2007 Wisconsin Act 20

20,1475 Section 1475. 49.24 (2) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.24 (2) (b) (intro.) Subject to the incentive payments limit specified in par. (a), the department shall distribute to counties, in accordance with the formula established under par. (a), all of the following:

20,1475d Section 1475d. 49.24 (2) (b) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

49.24 (2) (b) (intro.) Subject to the incentive payments limit specified in par. (a), the department shall distribute to counties, in accordance with the formula established under par. (a), all of the following:

20,1476 Section 1476. 49.24 (2) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

20,1476d Section 1476d. 49.24 (2) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:

49.24 (2) (dm) If the amount of federal child support incentive payments awarded to the state for a federal fiscal year is less than $12,340,000, the total of payments distributed to counties under par. (b) and sub. (1) for that federal fiscal year may not exceed $12,340,000.

20,1476g Section 1476g. 49.24 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

49.24 (4) If federal legislation reinstates the matching of federal funds for federal child support incentive payments, the department shall provide a notice in the Wisconsin Administrative Register that states the effective date of that federal legislation.

20,1477 Section 1477. 49.26 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.26 (1) (d) A county department or Wisconsin works Works agency that provides services under this subsection directly shall develop a plan, in coordination with the school districts located in whole or in part in the county, describing the assistance that the county department or Wisconsin works Works agency and school districts will provide to individuals receiving services under this subsection, the number of individuals that will be served and the estimated cost of the services. The county department or Wisconsin works Works agency shall submit the plan to the department of workforce development and the department of public instruction by January 15, annually.

20,1478 Section 1478. 49.26 (1) (g) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.26 (1) (g) (intro.) An individual who is a dependent child in a Wisconsin works Works group that includes a participant under s. 49.147 (3), (3m), (4), or (5) or who is a recipient of aid under s. 49.19 is subject to the school attendance requirement under par. (ge) if all of the following apply:

20,1479 Section 1479. 49.26 (1) (h) 1s. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.26 (1) (h) 1s. b. An individual who is a dependent child in a Wisconsin works Works group that includes a participant under s. 49.147 (3), (3m), (4), or (5) and who fails to meet the school attendance requirement under par. (ge) is subject to a monthly sanction.

20,1480 Section 1480. 49.27 of the statutes is created to read:

49.27 Legal actions. The department may sue and be sued.

20,1481 Section 1481. 49.273 of the statutes is created to read:

49.273 Research, investigations. The secretary shall plan for and establish within the department a program of research designed to determine the effectiveness of the treatment, curative, and rehabilitative programs of the various divisions of the department. The secretary may inquire into any matter affecting children and families, hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and make recommendations on those matters to the appropriate public or private agencies.

20,1482 Section 1482. 49.275 of the statutes is amended to read:

49.275 Cooperation with federal government. The department may cooperate with the federal government in carrying out federal acts concerning public assistance under this subchapter and child welfare under ch. 48 and in other matters of mutual concern under this subchapter pertaining to public welfare and under ch. 48 pertaining to child welfare.

20,1483 Section 1483. 49.32 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.32 (1) (a) The Except as provided in s. 49.345 (14) (b) and (c), the department shall establish a uniform system of fees for services provided or purchased under this subchapter and ch. 48 by the department, or a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, except as provided in s. 49.22 (6) and except where when, as determined by the department, a fee is administratively unfeasible or would significantly prevent accomplishing the purpose of the service. A county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 shall apply the fees which that it collects under this program to cover the cost of such those services. The department shall report to the joint committee on finance no later than March 1 of each year on the number of children placed for adoption by the department during the previous year and the costs to the state for services relating to such adoptions.

20,1484 Section 1484. 49.32 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

49.32 (1) (am) Paragraph (a) does not prevent the department from charging and collecting the cost of adoptive placement investigations and child care as authorized under s. 48.837 (7).

20,1485 Section 1485. 49.32 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.32 (1) (b) Any Except as provided in s. 49.345 (14) (b) and (c), any person receiving services provided or purchased under par. (a) or the spouse of the person and, in the case of a minor, the parents of the person, and, in the case of a foreign child described in s. 48.839 (1) who became dependent on public funds for his or her primary support before an order granting his or her adoption, the resident of this state appointed guardian of the child by a foreign court who brought the child into this state for the purpose of adoption, shall be liable for the services in the amount of the fee established under par. (a).

20,1486 Section 1486. 49.32 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.32 (1) (c) The department shall make collections from the person who in the opinion of the department is best able to pay, giving due regard to the present needs of the person or of his or her lawful dependents. The department may bring an action in the name of the department to enforce the liability established under par. (b). This paragraph does not apply to the recovery of fees for the care and services specified under s. 49.345.

20,1487 Section 1487. 49.32 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

49.32 (2) (d) The department shall disburse from state or federal funds or both the entire amount and charge the county for its share under s. 48.569.

20,1488 Section 1488. 49.32 (9) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.32 (9) (a) Each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 administering aid to families with dependent children shall maintain a monthly report at its office showing the names of all persons receiving aid to families with dependent children together with the amount paid during the preceding month. Each Wisconsin works Works agency administering Wisconsin works Works under ss. 49.141 to 49.161 shall maintain a monthly report at its office showing the names of all persons receiving benefits under s. 49.148 together with the amount paid during the preceding month. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize or require the disclosure in the report of any information (names, amounts of aid or otherwise) pertaining to adoptions, or aid furnished for the care of children in foster homes or treatment foster homes under s. 46.261 48.645 or 49.19 (10).

20,1489 Section 1489. 49.32 (11) of the statutes is renumbered 103.005 (21) and amended to read:

103.005 (21) Community action agencies. The department shall distribute all of the funds under s. 20.445 (3) (1) (cr) to community action agencies and organizations, including any of the 11 federally recognized tribal governing bodies in this state and limited-purpose agencies, in proportion to the share of funds actually allocated to these entities under 42 USC 1315 and from other federal and private foundation sources that provide funds for job creation and development for individuals with low incomes.

20,1490 Section 1490. 49.32 (11m) of the statutes is created to read:

49.32 (11m) Consolidation of allocated tribal funds. The department may consolidate funds appropriated under s. 20.437 that are authorized or required to be allocated to federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands into a single distribution for each tribe or band in each fiscal year.

20,1491 Section 1491. 49.32 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.32 (12) Administrative hearings and appeals. Any hearing under s. 227.42 granted by the department under this subchapter or ch. 48 may be conducted before the division of hearings and appeals in the department of administration.

20,1492 Section 1492. 49.325 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (1) (a) Each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 shall submit its final budget for services directly provided or purchased under this subchapter or ch. 48 to the department by December 31 annually.

20,1493 Section 1493. 49.325 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (2) Assessment of needs. Before developing and submitting a proposed budget for services directly provided or purchased under this subchapter or ch. 48 to the county executive or county administrator or the county board, the county departments listed in sub. (1) shall assess needs and inventory resources and services, using an open public participation process.

20,1494 Section 1494. 49.325 (2g) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (2g) (a) The department shall annually submit to the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department a proposed written contract containing the allocation of funds for services directly provided or purchased under this subchapter or ch. 48 and such administrative requirements as necessary. The contract as approved may contain conditions of participation consistent with federal and state law. The contract may also include provisions necessary to ensure uniform cost accounting of services. Any changes to the proposed contract shall be mutually agreed upon. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department shall approve the contract before January 1 of the year in which it takes effect unless the department grants an extension. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department may designate an agent to approve addenda to any contract after the contract has been approved.

20,1495 Section 1495. 49.325 (2g) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (2g) (c) The joint committee on finance may require the department to submit contracts between county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, and 46.23 and providers of services under this subchapter or ch. 48 to the committee for review and approval.

20,1496 Section 1496. 49.325 (2r) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (2r) (a) 1. For services under this subchapter which or ch. 48 that duplicate or are inconsistent with services being provided or purchased by the department or other county departments receiving grants-in-aid or reimbursement from the department.

20,1497 Section 1497. 49.325 (2r) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (2r) (a) 2. Inconsistent with state or federal statutes, rules, or regulations, in which case the department may also arrange for provision of services under this subchapter or ch. 48 by an alternate agency. The department may not arrange for provision of services by an alternate agency unless the joint committee on finance or a review body designated by the committee reviews and approves the department's determination.

20,1498 Section 1498. 49.325 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.325 (3) (a) Citizen advisory committee. Except as provided in par. (b), the county board of supervisors of each county or the county boards of supervisors of 2 or more counties jointly shall establish a citizen advisory committee to the county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22 and 46.23. The citizen advisory committee shall advise in the formulation of the budget under sub. (1). Membership on the committee shall be determined by the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee or by the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee and shall include representatives of those persons receiving services, providers of services and citizens. A majority of the members of the committee shall be citizens and consumers of services. At least one member of the committee shall be chosen from the governing or administrative board of the community action agency serving the county or counties under s. 49.265, if any. The committee's membership may not consist of more than 25% county supervisors, nor of more than 20% services providers. The chairperson of the committee shall be appointed by the county board of supervisors establishing it. In the case of a multicounty committee, the chairperson shall be nominated by the committee and approved by the county boards of supervisors establishing it. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee may designate an agent to determine the membership of the committee and to appoint the committee chairperson or approve the nominee.

20,1499 Section 1499. 49.34 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (1) All services under this subchapter and ch. 48 purchased by the department or by a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 shall be authorized and contracted for under the standards established under this section. The department may require the county departments to submit the contracts to the department for review and approval. For purchases of $10,000 or less the requirement for a written contract may be waived by the department. No contract is required for care provided by foster homes or treatment foster homes that are required to be licensed under s. 48.62. When the department directly contracts for services, it shall follow the procedures in this section in addition to meeting purchasing requirements established in s. 16.75.

20,1500 Section 1500. 49.34 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (2) All services purchased under this subchapter and ch. 48 shall meet standards established by the department and other requirements specified by the purchaser in the contract. Based on these standards the department shall establish standards for cost accounting and management information systems that shall monitor the utilization of the services, and document the specific services in meeting the service plan for the client and the objective of the service.

20,1501 Section 1501. 49.34 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (4) (a) Except as provided in this subsection, maintain a uniform double entry accounting system and a management information system which are compatible with cost accounting and control systems prescribed by the department. The department shall establish a simplified double-entry bookkeeping system for use by family-operated group homes. Each purchaser shall determine whether a family-operated group home from which it purchases services shall use the double-entry accounting system or the simplified system and shall include this determination in the purchase of service contract. In this paragraph, "family-operated group home" means a group home licensed under s. 48.66 (1) (a) for which the licensee is one or more individuals who operate not more than one group home.

20,1502 Section 1502. 49.34 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (4) (c) Unless waived by the department, biennially, or annually if required under federal law, provide the purchaser with a certified financial and compliance audit report if the care and services purchased exceed $25,000. The audit shall follow standards that the department prescribes. A purchaser may waive the requirements of this paragraph for any family-operated group home, as defined in par. (a), from which it purchases services.

20,1503 Section 1503. 49.34 (5m) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (5m) (a) 1. "Provider" means a nonstock corporation organized under ch. 181 that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17), and that contracts under this section to provide client services on the basis of a unit rate per client service or a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, or 51.437 that contracts under this section to provide client services on the basis of a unit rate per client service.

20,1504 Section 1504. 49.34 (5m) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (5m) (b) 1. Subject to subds. 2. and 3. and par. (em), if revenue under a contract for the provision of a rate-based service exceeds allowable costs incurred in the contract period, the provider may retain from the surplus generated by that rate-based service up to 5% of the contract amount. A provider that retains a surplus under this subdivision shall use that retained surplus to cover a deficit between revenue and allowable costs incurred in any preceding or future contract period for the same rate-based service that generated the surplus or to address the programmatic needs of clients served by the same rate-based service that generated the surplus.

20,1505 Section 1505. 49.34 (5m) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

49.34 (5m) (b) 2. Subject to subd. 3. and par. (em), a provider may accumulate funds from more than one contract period under this paragraph, except that, if at the end of a contract period the amount accumulated from all contract periods for a rate-based service exceeds 10% of the amount of all current contracts for that rate-based service, the provider shall, at the request of a purchaser, return to that purchaser the purchaser's proportional share of that excess and use any of that excess that is not returned to a purchaser to reduce the provider's unit rate per client for that rate-based service in the next contract period. If a provider has held for 4 consecutive contract periods an accumulated reserve for a rate-based service that is equal to or exceeds 10% of the amount of all current contracts for that rate-based service, the provider shall apply 50% of that accumulated amount to reducing its unit rate per client for that rate-based service in the next contract period.

20,1506 Section 1506. 49.34 (5m) (em) of the statutes is created to read:

49.34 (5m) (em) Notwithstanding par. (b) 1. and 2., a county department under s. 46.215, 51.42, or 51.437 providing client services in a county having a population of 500,000 or more or a nonstock, nonprofit corporation providing client services in such a county may not retain a surplus under par. (b) 1. or accumulate funds under par. (b) 2. from revenues that are used to meet the maintenance-of-effort requirement under the federal temporary assistance for needy families program under 42 USC 601 to 619.

20,1507 Section 1507. 49.345 of the statutes is created to read:

49.345 Cost of care and maintenance; liability; collection and deportation counsel; collections; court actions; recovery. (1) Liability and the collection and enforcement of such liability for the care, maintenance, services, and supplies specified in this section are governed exclusively by this section, except in cases of child support ordered by a court under s. 48.355 (2) (b) 4., 48.357 (5m) (a), or 48.363 (2) or ch. 767.

(2) Except as provided in sub. (14) (b) and (c), any person, including but not limited to a person placed under s. 48.345 (3) or 48.357 (1) or (2m), receiving care, maintenance, services, and supplies provided by any institution in this state, in which the state is chargeable with all or part of the person's care, maintenance, services, and supplies, and the person's property and estate, including the homestead, and the spouse of the person, and the spouse's property and estate, including the homestead, and, in the case of a minor child, the parents of the person, and their property and estates, including their homestead, and, in the case of a foreign child described in s. 48.839 (1) who became dependent on public funds for his or her primary support before an order granting his or her adoption, the resident of this state appointed guardian of the child by a foreign court who brought the child into this state for the purpose of adoption, and his or her property and estate, including his or her homestead, shall be liable for the cost of the care, maintenance, services, and supplies in accordance with the fee schedule established by the department under s. 49.32 (1). If a spouse, widow, or minor, or an incapacitated person may be lawfully dependent upon the property for his or her support, the court shall release all or such part of the property and estate from the charges that may be necessary to provide for the person. The department shall make every reasonable effort to notify the liable persons as soon as possible after the beginning of the maintenance, but the notice or the receipt thereof is not a condition of liability.

(3) After investigation of the liable persons' ability to pay, the department shall make collection from the person who in the opinion of the department under all of the circumstances is best able to pay, giving due regard to relationship and the present needs of the person or of the lawful dependents. However, the liability of relatives for maintenance shall be in the following order: first, the spouse of the person; then, in the case of a minor, the parent or parents.

(4) (a) If a person liable under sub. (2) fails to make payment or enter into or comply with an agreement for payment, the department may bring an action to enforce the liability or may issue an order to compel payment of the liability. Any person aggrieved by an order issued by the department under this paragraph may appeal the order as a contested case under ch. 227 by filing with the department a request for a hearing within 30 days after the date of the order.

(b) If judgment is rendered in an action brought under par. (a) for any balance that is 90 or more days past due, interest at the rate of 12 percent per year shall be computed by the clerk and added to the liable person's costs. That interest shall begin on the date on which payment was due and shall end on the day before the date of any interest that is computed under s. 814.04 (4).

(c) If the department issues an order to compel payment under par. (a), interest at the rate of 12 percent per year shall be computed by the department and added at the time of payment to the person's liability. That interest shall begin on the date on which payment was due and shall end on the day before the date of final payment.

(5) If any person named in an order to compel payment issued under sub. (4) (a) fails to pay the department any amount due under the terms of the order, and no contested case to review the order is pending, and the time for filing for a contested case review has expired, the department may present a certified copy of the order to the circuit court for any county. The circuit court shall, without notice, render judgment in accordance with the order. A judgment rendered under this subsection shall have the same effect and shall be entered in the judgment and lien docket and may be enforced in the same manner as if the judgment had been rendered in an action tried and determined by the circuit court.

(6) The sworn statement of the collection and deportation counsel, or of the secretary, shall be evidence of the fee and of the care and services received by the person.

(7) The department shall administer and enforce this section. It shall appoint an attorney to be designated "collection and deportation counsel" and other necessary assistants. The department may delegate to the collection and deportation counsel such other powers and duties as it considers advisable. The collection and deportation counsel or any of the assistants may administer oaths, take affidavits and testimony, examine public records, and subpoena witnesses and the production of books, papers, records, and documents material to any matter of proceeding relating to payments for the cost of maintenance. The department shall encourage agreements or settlements with the liable person, having due regard to ability to pay and the present needs of lawful dependents.

(8) The department may do any of the following:

(a) Appear for the state in any and all collection and deportation matters arising in the several courts, and may commence suit in the name of the department to recover the cost of maintenance against the person liable therefor.

(b) Determine whether any person is subject to deportation, and on behalf of this state enter into reciprocal agreements with other states for deportation and importation of persons who are public charges, upon such terms as will protect the state's interests and promote mutual amicable relations with other states.

(c) From time to time investigate the financial condition and needs of persons liable under sub. (2), their present ability to maintain themselves, the persons legally dependent upon them for support, the protection of the property and investments from which they derive their living and their care and protection, for the purpose of ascertaining the person's ability to make payment in whole or in part.

(d) After due regard to the case and to a spouse and minor children who are lawfully dependent on the property for support, compromise or waive any portion of any claim of the state or county for which a person specified under sub. (2) is liable, but not any claim payable by an insurer under s. 632.89 (2) or (2m) or by any other 3rd party.

(e) Make an agreement with a person who is liable under sub. (2), or who may be willing to assume the cost of maintenance of any person, providing for the payment of such costs at a specified rate or amount.

(f) Make adjustment and settlement with the several counties for their proper share of all moneys collected.

(g) Pay quarterly from the appropriation under s. 20.437 (1) (gg) the collection moneys due county departments under ss. 46.22 and 46.23. Payments shall be made as soon after the close of each quarter as is practicable.

(9) Any person who willfully testifies falsely as to any material matter in an investigation or proceeding under this section shall be guilty of perjury. Banks, employers, insurers, savings banks, savings and loan associations, brokers, and fiduciaries, upon request of the department, shall furnish in writing and duly certified, full information regarding the property, earnings, or income or any funds deposited to the credit of or owing to any person liable under sub. (2). That certified statement shall be admissible in evidence in any action or proceeding to compel payment under this section, and shall be evidence of the facts stated in the certified statement, if a copy of the statement is served upon the party sought to be charged not less than 3 days before the hearing.

(10) The department shall make all reasonable and proper efforts to collect all claims for maintenance, to keep payments current, and periodically to review all unpaid claims.