SB557: Bill Text

SB557,14,17 49.163 (4) Contract for administration. (intro.) The department may contract with any person to administer the program under this section, including a Wisconsin Works agency; county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23; local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 3122; or community action agency under s. 49.265. The department, or the agency or agencies with which the department contracts under this subsection, shall do all of the following:

SB557,23 Section 23 . 49.1635 (1) of the statutes is repealed.

SB557,24 Section 24 . 49.1635 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

SB557,25 Section 25 . 49.1635 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB557,26 Section 26 . 49.1635 (4) of the statutes is repealed.

SB557,27 Section 27 . 49.1635 (5) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 49.1635 (1m) and amended to read:

SB557,15,3 49.1635 (1m) From the allocation under s. 49.175 (1) (j), the department shall make a grant of $500,000 $1,000,000 in each fiscal year to Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., for distribution of annual awards of not more than $75,000 per year per program to programs that provide legal services to persons who are eligible under par. (b) 2. sub. (2m) (b) if all of the following apply:

SB557,15,7 (a) Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., submits a plan to the department detailing the proposed use of the grant; the proposed use of the grant conforms to the requirements under par. (b) sub. (2m); and the secretary of the department, or his or her designee, approves the plan.

SB557,15,11 (b) Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., enters into an agreement with the department that specifies the conditions for the use of the grant proceeds, and the conditions conform to the requirements under par. (b) sub. (2m) and include training, reporting, and auditing requirements.

SB557,15,14 (c) Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., agrees in writing to submit to the department the reports required under par. (c) sub. (3m) by the times required under par. (c) sub. (3m).

SB557,28 Section 28 . 49.1635 (5) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 49.1635 (2m), and 49.1635 (2m) (a), (b) and (c), as renumbered, are amended to read:

SB557,15,19 49.1635 (2m) (a) Subject to subd. 3. par. (c), the grant may be used only to provide legal services in civil matters related to eviction, domestic abuse, or sexual abuse, or to restraining orders or injunctions for individuals at risk under s. 813.123.

SB557,16,3 (b) The recipients of the legal services under a grant under this subsection section shall be individuals who are eligible for temporary assistance for needy families under 42 USC 601 et seq. and whose gross incomes are at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. For purposes of this subdivision paragraph, gross income shall be determined in the same way as gross income is determined for purposes of eligibility for a Wisconsin Works employment position, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (r), including the exclusion of any payments or benefits made under any federal law that exempts those payments or benefits from consideration in determining eligibility for any federal means-tested program.

SB557,16,6 (c) The legal services provided by a grant under this subsection section shall be provided only in matters for which federal temporary assistance for needy families block grant funds under 42 USC 601 et seq. may be used.

SB557,29 Section 29 . 49.1635 (5) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 49.1635 (3m) and amended to read:

SB557,16,17 49.1635 (3m) For each fiscal year in which the department makes a grant under this subsection sub. (1m), Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., shall submit to the department, within 3 months after spending the full amount of that grant, a report detailing how the grant proceeds were used. The department may not make a grant in a subsequent fiscal year unless Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., submits the report under this paragraph subsection within the time required and the department determines that the grant proceeds were used in accordance with the approved plan under par. (a) 1. sub. (1m) (a), the agreement under par. (a) 2. sub. (1m) (b), and the requirements under par. (b) sub. (2m).

SB557,30 Section 30 . 49.168 of the statutes is created to read:

SB557,17,2 49.168 Internet assistance program. (1) The department shall establish an Internet assistance program under which it shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.437 (2) (eg) and the allocation under s. 49.175 (1) (x), make payments to Internet service providers on behalf of low-income individuals to assist with paying for Internet service. Assistance under this program may be provided only after other assistance program options have been exhausted. The department may contract with a community action agency under s. 49.265 for the administration of the program.

SB557,17,5 (2) The department shall promulgate rules to implement the program under this section and shall include a financial eligibility requirement that the family income of a recipient not exceed 200 percent of the poverty line.

SB557,31 Section 31. 49.175 (1) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,17,10 49.175 (1) (j) Grants for providing civil legal services. For the grants under s. 49.1635 (5) (1m) to Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., for distribution to programs that provide civil legal services to low-income families, $500,000 $1,000,000 in each fiscal year.

SB557,32 Section 32. 49.175 (1) (k) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,17,14 49.175 (1) (k) Transform Milwaukee and Transitional Jobs programs. For contract costs under the Transform Milwaukee Jobs program and the Transitional Jobs program under s. 49.163, $9,500,000 $10,500,000 in each fiscal year.

SB557,33 Section 33 . 49.175 (1) (x) of the statutes is created to read:

SB557,17,17 49.175 (1) (x) Internet assistance program. For the Internet assistance program under s. 49.168, $10,000,000 in each fiscal year.

SB557,34 Section 34. 49.265 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,17,21 49.265 (1) (b) “Poor person" means a resident of a community served by a community action agency whose income is at or below 125 200 percent of the poverty line.

SB557,35 Section 35. 49.265 (3) (b) 11. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,18,2 49.265 (3) (b) 11. Provide, to individuals who work at least 20 hours per week and whose earned income is at or below 150 200 percent of the poverty line, a program of skills enhancement that shall include access to transportation, child care, career counseling, job placement assistance, and financial support for education and training.

SB557,36 Section 36. 49.265 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,18,8 49.265 (4) (a) The department shall distribute the federal community services block grant funds received under 42 USC 9903 and credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (mg). From the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (cs), the department shall distribute funds in an amount equal to 25 percent of the amounts received under 42 USC 9903.

SB557,37 Section 37 . 49.265 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,18,12 49.265 (4) (b) The department shall allocate at least 90 percent of the funds received under 42 USC 9903 and the state matching funds under par. (a) to community action agencies and organizations.

SB557,38 Section 38 . 49.265 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,18,16 49.265 (4) (c) The department may not allocate more than 5 percent of the funds received under 42 USC 9903 and the state matching funds under par. (a) for state administrative expenses.

SB557,39 Section 39 . 49.45 (31m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB557,18,23 49.45 (31m) Nonemergency medical transportation services for nursing home residents. The department shall determine and apply a reimbursement rate for nonemergency medical transportation services under s. 49.46 (2) (b) 3. for Medical Assistance recipients who are nursing home residents that is the same as the prevalent brokerage reimbursement rate applied to other nonemergency medical transportation services for Medical Assistance recipients under this subchapter.

SB557,40 Section 40 . 49.675 of the statutes is created to read:

SB557,19,3 49.675 Community action opioid response grant program. (1) In this section, “community action agency” means an eligible entity as defined under 42 USC 9902 (1) (A).

SB557,19,10 (2) The department shall establish a grant program to enable community action agencies to respond to the needs of communities and low-income families and individuals in crisis resulting from the opioid addiction epidemic. Through the program under this section, the department shall endeavor to expand and support effective community efforts to identify and respond to causes and consequences of opioid misuse and addiction experienced by low-income individuals, families, and communities.

SB557,19,13 (3) Any community action agency is eligible to apply for a grant under this section by submitting an application in the form and manner specified by the department.

SB557,19,16 (4) A recipient of a grant under this section may use the moneys to support one or more of the following activities, which may be conducted in coordination or partnership with other community organizations:

SB557,19,19 (a) Enhanced public education to improve individual and community awareness, with respect to the opioid misuse or addiction, including for children and youth.

SB557,19,22 (b) Outreach and identification of individuals at risk of or experiencing opioid misuse or addiction, and referral of such individuals to appropriate treatment, recovery, or other resources in the community.

SB557,19,23 (c) Direct services to prevent, treat, or recover from opioid addiction.

SB557,19,25 (d) Services to stabilize the education, employment, housing, transportation, or other needs of addicted or at-risk individuals and their family members.

SB557,20,2 (e) Services to address and mitigate the impact of opioid addiction on children in the household.

SB557,20,5 (f) Support and assistance to children who are in foster care or at risk of placement in foster care because of the opioid addiction of their parents and to the caregivers for these children.

SB557,20,10 (g) Development of partnerships with entities such as local health care providers, substance abuse treatment organizations, schools, child welfare agencies, social service organizations, police departments, prosecutors, courts, prisons, local governments, businesses, and religious institutions, in order to coordinate or expand resources available to addicted or at-risk individuals and their family members.

SB557,20,13 (h) Training for agency personnel on issues related to opioid addiction, including early identification of at-risk individuals and administration of overdose prevention medications.

SB557,20,15 (5) Each grant awarded by the department under this section shall be at least $25,000 and not more than $250,000 each fiscal year.

SB557,20,18 (6) A grant awarded by the department under this section may not be more than 3 years in duration unless approved by the secretary based on outcome data or extenuating circumstances.

SB557,21,4 (7) Each grant recipient shall submit an annual report to the department detailing goals, interventions, outcomes, and expenditures related to the recipient's program funded by a grant under this section. Each grant recipient shall make each report under this subsection publicly available on the recipient's website. The department shall publish each report submitted under this subsection on the department's website and coordinate with the department of children and families to provide additional public access to the reports through the website of the department of children and families. Annually, the department shall compile reports submitted under this subsection and submit the compilation with a report containing a summary of the information in the recipients' reports to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).

SB557,21,8 (8) The department shall publish on its website the application process and criteria for grants under this section. In order to be eligible for a grant under this section, the department shall require each application submitted to include all of the following items:

SB557,21,13 (a) A description of the objectives of the program and activities to be funded by the grant and how the grant will be used to achieve these objectives, including specific activities and services to be conducted, and specific populations or areas to be served, including any targeted subgroups, such as incarcerated or homeless individuals.

SB557,21,15 (b) A description of innovative approaches to be used and evidence of likely success.

SB557,21,18 (c) A plan for measuring progress in achieving the objectives identified under par. (a), including a strategy to collect data that can be used to measure the project's effectiveness.

SB557,21,21 (d) Identification of relevant community or other organizations with which the applicant will coordinate or partner and a description of the proposed coordination or partnership.

SB557,21,25 (e) Sufficient affirmation, as determined by the department, that the applicant has conducted an assessment of community needs related to opioid misuse and addiction among low-income individuals and families, and that the proposed uses of the grant funds will address unmet needs identified by the assessment.

SB557,22,3 (f) Confirmation that any funds awarded through the grant program under this section will not supplant other programs or resources in the community with similar objectives.

SB557,22,5 (g) Confirmation that the recipient will use evidence-based approaches to the maximum extent practicable.

SB557,22,8 (9) In considering applications for grants under this section, the department shall consider and give priority to applications that demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics:

SB557,22,10 (a) Evidence of coordination and partnership with agencies or entities with experience or expertise in addressing opioid-related issues.

SB557,22,12 (b) Evidence of leveraging nonstate funds or in-kind resources to extend the reach or duration of the program proposed by the application.

SB557,22,15 (c) Quality of methodology proposed to monitor the outcomes of the program proposed by the application and effectiveness in achieving the goals of the program and mitigating the harmful health and socioeconomic impacts of opioid addiction.

SB557,22,17 (d) Evidence of capacity-building and strengthening of community responses to the opioid crisis.

SB557,22,19 (e) Efforts to minimize the trauma and negative impact of foster care on children of addicted individuals.

SB557,22,20 (f) Demonstrated knowledge of opioid-related needs in the target community.

SB557,22,23 (g) Use of innovative or evidence-based approaches to address unmet opioid needs, including to promote self-sufficiency and well-being for families with children impacted by opioid addiction.

SB557,41 Section 41 . 49.79 (9) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,23,9 49.79 (9) (a) 1. The department shall administer an employment and training program for recipients under the food stamp program and may contract with county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, and 46.23, multicounty consortia, local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 2832 3122, tribal governing bodies, or other organizations to carry out the administrative functions. A county department, multicounty consortium, local workforce development board, tribal governing body, or other organization may subcontract with a Wisconsin Works agency or another provider to administer the employment and training program under this subsection.

SB557,42 Section 42. 51.44 (5) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

SB557,23,13 51.44 (5) (bm) Ensure that any child with a level of lead in his or her blood that is 5 or more micrograms per 100 milliliters of blood, as confirmed by one venous blood test, is eligible for services under the program under this section.

SB557,43 Section 43 . 60.85 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,23,22 60.85 (7) (a) Any person who operates for profit and is paid project costs under sub. (1) (h) 1. a., d., i., and j. in connection with the project plan for a tax incremental district shall notify the department of workforce development and the local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 3122 of any positions to be filled in the county in which the town that created the tax incremental district is located during the period commencing with the date the person first performs work on the project and ending one year after receipt of its final payment of project costs. The person shall provide this notice at least 2 weeks prior to advertising the position.

SB557,44 Section 44 . 60.85 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,24,6 60.85 (7) (b) Any person who operates for profit and buys or leases property in a tax incremental district from a town for which the town incurs real property assembly costs under sub. (1) (h) 1. c. shall notify the department of workforce development and the local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 3122 of any position to be filled in the county in which the town creating the tax incremental district is located within one year after the sale or commencement of the lease. The person shall provide this notice at least 2 weeks prior to advertising the position.

SB557,45 Section 45 . 66.1103 (6m) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,24,15 66.1103 (6m) Notification of position openings. A municipality or county may not enter into a revenue agreement with any person who operates for profit unless that person has agreed to notify the department of workforce development and the local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832, 3122 of any position to be filled in that municipality or county within one year after issuance of the revenue bonds. The person shall provide this notice at least 2 weeks before advertising the position. The notice required by this subsection does not affect the offer of employment requirements of sub. (4s).

SB557,46 Section 46 . 66.1105 (6c) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,24,25 66.1105 (6c) (a) Any person who operates for profit and is paid project costs under sub. (2) (f) 1. a., d., j. and k. in connection with the project plan for a tax incremental district shall notify the department of workforce development and the local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832, 3122 of any positions to be filled in the county in which the city which created the tax incremental district is located during the period commencing with the date the person first performs work on the project and ending one year after receipt of its final payment of project costs. The person shall provide this notice at least 2 weeks prior to advertising the position.

SB557,47 Section 47. 66.1105 (6c) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,25,9 66.1105 (6c) (b) Any person who operates for profit and buys or leases property in a tax incremental district from a city for which the city incurs real property assembly costs under sub. (2) (f) 1. c. shall notify the department of workforce development and the local workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832, 3122 of any position to be filled in the county in which the city creating the tax incremental district is located within one year after the sale or commencement of the lease. The person shall provide this notice at least 2 weeks prior to advertising the position.

SB557,48 Section 48 . 71.07 (2dx) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,25,24 71.07 (2dx) (a) 5. “Member of a targeted group" means a person who resides in an area designated by the federal government as an economic revitalization area, a person who is employed in an unsubsidized job but meets the eligibility requirements under s. 49.145 (2) and (3) for a Wisconsin Works employment position, a person who is employed in a trial job, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (n), 2011 stats., or in a trial employment match program job, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (n), a person who is eligible for child care assistance under s. 49.155, a person who is a vocational rehabilitation referral, an economically disadvantaged youth, an economically disadvantaged veteran, a supplemental security income recipient, a general assistance recipient, an economically disadvantaged ex-convict, a qualified summer youth employee, as defined in 26 USC 51 (d) (7), a dislocated worker, as defined in 29 USC 2801 (9) 3102 (15), or a food stamp recipient, if the person has been certified in the manner under s. 71.07 (2dj) (am) 3., 2013 stats., by a designated local agency, as defined in s. 71.07 (2dj) (am) 2., 2013 stats.

SB557,49 Section 49 . 71.07 (5r) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,26,6 71.07 (5r) (b) 2. Thirty percent of the tuition that the claimant paid or incurred for an individual to participate in an education program of a qualified postsecondary institution, if the individual was enrolled in a course of instruction that relates to a projected worker shortage in this state, as determined by the local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 2832 3122, and if the individual was eligible for a grant from the Federal Pell Grant Program.

SB557,50 Section 50 . 71.28 (1dx) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB557,26,21 71.28 (1dx) (a) 5. “Member of a targeted group" means a person who resides in an area designated by the federal government as an economic revitalization area, a person who is employed in an unsubsidized job but meets the eligibility requirements under s. 49.145 (2) and (3) for a Wisconsin Works employment position, a person who is employed in a trial job, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (n), 2011 stats., or in a trial employment match program job, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (n), a person who is eligible for child care assistance under s. 49.155, a person who is a vocational rehabilitation referral, an economically disadvantaged youth, an economically disadvantaged veteran, a supplemental security income recipient, a general assistance recipient, an economically disadvantaged ex-convict, a qualified summer youth employee, as defined in 26 USC 51 (d) (7), a dislocated worker, as defined in 29 USC 2801 (9) 3102 (15), or a food stamp recipient, if the person has been certified in the manner under s. 71.28 (1dj) (am) 3., 2013 stats., by a designated local agency, as defined in s. 71.28 (1dj) (am) 2., 2013 stats.