occupational license.
4. The department's analysis of whether licensure requirements for the regulated profession, occupation, or trade exist in other states.
5. The department's estimate of the number of individuals or entities that are affected by the occupational license requirement.
6. The department's estimate of the total financial burden imposed on individuals or entities as a result of the occupational licensure requirement, including education or training costs, examination fees, private credential fees, occupational license fees imposed by the state, and other costs individuals or entities incur in order to obtain the required occupational license.
7. Any statement or analysis provided by the agency or board administering the occupational license.
8. The department's evaluation of the tangible or intangible barriers people may face in obtaining an occupational license.
59,9140
Section 9140.
Nonstatutory provisions; Secretary of State.
59,9141
Section 9141.
Nonstatutory provisions; State Fair Park Board.
59,9142
Section 9142.
Nonstatutory provisions; Supreme Court
(5f) Decisions of labor and industry review commission. The chief justice of the supreme court is requested to do all of the following:
(a) Conduct a survey of decisions and orders of the labor and industry review commission under chapters 102 and 108 and sections 106.52 (4), 106.56 (4), and 111.39 of the statutes, citing the statutes interpreted by the commission and whether the decisions and orders were the subjects of actions for judicial review filed in circuit court.
(b) Submit a report of the survey's findings to the governor and to the joint committee on finance by July 1, 2018.
59,9143
Section 9143.
Nonstatutory provisions; Technical College System.
59,9144
Section 9144.
Nonstatutory provisions; Tourism.
(1) Financial management position transfer.
(a)
Employee transfer. On the effective date of this paragraph, 1.0 FTE position and the incumbent employee holding the position in the department of tourism who performs duties relating to financial management, as determined by the secretary of administration, is transferred to the department of administration.
(b) Employee status. The employee transferred under paragraph (a) has all the rights and the same status under chapter 230 of the statutes in the department of administration that he or she enjoyed in the department of tourism immediately before the transfer. Notwithstanding section 230.28 (4) of the statutes, no employee so transferred who has attained permanent status in class is required to serve a probationary period.
