SB887: Bill Text

Under current law, a state agency must prepare a fiscal estimate for each proposed rule, which must describe the fiscal effect of the proposed rule on local governmental fiscal liabilities and revenues, the fiscal effect of the proposed rule on state government, and, for rules that the agency determines may have a significant fiscal effect on the private sector, the anticipated costs that will be incurred by the private sector in complying with the rule. Also under current law, the agency must prepare an economic impact analysis for a proposed rule, which must contain certain specified information on the economic effect of the proposed rule on specific businesses, business sectors, public utility ratepayers, local governmental units, and the state's economy as a whole, as well as certain other information regarding the economic impact of the proposed rule.

This bill specifically requires an economic impact analysis for a proposed rule to be prepared and submitted separately from the fiscal estimate for the proposed rule.

23.

This bill provides that a plan submitted by an agency to the federal government for the purpose of complying with federal law (compliance plan) does not confer rule-making authority and cannot be used by an agency as authority to promulgate rules. The bill provides that no agency may agree to promulgate a rule as a component of a compliance plan unless the agency has explicit statutory authority to promulgate the rule at the time the compliance plan is submitted to the federal government.

24.

This bill requires the Department of Corrections to submit a report to the legislature upon request, and to post the report on its website, regarding individuals who, since the previous report or during a date range specified in the request, were pardoned or released from imprisonment before completing their sentences. The report must identify each individual by name, include the crime for which he or she was convicted, and provide the name of the person who pardoned the individual or authorized the early release. If an individual appears on a report requested under this bill and is subsequently convicted of a crime, this bill requires DOC to report also the name of that individual and the crime.

25.

This bill requires all executive branch state agencies, other than the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, to submit a quarterly report to JCF listing all state agency expenditures for state operations in the preceding calendar quarter. The report must specifically detail all expenditures for administrative supplies and services that are made at the discretion of or to be used by heads of state agencies, secretaries, deputy secretaries, assistant deputy secretaries, and executive assistants. Under the bill, “state operations” means all agency expenditures except aids to individuals and organizations and local assistance.

26.

Under current law, administrative rules that are in effect may be temporarily suspended by JCRAR. If JCRAR suspends a rule, JCRAR must introduce bills in each house of the legislature to make the suspension permanent. If neither bill to support the suspension is ultimately enacted, the rule may remain in effect and JCRAR may not suspend the rule again.

This bill provides that JCRAR may suspend a rule multiple times.

27.

Under current law, an agency may, by rule or by an order in a particular case, specify that the decision of a hearing examiner who conducts a hearing in a contested case proceeding is the final decision of the agency. This bill prohibits an agency from delegating the authority to issue a final decision in a contested case to a hearing examiner. This bill also requires that all final decisions of an agency must be approved, signed, and dated by the secretary of the agency.

28.

The bill provides that any individual nominated by the governor or another state officer or agency, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed, to any office or position may not hold the office or position, be nominated again for the office or position, or perform any duties of the office or position during the legislative session biennium if the individual's confirmation for the office or position is rejected by the senate. Currently, there is no prohibition against the governor or another state officer or agency nominating the individual again for the office or position or appointing the individual to the office or position as a provisional appointment.

29.

This bill requires that WEDC obtain approval from JCF under passive review before WEDC designates a new enterprise zone under the enterprise zone tax credit program. The bill also eliminates any restriction on the number of enterprise zones WEDC may designate. Currently, WEDC may not designate more than 30 enterprise zones.

30.

This bill provides that for Southeast Wisconsin freeway megaprojects, major highway development projects, and certain state highway rehabilitation projects for which DOT spends federal money, federal money must make up at least 70 percent of the aggregate funding for those projects. The bill provides that if DOT determines that it cannot meet this requirement or that it can make more effective and efficient use of federal money, DOT may submit a proposed alternate funding plan to JCF for review under its passive review procedure.

The bill requires DOT to notify political subdivisions receiving aid for local projects whether the aid includes federal moneys and how those moneys must be spent. The bill provides that, for projects that receive no federal money and that are reviewed and approved by a professional engineer or the county highway commissioner, DOT may not require political subdivisions to comply with any portion of DOT's facilities development manual other than design standards.

31.

Under current law, an applicant for a driver's license or identification card must provide to DOT 1) an identification document that includes either the applicant's photograph or both the applicant's full legal name and date of birth; 2) documentation showing the applicant's date of birth, which may be the same as item 1; 3) proof of the applicant's social security number or verification that the applicant is not eligible for a social security number; 4) documentation showing the applicant's name and address of principal residence; and 5) documentary proof that the applicant is a U.S. citizen or is otherwise lawfully present in the United States.

In 2015 and 2017, DOT promulgated rules, the first establishing and the second modifying, a procedure by which persons requesting free identification cards for the purpose of voter identification could receive these cards despite being unable to provide required documentary proof. In general, the procedure requires an applicant to provide DOT with either 1) the applicant's full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and any other birth record information requested by DOT; or 2) the applicant's alien or U.S. citizenship and immigration service number or U.S. citizenship certificate number. DOT then shares this information with the Department of Health Services or the federal government for the purpose of verifying the applicant's identity. In general, a person may receive a voter identification card under this procedure if either DHS or the federal government verifies the person's identity or if DOT receives acceptable alternate documentation. This bill incorporates this verification procedure into the statutes.

DOT's 2017 rule also provided a procedure by which an applicant for an identification card could obtain a card with a name other than the name that appears on the applicant's supporting documentation. The bill also incorporates this procedure into the statutes.

Under current law, an unexpired identification card issued by an accredited university or college in this state may be used as identification for voting purposes if it contains a photograph and the signature of the person to whom it was issued, it expires no later than two years after the date of issuance, and the person establishes that he or she is enrolled as a student at the university or college on election day. The Government Accountability Board (now the Elections Commission) promulgated a rule to clarify that an identification card issued by a technical college that is governed by this state's technical college system may be used for voting purposes. The bill codifies the rule.

32.

Under current law, a claimant for unemployment insurance benefits is generally required to conduct searches for work each week to be eligible for unemployment benefits and to register for work. Current law provides that a claimant who is laid off is exempt from these requirements if the claimant reasonably expects to be reemployed by the former employer and DWD verifies that expectation. Administrative rules promulgated by DWD require DWD to grant a claimant a waiver of the work search and registration requirements for eight weeks if the claimant reasonably expects to be reemployed with the claimant's employer within that period and allow an additional four-week extension of that waiver. The rules also provide additional reasons a claimant may qualify for a waiver and require claimants for whom the requirements are not waived to provide verification of having complied with work search and registration requirements.

This bill eliminates DWD's authority to establish waivers from work search and registration requirements and codifies the current waivers contained in DWD's rules. However, the bill allows DWD to modify or eliminate a waiver, or to create additional waivers, if doing so is necessary to comply with federal law or is specifically allowed under federal law. The bill also codifies the requirement that a claimant provide verification of having complied with work search and registration requirements.

33.

This bill requires DOA to submit any proposed changes to security at the capitol, including the posting of a firearm restriction, to JCLO for approval under passive review.

34.

Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources administers the municipal flood control and riparian restoration program, which provides grants that pay a portion of the costs of facilities and structures for the collection and transmission of storm water, including the purchase of flowage and conservation easements on lands within floodways, and of floodproofing public and private structures located in the 100-year floodplain. Current law requires DNR to promulgate rules specifying eligibility criteria for projects and for determining which projects will receive financial assistance. However, under current law, during the 2017-19 fiscal biennium, DNR must consider an applicant to be eligible for such a grant if the project is funded or executed in whole or in part by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' small flood control projects program, and DNR must provide such an applicant with a cost-sharing grant not to exceed $14,600,000. This bill extends this requirement to the 2019-21 biennium as well.

35.

This bill changes DOJ gifts and grants appropriations from continuing appropriations to annual appropriations.

36.

The bill a) requires committees appointed by agencies to provide advice with respect to rule making to submit a list of the members of the committee to JCRAR; b) makes various changes with respect to the required content and preparation of statements of scope and EIAs for rules, including mandating minimum comment periods for EIAs for rules; c) prohibits an agency from submitting a statement of scope for a proposed rule to the LRB for publication in the register more than 30 days after the date of the governor's approval of the statement of scope without the approval of the governor; and d) codifies current practice by allowing an agency that intends to concurrently promulgate an emergency rule and a permanent rule that are identical in substance to submit one statement of scope indicating this intent.

37.

This bill modifies current law regarding the voting procedures for military and overseas electors so that the law is in substantial compliance with the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The bill also modifies current law so that an individual signing the witness certification for an absentee ballot cast by a military elector or overseas elector need not be a United States citizen.

The bill allows all overseas electors to receive absentee ballots electronically, regardless of whether such electors are considered permanently or temporarily overseas. Under the bill, an overseas elector is a U.S. citizen who is residing outside of the United States, who is not disqualified from voting, who has attained or will attain the age of 18 by the date of an election at which the citizen proposes to vote, who was last domiciled in this state or whose parent was last domiciled in this state immediately prior to the parent's departure from the United States, and who is not registered to vote or voting in any other state, territory, or possession.

38.

This bill 1) prohibits a court from according deference to agency interpretations of law in certain proceedings and prohibits agencies from seeking deference in any proceeding to agency interpretations of law; 2) establishes various requirements with respect to the adoption and use of guidance documents by agencies, including requirements that agencies must comply with in order to adopt guidance documents; and 3) provides that settlement agreements do not confer rule-making authority.

Generally under current law, when reviewing an agency decision in a contested case or other matter subject to judicial review under the law governing administrative procedure for state agencies, a court must accord due weight to the experience, technical competence, and specialized knowledge of the agency involved, as well as discretionary authority conferred upon it. Consistent with the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision in Tetra Tech EC, Inc. v. Wis. Dep't of Revenue, 2018 WI 75, the bill limits this directive such that a court performing judicial review of such a decision must accord no deference to an agency's interpretation of law.

The bill also provides that no agency may seek deference in any proceeding based on the agency's interpretation of any law.

Subject to various exceptions, the bill defines “guidance document" as any formal or official document or communication issued by an agency, including a manual, handbook, directive, or informational bulletin, that 1) explains the agency's implementation of a statute or rule enforced or administered by the agency, including the current or proposed operating procedure of the agency; or 2) provides guidance or advice with respect to how the agency is likely to apply any statute or rule enforced or administered by the agency, if that guidance or advice is likely to apply to a class of persons similarly affected.

The bill requires each agency to submit each proposed guidance document to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the register and to provide a period for persons to submit written comments to the agency on the proposed guidance document. The agency must retain all written comments submitted during the public comment period and consider those comments in determining whether to adopt the guidance document as originally proposed, modify the proposed guidance document, or take any other action. The bill allows for a comment period of less than 21 days with the approval of the governor. The bill also requires each adopted guidance document, while valid, to remain available on the agency's Internet site and requires the agency to permit continuing public comment on the guidance document. Each guidance document must be signed by the head of the agency below a statement containing certain certifications.

The bill provides that a guidance document does not have the force of law and does not provide the authority for implementing or enforcing a standard, requirement, or threshold, including as a term or condition of any license. An agency that proposes to rely on a guidance document to the detriment of a person in any proceeding must afford the person an adequate opportunity to contest the legality or wisdom of a position taken in the guidance document, and an agency may not use a guidance document to foreclose consideration of any issue raised in the guidance document. The bill also contains other provisions with respect to agency use of and reliance upon guidance documents, allows certain persons to petition an agency to promulgate a rule in place of a guidance document, and makes guidance documents subject to the same judicial review provisions as apply to rules.

The bill requires the Legislative Council staff to provide agencies with assistance in determining whether documents and communications are guidance documents as defined in the bill.

The bill provides that, as of six months after the bill's effective date, any guidance document that does not comply with the requirements in the bill is considered to be rescinded.

The bill provides that a settlement agreement, consent decree, or court order does not confer rule-making authority and cannot be used by an agency as authority to promulgate rules. The bill provides that no agency may agree to promulgate a rule as a term in any settlement agreement, consent decree, or stipulated order of a court unless the agency has explicit statutory authority to promulgate the rule at the time the settlement agreement, consent decree, or stipulated order of a court is executed.

39.

This bill generally provides for legislative oversight of requests for federal approval. The bill prohibits a state, executive branch agency from submitting a request to a federal agency for a waiver or renewal, modification, withdrawal, suspension, or termination of a waiver of federal law or rules or for authorization to implement a pilot program or demonstration project unless legislation has been enacted specifically directing the submission of the request. For any legislation enacted on or after January 1, 2011, that requires submission of a request that has not yet been submitted, the bill requires the applicable state agency to submit an implementation plan to JCF containing an expected timeline with an expected submission date to the federal agency no later than 90 days after the state agency submits the implementation plan to JCF, for which JCF may grant up to three 90-day extensions under its passive review process, and submit its final proposed request to JCF for approval.

Once the request has been submitted to the federal agency, the bill requires the state agency to do all of the following: make biweekly contact with the federal agency to continue negotiations, submit monthly progress reports to JCF on negotiations with the federal agency including descriptions of any portions of the request that the federal agency stated will not be approved, make available on a quarterly basis a representative of the state agency for JCF briefings or hearings, and submit the proposed approval as negotiated with the federal agency to JCF for approval or disapproval before agreeing with the final federal approval. When the federal agency has approved the request in whole or in part and the request has not been fully implemented, the state agency must submit an implementation plan to JCF, submit its final implementation plan to JCF for approval, and make available on a quarterly basis a representative of the state agency for JCF briefings or hearings.

No later than nine months before the expiration of an approved waiver, pilot program, or demonstration project, the state agency must notify JCF of the expiration date and the state agency's intent regarding renewal. If the state agency intends to renew the waiver, program, or project without substantive changes to it, the state agency is not required to comply with all of the procedures specified in the bill for renewal and instead may submit the proposed renewal request for review by JCF under its passive review process.

The chairpersons of JCF may delegate some of the committee's responsibilities under the bill to a legislative standing committee of appropriate subject matter jurisdiction under terms specified by the chairpersons. If JCF determines that the state agency has not made sufficient progress or is not acting in accordance with the enacted legislation requiring the submission of the request, JCF may reduce from moneys allocated for state operations or administrative functions the agency's appropriation or expenditure authority or change the authorized level of full-time equivalent positions for the agency related to the program for which the request is required to be submitted.

40.

This bill requires by statute DHS to implement the BadgerCare Reform waiver as it relates to childless adults as approved by the federal Department of Health and Human Services effective October 31, 2018. The 2015-17 and 2017-19 biennial budget acts required DHS to submit a waiver request to the federal DHHS authorizing DHS to take certain actions including imposing premiums on, requiring a health risk assessment of, and time-limiting eligibility for recipients of BadgerCare Plus under the childless adults demonstration project waiver. Effective October 31, 2018, the federal DHHS approved the BadgerCare Reform waiver amendment and extension with some modifications from the request. The bill incorporates certain provisions of the federal approval into the statutes.

Under the bill, DHS must require childless adults demonstration project recipients who are at least 19 years of age but have not attained the age of 50 to participate in, document, and report 80 hours per calendar month of community engagement activities, unless they are exempt or have a temporary exemption for good cause. Qualifying community engagement activities are specified in the bill and include working for money, goods, or services, or as a volunteer, and participating in a program such as the FoodShare employment and training program or Wisconsin Works. DHS must require a recipient, as a condition of eligibility, to complete a health risk assessment and, if the recipient's household income exceeds 50 percent of the federal poverty line, pay a monthly premium of $8 per household with some limited exceptions. The household premium is reduced if a recipient reports on the health risk assessment that he or she is not engaging in certain behaviors that increase health risks or is actively managing certain unhealthy behaviors. DHS must disenroll a recipient for six months if the recipient does not pay the required premium or, if the recipient is not exempt, does not participate for 48 aggregate months in the community engagement activity.

DHS must charge recipients an $8 copayment for nonemergency use of the emergency department and must comply with other requirements imposed by the federal DHHS in its waiver approval effective October 31, 2018. The requirements in the bill must end no sooner than December 31, 2023, and the bill prohibits withdrawal of the requirements and DHS from requesting withdrawal, suspension, or termination of the childless adults demonstration project requirements before that date unless the legislation has been enacted specifically allowing for withdrawal, suspension, or termination.

The bill requires DHS to implement the childless adults BadgerCare Reform waiver by no later than November 1, 2019. If DHS is unable to fully implement the project reforms by November 1, 2019, DHS may request from JCF an extension not to exceed 90 days in a written submission that includes a report on the progress toward implementation of the project and the reason an extension is needed, which JCF will review under its 14-day passive review process. Similar to other waiver implementation requirements, if JCF determines that DHS has not complied with the implementation deadline, has not made sufficient progress in implementing the BadgerCare Reform waiver, or has not complied other requirements under this bill relating to approved waiver implementation, JCF may reduce from moneys allocated for state operations or administrative functions DHS's appropriation or expenditure authority, whichever is applicable, or change the authorized level of full-time equivalent positions for DHS related to the Medical Assistance program.

41.

This bill incorporates the provisions of chapter DHS 38 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code into the statutes. 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, the biennial budget act for the 2015-16 legislative session, required DHS to promulgate rules to develop and implement a screening, testing, and treatment policy and then to screen and test for illegal use of a controlled substance and treat for substance abuse able-bodied adults who seek to participate in the FoodShare program's employment and training program known as FSET. DHS promulgated chapter DHS 38, Wis. Adm. Code, regarding substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment for certain department employment and training programs. The bill incorporates the specifications and requirements of that DHS rule into the statutes, requires implementation of the screening, testing, and treatment by October 1, 2019, and requires DHS to follow requirements in this bill as if the screening, testing, and treatment is an approved waiver. In summary, the provisions of the rule and the bill require an agency that is administering FSET to require able-bodied adults who are subject to a work requirement to participate in FoodShare and who seek to participate in FSET to fulfill that work requirement to undergo screening for use of a controlled substance without a prescription, testing for use of a controlled substance in certain circumstances, and treatment, if applicable, for use of the controlled substance in order to be eligible to participate in FSET.

42.

2017 Wisconsin Act 138 required the commissioner of insurance to administer a state-based reinsurance program, the Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan (known as WIHSP), and allowed the commissioner to request a waiver under federal law to implement the plan. Under current law, WIHSP makes a reinsurance payment to a health insurance carrier if the claims for an individual who is enrolled in a health benefit plan with that carrier exceed a threshold amount in a benefit year. The federal DHHS approved the commissioner's waiver request under specific terms and conditions dated July 29, 2018. The bill requires the commissioner to administer WIHSP in accordance with those specific terms and conditions. The bill prohibits the commissioner from requesting modification, suspension, withdrawal, or termination of the waiver unless legislation has been enacted directing the modification, suspension, withdrawal, or termination. The bill requires the commissioner to complete and submit any reports, provide any information, and participate in any oversight activities required by the federal DHHS to implement and maintain WIHSP. The bill sets the payment parameters for WIHSP as specified by the federal approval for the 2019 benefit year and prohibits the commissioner from changing those payment parameters for the 2019 benefit year.

43.

This bill prohibits DHS from submitting an amendment to the state's Medical Assistance plan or implementing a change to the reimbursement rate for or making a supplemental payment to a provider under the Medical Assistance program without first submitting the proposed state plan amendment, rate change, or payment to JCF. If the state plan amendment, rate change, or payment has an expected fiscal effect of less than $1,000,000 from all revenue sources over a 12-month period following the implementation date of the amendment, rate change, or payment, then the proposed state plan amendment, rate change, or payment is reviewed under JCF's 14-day, passive review process. If the expected fiscal effect is $1,000,000 or more from all revenue sources over the 12-month period, DHS may submit the proposed state plan amendment, implement the rate change, or make the payment only upon approval by JCF. DHS is not required, however, to submit a proposed rate change or supplemental payment to JCF under the bill if explicit expenditure authority or funding for the specific change or supplemental payment is included in enacted legislation.

For further information see the state and local 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:

SB887,1 Section 1 . 5.02 (6m) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,19,9 5.02 (6m) (f) An unexpired identification card issued by a university or college in this state that is accredited, as defined in s. 39.30 (1) (d), or by a technical college in this state that is a member of and governed by the technical college system under ch. 38, that contains the date of issuance and signature of the individual to whom it is issued and that contains an expiration date indicating that the card expires no later than 2 years after the date of issuance if the individual establishes that he or she is enrolled as a student at the university or college on the date that the card is presented.

SB887,2 Section 2 . 5.02 (12n) of the statutes is created to read:

SB887,19,16 5.02 (12n) “Overseas elector" means a U.S. citizen who is residing outside of the United States, who is not disqualified from voting under s. 6.03, who has attained or will attain the age of 18 by the date of an election at which the citizen proposes to vote, who was last domiciled in this state or whose parent was last domiciled in this state immediately prior to the parent's departure from the United States, and who is not registered to vote or voting in any other state, territory, or possession.

SB887,3 Section 3 . 5.02 (15m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB887,20,2 5.02 (15m) “Presidential preference primary” means the primary held on the 2nd Tuesday in March to express preferences for the person to be the presidential candidate for each party in a year in which electors for president and vice president are to be elected.

SB887,4 Section 4. 5.02 (21) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,20,8 5.02 (21) “Spring election" means the election held on the first Tuesday in April to elect judicial, educational and municipal officers, and nonpartisan county officers and sewerage commissioners and to express preferences for the person to be the presidential candidate for each party in a year in which electors for president and vice president are to be elected.

SB887,5 Section 5 . 5.05 (13) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,20,13 5.05 (13) (c) The commission shall maintain a freely accessible system under which a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), or an overseas elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (b), who casts an absentee ballot may ascertain whether the ballot has been received by the appropriate municipal clerk.

SB887,6 Section 6 . 5.05 (13) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,20,18 5.05 (13) (d) 1. To permit a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), or an overseas elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (b), to request a voter registration application or an application for an absentee ballot at any election at which the elector is qualified to vote in this state.

SB887,7 Section 7 . 5.60 (8) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,21,3 5.60 (8) (am) Except as authorized in s. 5.655, there shall be a separate ballot for each recognized political party filing a certification under s. 8.12 (1), listing the names of all potential candidates of that party determined under s. 8.12 and affording, in addition, an opportunity to the voter to nominate another potential candidate by write-in vote or to vote for an uninstructed delegation to the party convention. The order of presidential candidates on the ballot shall be determined by lot by or under the supervision of the commission. Each voter shall be given the ballots of all the parties participating in the presidential preference vote primary, but may vote on one ballot only.

SB887,8 Section 8 . 6.22 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,21,6 6.22 (2) (b) A military elector shall make and subscribe to the certification under s. 6.87 (2) before a witness who is an adult U.S. citizen.

SB887,9 Section 9 . 6.22 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,21,14 6.22 (2) (e) A military elector may file an application for an absentee ballot by means of electronic mail or facsimile transmission in the manner prescribed in s. 6.86 (1) (ac). Upon receipt of a valid application, the municipal clerk shall send the elector an absentee ballot or, if the elector is a military elector, as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), and the elector so requests, shall transmit an absentee ballot to the elector by means of electronic mail or facsimile transmission in the manner prescribed in s. 6.87 (3) (d).

SB887,10 Section 10 . 6.22 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB887,21,21 6.22 (4) (a) Upon receiving a timely request for an absentee ballot under par. (b) by an individual who qualifies as a military elector, the municipal clerk shall send or, if the individual is a military elector as defined in s. 6.34 (1) (a), shall transmit to the elector upon the elector's request an absentee ballot for all elections that occur in the municipality or portion thereof where the elector resides in the same calendar year in which the request is received, unless the individual otherwise requests.