Wisconsin Legislature: 59,9134

(1w) Initial terms of 911 subcommittee members. Notwithstanding section 15.315 (2) (a) of the statutes, as created by this act:

(a) Of the initial members appointed to the 911 subcommittee by the governor, the terms of 6 of the members expire on July 1, 2019, the terms of 6 of the members expire on July 1, 2020, and the terms of 6 of the members expire on July 1, 2021.

(b) The term of the initial member appointed to the 911 subcommittee by the adjutant general expires on July 1, 2021.

(1x) Interoperability report. No later than January 1, 2019, the department of military affairs, in consultation with the interoperability council and the 911 subcommittee, shall submit in the manner provided under section 13.172 (2) of the statutes a report to the legislature and governor that includes all of the following:

(a) Recommendations for changing the statutory authority of the interoperability council.

(b) A description of the progress made toward creating a statewide public safety interoperable communication system.

(d) Recommendations for legislative or executive action to promote interoperability.

(1y) Consultation. In fiscal year 2017-18, the department of military affairs shall do all of the following:

(a) Consult with the department of justice on how to effectively transfer from the department of justice to the department of military affairs resources and responsibilities relating to the interoperability council and the statewide public safety interoperable communication system.

(b) Consult with the department of transportation and other state agencies on the effective use of staff at the department of transportation and other state agencies for the ongoing maintenance of a statewide public safety interoperable communication system.

(1yy) Transfer request. In fiscal year 2017-18, the department of military affairs may request the joint committee on finance to take action under section 13.10 of the statutes to transfer funding and positions from the department of transportation to the department of military affairs for the ongoing maintenance of a statewide public safety interoperable communication system.

59,9133 Section 9133. Nonstatutory provisions; Natural Resources.

(1) Environmental fund. Of the moneys in the environmental fund that are received for the purpose of environmental management, $3,152,500 shall, in each fiscal year of the 2017-19 fiscal biennium, be considered to have been received for the purposes under section 20.370 (7) (cr) and (cs) of the statutes.

(2) Relocation of chief state forester and division of forestry employees.

(a) The department of natural resources shall relocate the headquarters for the chief state forester to an existing department facility north of STH 29 no later than January 1, 2018.

(b) The department of natural resources may allow individuals who are employed by the division of forestry on the effective date of this paragraph and located in the department office at 101 South Webster Street in the city of Madison to relocate to existing state-owned or state-leased facilities north of STH 29 designated by the chief state forester.

(c) For the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years, for each employee who relocates under paragraph (b), the department of natural resources shall authorize payment of the moving expenses described under section 20.917 (1) (a) of the statutes.

(d) By February 1, 2019, the department of natural resources shall submit a report to the governor and the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance on the number of employees who have relocated under paragraph (b).

(5) Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine editor. The director of communications of the department of natural resources designated as a division administrator under section 230.08 (2) (e) 8. of the statutes shall serve as the editor of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine.

(6c) All-terrain vehicles. If the department of natural resources maintains an administrative account that allocates moneys appropriated from the conservation fund to programs relating to all-terrain vehicles, the department of natural resources shall treat the appropriation under section 20.370 (5) (cx) of the statutes as an allocation from the administrative all-terrain vehicle account.

(6f) Snowmobile trail study. The snowmobile recreational council shall study options for ensuring adequate funding for development and maintenance of snowmobile trails in the state, especially currently unfunded trails, and shall report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the joint committee on finance by January 1, 2019.

(6p) Payments to counties and municipalities. The department of natural resources shall determine whether the amount payable to each county and municipality in 2018 under section 77.84 (2) of the statutes is less than the amount received by the respective counties and municipalities in 2015 under sections 77.07 and 77.87, 2013 stats. For each county and municipality for which the department of natural resources determines that the amount payable in 2018 is at least $2,000 less than the amount received in 2015, the department of natural resources shall pay to each of those counties and municipalities an amount equal to the difference between the amount payable in 2018 and the amount received in 2015. The department of natural resources shall pay the amounts required under this subsection not later than March 1, 2018.

(6q) Audit of moneys received for forestry activities. The joint legislative audit committee is requested to direct the legislative audit bureau to perform an audit of the moneys received by the department of natural resources for forestry activities and how those moneys are spent. If the committee directs the legislative audit bureau to perform an audit, the bureau shall file its report as described under section 13.94 (1) (b) of the statutes on or before June 30, 2019.

(6r) Council on forestry report. The governor's council on forestry shall determine the relative priority of expenditures from the department of natural resources administrative account that allocates moneys appropriated from the conservation fund to programs relating to forestry. The governor's council on forestry shall report its determinations and recommendations for the 2019-21 biennial budget to the governor, the department of natural resources, and the senate and assembly standing committees having jurisdiction over forestry matters no later than July 1, 2018.

(6u) Recreational passport. The department of natural resources and the department of transportation shall jointly develop a plan to authorize the purchase of a recreational passport when an individual initiates or renews his or her annual vehicle registration. In the plan, the departments shall provide in detail the costs of implementing the plan, a timeline for implementing the plan, and the estimated revenue to be collected when the plan is fully implemented. One option that the departments shall evaluate in the plan is the creation of the recreational passport as a special license plate registration sticker that shows both the vehicle registration expiration year and an indicator that the sticker is also a recreational passport. The departments shall complete the plan in time for the plan to be included in the department of natural resources' 2019-21 biennial budget request.

(7p) Tainter Lake biomanipulation pilot. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriation under section 20.370 (4) (mr) of the statutes, the department of natural resources shall expend not less than $65,000 to conduct a pilot project to improve the water quality and fish habitat of Tainter Lake in Dunn County. The project shall include a comprehensive fish study, the removal of zooplanktivorous and benthivorous fish, and the introduction of piscivorous game fish.

(7w) Village of Plover grant. During the 2017-19 fiscal biennium, the department of natural resources shall award a grant of $100,000 from the appropriation under section 20.370 (6) (gs) of the statutes to the Village of Plover for the purpose of employing an engineering firm and other experts qualified in wetland restoration and watershed enhancement to design solutions to increase the flow of the Little Plover River.

(8t) Burlington storm water study. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriation under section 20.370 (6) (dq) of the statutes, the department of natural resources shall provide a grant of $50,000 to the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to conduct a storm water management study for the city of Burlington. The study shall identify the location and destination of current storm water flows, identify city and private property owners that have storm water capacity issues, and provide recommendations for eliminating flooding at the city's major businesses.

59,9134 Section 9134. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Defender Board.

59,9135 Section 9135. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Instruction.

(1p) Implementation of early college credit program for the fall semester of the 2018-19 school year.

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Early college credit program” means the program under section 118.55 of the statutes, as affected by this act.

2. “Institution of higher education” means all of the following:

a. An institution within the University of Wisconsin System or a tribally controlled college.

b. A private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this state.

3. “Participating private school” means a private school attended by a pupil who is enrolled in any of the grades 8 to 12.

(b) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall take whatever steps are necessary to implement the early college credit program under this act, including providing information to a school board, a participating private school, an institution of higher education, and a high school pupil who may be interested in enrolling in an institution of higher education in the fall semester of the 2018-19 school year for the purpose of taking one or more nonsectarian courses at the institution of higher education under the early college credit program.

(1t) Virtual charter school funding study. The department of public instruction shall, no later than January 1, 2019, prepare a report that compares the amount spent by the state for each pupil attending a virtual charter school under the program under section 118.51 of the statutes to the actual cost incurred by the virtual charter school to provide instruction to each such pupil. The department shall submit the report required under this subsection to the joint committee on finance and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes.

(4f) School-based mental health services grant program ; advisory committee .

(a) The state superintendent of public instruction shall establish an advisory committee under sections 15.04 (1) (c) and 227.13 of the statutes to make recommendations to the department of public instruction about the criteria the department is required to establish by rule under section 115.367 (2) of the statutes. The state superintendent of public instruction shall include on the committee established under this paragraph at least all of the following:

1. A current or retired school administrator.

2. An individual who holds a license to teach issued by the department of public instruction or a license in a pupil services category under section PI 34.31 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code issued by the department of public instruction.

3. A provider of mental health services or a representative of an association that represents mental health service providers.

4. A family member of a pupil who is receiving or who may receive mental health services.

5. A representative of a school board or a charter school established under under section 118.40 (2r) or (2x) of the statutes.

(b) The advisory committee established under paragraph (a) terminates upon the publication of the permanent rules required to be promulgated by the department under section 115.367 of the statutes, unless the state superintendent of public instruction elects to maintain the committee established under paragraph (a) after the permanent rules are published.

(c) The department of public instruction may promulgate emergency rules under section 227.24 of the statutes to implement section 115.367 of the statutes, including establishing criteria under section 115.367 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (e) 1d. of the statutes, the department of public instruction is not required to prepare a statement of the scope if emergency rules are promulgated under this paragraph. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes, emergency rules promulgated under this paragraph remain in effect until July 1, 2019, or the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a) and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this paragraph as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this paragraph.

(4p) Whole grade sharing agreement; aid. By February 1, 2019, the department of public instruction shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance that includes all of the following:

(a) The number of school boards that applied for aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.

(b) The number of school boards approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.

(c) For each school board approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year, all of the following:

1. The name of the school board.

2. The number of grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.

3. The specific grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.

4. As of January 1, 2019, how much of the aid the school board is entitled to receive under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes during the 2018-19 school year has been encumbered and how much has been expended.

(4w) Reorganization of a low performing school district; study.

(a) Definition. In this subsection, “eligible school district” means a school district that satisfied all of the following in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years:

1. The school district was assigned to the lowest performance category on the accountability reports published under section 115.385 (1) of the statutes.

2. The school district received intradistrict transfer aid under section 121.85 (6) (a) of the statutes.

(b) Contract. The department of public instruction shall contract with an entity to study the effect of reorganizing an eligible school district to create one or more new school districts that consists of one or more villages located within the eligible school district and to report the results of the study to the department of public instruction by no later than 120 days after the contract is awarded to the entity. The contract shall require the entity to evaluate at least all of the following:

1. The estimated general and categorical school aid that the eligible school district and new school district or districts would be eligible to receive following the reorganization.

2. The impact the reorganization would have on the amount of property taxes paid by residents of the eligible school district and the new school district or districts.

3. An inventory of school buildings located in the eligible school district.

4. The assets and liabilities of the eligible school district.

(c) Request for proposal. By no later than 30 days after the effective date of this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall issue a request for proposals for the study and report under paragraph (b).

(d) Distribution of the report. The department of public instruction shall distribute the report submitted to the department under paragraph (b) to the village board of each village located in an eligible school district and to the school board of an eligible school district.

(5p) Teacher licensure; rules.

(a) The department of public instruction shall promulgate rules to revise chapter PI 34 of the administrative code. In promulgating rules under this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall simplify the teacher licensure system, to the extent practicable, by doing at least all of the following:

1. Simplifying the grade levels that a licensee is authorized to teach under his or her license.

2. Creating broad field subject licenses.

3. Allowing school boards to increase the number of teachers in a school district by offering internships and residency opportunities.

4. Creating a permit that authorizes an individual who is enrolled in a teacher preparatory program to teach in public schools as part of an internship, residency program, or other equivalent training program.

5. Simplifying licensure reciprocity for individuals who hold a license in another state.

6. Expanding pathways for individuals who hold a license issued by the department to obtain additional licenses to fill positions in geographic areas and subject areas that are in need of educational personnel.

(b) The department of public instruction may not promulgate rules required under paragraph (a) in a manner that decreases the quality standards for obtaining a license to teach from the department.

(c) The department of public instruction shall submit in proposed form the rules required under paragraph (a) to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than January 1, 2018.

59,9136 Section 9136. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Lands, Board of Commissioners of.

59,9137 Section 9137. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Service Commission.

59,9138 Section 9138. Nonstatutory provisions; Revenue.

(1) Forestation state tax. For the property tax assessments as of January 1, 2017, the department of revenue shall prescribe a form for the property tax bills prepared under section 74.09 of the statutes that indicates that the state no longer imposes the forestation state tax. The form shall also indicate the amount of the forestation state tax that the taxpayer paid in the previous year.

(1f) Sales and use tax audits; statistical sampling. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the department of revenue shall promulgate the rules required under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to extension under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

59,9139 Section 9139. Nonstatutory provisions; Safety and Professional Services.

(12) Professional assistance procedures; emergency rules. The department may use the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes to promulgate rules under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to one extension of 60 days under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. If the department uses this procedure to promulgate these rules, the department shall promulgate the rules no later than the 60th day after the effective date of this subsection. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

(17w) Occupational license study.

(a) Definitions. In this subsection:

1. “Department” means the department of safety and professional services.

2. “Occupational license” means any of the following: