1999 Wisconsin Act 113

113,23d Section 23d. 254.173 (3) of the statutes, as created by 1999 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.

113,24 Section 24. 254.174 of the statutes is amended to read:

254.174 Technical advisory committees. Before the department may promulgate rules under s. 254.167, 254.168, 254.17 or 254.172 or 254.179, the department shall appoint a technical advisory committee under s. 227.13 and shall consult with the technical advisory committee on the proposed rules. Any technical advisory committee required under this section shall include representatives from local health departments that administer local lead programs, representatives from the housing industry, persons certified under s. 254.176 and, representatives from the medical or public health professions, advocates for persons at risk of lead poisoning and a resident of a 1st class city. Any technical advisory committee required under this section before promulgating rules under s. 254.168 shall also include representatives of facilities serving children under 6 years of age.

113,25 Section 25. 254.176 (3) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

113,26 Section 26. 254.178 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

113,27 Section 27. 254.179 of the statutes is created to read:

254.179 Rules for dwellings and premises. (1) Subject to s. 254.174 and after review of ordinances of cities, towns and villages in this state, the department shall, by use of a research-based methodology, promulgate as rules all of the following:

(a) Except as provided in s. 254.18, the standards for a premises, dwelling or unit of a dwelling that must be met for issuance of a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status to the owner of the premises, dwelling or unit of a dwelling, with the goal of long-term lead hazard reduction.

(b) The procedures by which a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status may be issued or revoked.

(c) The period of validity of a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status, including all of the following:

1. Authorization for the certificate of lead-free status to remain in effect unless revoked because of erroneous issuance or because the premises, dwelling or unit of the dwelling is not free of lead-bearing paint. The rules shall specify that the face of the certificate shall indicate that the certificate is valid unless revoked.

2. The standards limiting the length of validity of a certificate of lead-safe status, including the condition of a premises, dwelling or unit of a dwelling, the type of lead hazard reduction activity that was performed, if any, and any other requirements that must be met to maintain certification, unless the certificate is earlier revoked because of erroneous issuance or because the premises, dwelling or unit of the dwelling is not safe from lead-bearing paint hazards. The rules shall specify that the face of the certificate shall indicate the certificate's length of validity. The rules shall further specify that applications for certificates of lead-safe status for identical premises may be made only as follows:

a. A person may apply for no more than 2 successive certificates of lead-safe status that have a duration of less than 12 months and, if again applying for a certificate of lead-safe status, shall apply for a certificate that has a duration of 12 months or more.

b. A person to whom subd. 2. a. applies shall, if applying for a certificate of lead-safe status that is additional to the certificates specified in subd. 2. a. and that has a duration of less than 12 months, provide the department with a reason for the necessity for issuance of a certificate of that duration.

c. A person to whom subd. 2. a. and b. applies shall, if applying for a certificate of lead-safe status that is additional to the certificates specified in subd. 2. a. and b. and that has a duration of less than 12 months, provide the department with clear and convincing evidence of the necessity for issuance of a certificate of that duration.

(d) A mechanism for creating a registry of all premises, dwellings or units of dwellings for which a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status is issued.

(e) The requirements for a course of up to 16 hours that a property owner or his or her employe or agent may complete in order to receive certification of completion and the scope of the lead investigation and lead hazard reduction activities that the owner, employe or agent may perform following certification, to the extent consistent with federal law.

(f) The interim lead hazard control measures under s. 254.173 (3) (c) 2.

(2) By January 1, 2003, and every 2 years thereafter, the department shall review the rules under sub. (1) and shall promulgate changes to the rules if necessary in order to maintain consistency with federal law.

(3) Subject to s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules that set forth safe work practices that shall be followed in the demolition of a building constructed before January 1, 1978, to avoid exposure by persons to lead hazards in the area of the demolition.

113,28 Section 28. 254.18 of the statutes is created to read:

254.18 Lead hazard reduction in dwellings and premises. Sampling or testing of dwellings, units of dwellings or premises for the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is not required before lead hazard reduction activities are conducted if the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is assumed and the lead hazard reduction activities are performed in a lead-safe manner.

113,29 Section 29. 254.181 of the statutes is created to read:

254.181 Certificate of lead-free status and certificate of lead-safe status; fees and notification. (1) The department may impose a fee of $50 for issuance of a certificate of lead-free status and a fee of $25 for issuance of a certificate of lead-safe status. Fees under this section may not exceed actual costs of issuance and of maintaining the registry under s. 254.179 (1) (d). The department shall review the fees every 2 years and adjust the fees to reflect the actual costs.

(2) The department shall, at least quarterly, notify a local health department concerning issuance of certificates of lead-free status and certificates of lead-safe status in the area of jurisdiction of the local health department.

113,30 Section 30. 254.182 of the statutes is created to read:

254.182 Repayment to general fund. The secretary of administration shall transfer from the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (gm) to the general fund the amount of $735,000 when the secretary of administration determines that program revenues from fees imposed under ss. 254.176 (3) (e) and (4), 254.178 (2) (d) and 254.181 are sufficient to make the transfer.

113,31 Section 31. 901.055 of the statutes is created to read:

901.055 Admissibility of results of dust testing for the presence of lead. The results of a test for the presence of lead in dust are not admissible during the course of a civil or criminal action or proceeding or an administrative proceeding unless the test was conducted by a person certified for this purpose by the department of health and family services.

113,32 Section 32 . Nonstatutory provisions.

(1) Rules concerning lead for dwellings, units of dwellings and premises. The department of health and family services shall submit in proposed form the rules required under section 254.179 (1) of the statutes, as created by this act, to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this paragraph. In submitting the rules, the department shall include a summary of the differences between standards under the rules proposed to meet the requirement of section 254.179 (1) (a) of the statutes, as created by this act, and standards under a similar ordinance of a 1st class city.

(2) Supplement for registry of lead-free or lead-safe properties. The department of health and family services may request the joint committee on finance to supplement, from the appropriation account under section 20.865 (4) (a) of the statutes, the appropriation account under section 20.435 (1) (a) of the statutes, to pay initial costs of establishing under section 254.179 (1) (d) of the statutes, as created by this act, a registry of properties that are issued certificates of lead-free status or certificates of lead-safe status. If the department of health and family services requests supplementation of the appropriation account under section 20.435 (1) (a) of the statutes, the department shall submit a plan to the joint committee on finance to expend not more than $520,000 for fiscal year 2000-01. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the secretary of the department within 14 working days after the date of the department's submittal that the committee intends to schedule a meeting to review the request, the appropriation account shall be supplemented as provided in the request. If, within 14 working days after the date of the department's submittal, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the secretary of the department that the committee intends to schedule a meeting to review the request, the appropriation account shall be supplemented only as approved by the committee. Notwithstanding section 13.101 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes, the committee is not required to find that an emergency exists.

(3) Registry of lead-free and lead-safe properties; limitation on funding. Notwithstanding section 16.42 (1) (e) of the statutes, in submitting information under section 16.42 of the statutes for purposes of the 2001-2003 biennial budget bill, the department of health and family services shall submit information concerning the appropriation under section 20.435 (1) (a) of the statutes as though any supplementation, under Section 32 (2) of this act, of the dollar amount of that appropriation had not been made.

(4) Lead paint hazard reduction; limitation on funding. Notwithstanding section 16.42 (1) (e) of the statutes, in submitting information under section 16.42 of the statutes for purposes of the 2001-2003 biennial budget bill, the department of health and family services shall submit information concerning the appropriation under section 20.435 (1) (a) of the statutes as though the increase in the dollar amount of that appropriation by Section 33 (1) of this act had not been made.

(5) Lead paint hazards outreach and abatement. In submitting information under section 16.42 (1) of the statutes for purposes of the 2001-2003 biennial budget bill, the department of health and family services shall submit a proposal, including a request for additional funding, to conduct lead paint hazards outreach and abatement activities.

(6) Rehabilitation of rental property for low-income persons. In submitting information under section 16.42 (1) of the statutes for purposes of the 2001-2003 biennial budget bill, the Wisconsin housing and economic development authority shall submit a proposal for lead hazard reduction activities for and rehabilitation of rental property for low-income persons in Wisconsin.

(7) Allocation of oil overcharge funds to energy programs. Notwithstanding section 14.065 of the statutes, the secretary of administration shall allocate all oil overcharge restitution funds and all accruing interest earnings on those funds under section 20.505 (1) (md) of the statutes that are not approved for expenditure on the effective date of this subsection, for reduction of lead paint hazards in dwellings that is done to allow for and in conjunction with energy conservation activities in rental properties owned by persons who seek a certificate of lead-free status, as defined in section 254.11 (4g) of the statutes, as created by this act, or a certificate of lead-safe status, as defined in section 254.11 (4h) of the statutes, as created by this act. In awarding moneys under this subsection, the department of administration shall give priority to projects that emphasize comprehensive lead removal plans for rental properties.

(8) Report on liability insurance for lead paint hazards. The office of the commissioner of insurance shall review the cost and availability of insurance in the private market that provides residential property owners with liability coverage for lead-bearing paint hazards. On the basis of the review, the office shall, no later than October 1, 2002, prepare and submit to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes a report on whether such insurance is sufficiently affordable and sufficiently available in the private insurance market. If the office determines and provides in its report that such insurance is not either sufficiently affordable or sufficiently available in the private insurance market, the office shall submit drafting instructions to the legislative reference bureau for proposed legislation to create a state residential lead liability fund and shall include such proposed legislation in its 2003-05 biennial budget request under section 16.42 of the statutes.

(9c) Reports on lead hazard reduction activities.

(a) By each of the dates March 1, 2002, 2003 and 2004, the department of health and family services shall prepare and submit to the governor and to the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes a report describing activities related to reducing lead-bearing paint hazards in residential property under subchapter II of chapter 254 of the statutes, as affected by this act, in the previous calendar year. Each report shall include a summary of the number of dwellings or units of dwellings that have received a certificate of lead-free or lead-safe status, the percentage of all dwellings and units constructed before 1978 that this number represents, the incidence of lead poisoning or lead exposure in children, the number of children who reside in property that is certified as lead-free or lead-safe and either have lead poisoning or lead exposure, the number of persons certified to perform lead hazard reduction or lead management activities under section 254.176 of the statutes, as affected by this act, and the number of persons who have completed a course and been certified under section 254.179 (1) (e) of the statutes, as affected by this act.

(b) By March 1, 2005, the department of health and family services shall prepare and submit to the governor and to the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes a report evaluating the successes or failures of this act and rules promulgated under this act in reducing the incidence of lead poisoning or lead exposure in children. The report shall include any statutory changes that the department feels are needed to further the goal of reducing the incidence of lead poisoning or lead exposure in children.

113,33 Section 33 . Appropriation changes.

(1) Certification for performance of lead paint hazard reduction. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of health and family services under section 20.435 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1999, the dollar amount is increased by $215,000 for fiscal year 2000-01 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 5.0 positions on January 1, 2001, and to provide supporting costs to perform certification for performance of lead paint hazard reduction.

(2) Supplement for registry of lead-free or lead-safe properties. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the joint committee on finance under section 20.865 (4) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1999, the dollar amount is increased by $520,000 for fiscal year 2000-01 to increase funding to provide payment for initial costs of establishing a registry of properties that are issued certificates of lead-free status or certificates of lead-safe status.

113,34 Section 34 . Initial applicability.

(1) Immunity from liability for lead poisoning or lead exposure. The creation of section 254.173 of the statutes first applies to lead poisoning or lead exposure that occurs on the effective date of this subsection.

113,35 Section 35. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

(1c) The treatment of sections 254.11 (8d), 254.154 (by Section 10), 254.166 (2) (c) and (e), 254.172 and 901.055 of the statutes, the creation of sections 254.166 (2) (c) 2. and 3. and 254.173 of the statutes and Section 34 (1 ) of this act take effect on the first day of the 16th month beginning after publication.

(2) The repeal of section 254.173 (3) of the statutes and the amendment of section 254.154 (by Section 10b) of the statutes take effect on the first day of the 64th month beginning after publication.

(3) The repeal of section 254.173 (title), (1) and (2) of the statutes and the repeal and recreation of section 254.154 of the statutes take effect on the first day of the 100th month beginning after publication.