Amendment ASA1-AB341

AB341-ASA1, s. 4 Section 4. 48.65 (1m) of the statutes is repealed.

AB341-ASA1, s. 5 Section 5. 48.68 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB341-ASA1,3,22 48.68 (1) After receipt of an application for a license, the department shall investigate to determine if the applicant meets the minimum requirements for a license adopted by the department under s. 48.67 and meets the requirements specified in s. 48.685. In determining whether to issue a license, the department may consider any action by the applicant, or by an employe of the applicant, that constitutes a substantial failure by the applicant or employe to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of a child. Upon satisfactory completion of this investigation and payment of the fee required under s. 48.615 (1) (a) or (b), 48.625 (2) (a), 48.65 (3) (a) or 938.22 (7) (b), the department shall issue a license under s. 48.66 (1) or, if applicable, a probationary license under s. 48.69. At the time of initial licensure and license renewal, the department shall provide a foster home licensee with written information relating to the age-related monthly foster care rates and supplemental payments specified in s. 48.62 (4), including payment amounts, eligibility requirements for supplemental payments and the procedures for applying for supplemental payments.

AB341-ASA1, s. 6 Section 6. 48.685 of the statutes is created to read:

AB341-ASA1,3,25 48.685 Criminal history and child abuse record search. (1) In this section:

AB341-ASA1,4,1 (a) "Client" means a child who receives services from an entity.

AB341-ASA1,4,6 (b) "Entity" means a child welfare agency that is licensed under s. 48.60 to provide care and maintenance for children, to place children for adoption or to license foster homes or treatment foster homes; a group home that is licensed under s. 48.625; a shelter care facility that is licensed under s. 938.22; or a day care center that is licensed under s. 48.65 or contracted for under s. 120.13 (14).

AB341-ASA1,4,8 (c) "Serious crime" has the meaning specified by the department by rule promulgated under sub. (7) (a).

AB341-ASA1,4,15 (2) (a) Notwithstanding s. 111.335, the department may not license a person to operate an entity or renew the license of a person to operate an entity, a school board may not contract with a person under s. 120.13 (14), and an entity may not hire a person, or offer a contract to a person who will be under the entity's control, as defined by the department by rule, and who is expected to have access to its clients, if the department, school board or entity knows or should have known any of the following:

AB341-ASA1,4,17 1. Except as provided in sub. (5), that the person has been convicted of a serious crime.

AB341-ASA1,4,18 2. That the person has pending against him or her a charge for a serious crime.

AB341-ASA1,4,21 3. That a unit of government or a state agency, as defined in s. 16.61 (2) (d), has made a finding that the person has abused or neglected any client or misappropriated the property of any client.

AB341-ASA1,4,23 4. That a determination was made under s. 48.981 (3) (c) 4. that the person has abused or neglected a child.

AB341-ASA1,5,3 5. That, in the case of a position for which the person must be credentialed by the department of regulation and licensing, the person's credential is not current or is limited so as to restrict the person from providing adequate care to a client.

AB341-ASA1,5,5 (b) The department and every entity shall obtain all of the following with respect to a person specified under par. (a):

AB341-ASA1,5,7 1. A criminal history search from the records maintained by the department of justice.

AB341-ASA1,5,9 2. Information that is contained in the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) regarding any findings against the person.

AB341-ASA1,5,11 3. Information maintained by the department of regulation and licensing regarding the status of the person's credentials, if applicable.

AB341-ASA1,5,16 (bg) If entity contracts with a person for whom, within the last 4 years, the information required under par. (b) was already obtained, either by another entity or by a temporary employment agency, the entity may obtain the information required under par. (b) from that other entity or temporary employment agency, which shall provide the information, if possible, to the entity.

AB341-ASA1,5,22 (bm) If the person who is the subject of the search under par. (b) 1. is not a resident of this state, or if at any time within the 3 years preceding the date of the search that person has not been a resident of this state, the department or entity shall make a good faith effort to obtain criminal records of the person from any state in which the person is a resident or was a resident within the 3 years preceding the date of the search.

AB341-ASA1,6,2 (c) The department may license, a school board may contract with, and an entity may employ or contract with, a person specified under par. (a) for not more than 60 days pending the receipt of the information sought under par. (b). An entity shall provide supervision for a person who is employed or contracted with as permitted under this paragraph.

AB341-ASA1,6,11 (3) Every 4 years or at any other time that the department or an entity considers appropriate, the department and every entity shall request information maintained by the department of regulation and licensing regarding the status of any relevant credential held by a person who is licensed to operate an entity or by an employe or contract worker of an entity who has, or is expected to have, access to clients of the entity and shall request a criminal history search and a search of the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) for all persons who are licensed to operate an entity or for all of the employes and contract workers of the entity who have, or are expected to have, access to clients of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,6,13 (4) Whoever violates sub. (2) or (3) may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 and may be subject to other sanctions specified by the department by rule.

AB341-ASA1,6,20 (5) The department may license a person to operate an entity, a school board may contract with a person under s. 120.13 (14) and an entity may employe or contract with a person who has been convicted of a serious crime if the person demonstrates to the department by clear and convincing evidence and in accordance with procedures established by the department by rule that he or she has been rehabilitated. No person who has been convicted of any of the following offenses may be permitted to demonstrate that he or she has been rehabilitated:

AB341-ASA1,6,21 (a) First-degree intentional homicide under s. 940.01.

AB341-ASA1,6,22 (b) First degree sexual assault under s. 940.225 (1).

AB341-ASA1,6,23 (c) First degree sexual assault of a child under s. 948.02 (1).

AB341-ASA1,7,3 (d) Second degree sexual assault of a child under s. 948.02 (2) if the person was, at the time of the sexual contact or sexual intercourse, more than 4 years older than the child with whom the person had the sexual contact or sexual intercourse.

AB341-ASA1,7,8 (e) Repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child under s. 948.025 if the child had not attained the age of 13, or if the child had attained the age of 13 and had not attained the age of 16 and the person was, at the time of the sexual contact or sexual intercourse, more than 4 years older than the child with whom the person had the sexual contact or sexual intercourse.

AB341-ASA1,7,13 (5c) Any person who is permitted but fails under sub. (5) to demonstrate to the department that he or she has been rehabilitated may appeal to the secretary of health and family services or his or her designee. Any person who is adversely affected by a decision of the secretary or his or her designee under this subsection has a right to a contested case hearing under ch. 227.

AB341-ASA1,7,21 (5g) Beginning on the first January 1 after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) that specifies the number of persons in the previous year who have requested to demonstrate to the department that they have been rehabilitated under sub. (5), the number of persons who successfully demonstrated that they have been rehabilitated under sub. (5) and the reasons for the success or failure of a person who has attempted to demonstrate that he or she has been rehabilitated.

AB341-ASA1,8,4 (5m) Notwithstanding s. 111.335, the department may refuse to license a person to operate an entity, a school board may refuse to contract with a person under s. 120.13 (14), and an entity may refuse to employ a person who has, or is expected to have, access to its clients, if the person has been convicted of an offense that the department has not defined as a "serious crime" by rule promulgated under sub. (7) (a), or specified in the list established by rule under sub. (7) (b), but that is, in the estimation of the department, school board or entity substantially related to the care of the client.

AB341-ASA1,8,8 (6) (a) The department shall require any person who applies for issuance or renewal of a license to operate an entity or who proposes to contract with a school board under s. 120.13 (14) or to renew a contract under that subsection to complete a background information form that is developed by the department.

AB341-ASA1,8,11 (am) Every entity shall require all of the following persons to complete a background information form that is developed and distributed to the entity by the department:

AB341-ASA1,8,14 1. A person that the entity employes or contracts with, or intends to employ or contract with, if the person has, or is expected to have, access to any client of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,8,17 2. A person who is a resident or prospective resident at the entity and who is not a client or prospective client of the entity, if the person has, or is expected to have, access to any client of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,8,22 (b) For person specified under par. (am) 1. who are regulated, licensed or certified by, or registered with, the department, the entity shall send the background information form to the department. For all other persons specified under par. (am), the entity shall maintain the background information form on file for inspection by the department.

AB341-ASA1,8,25 (c) A person who provides false information on a background information form required under this subsection may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 and may be subject to other sanctions specified by the department by rule.

AB341-ASA1,9,1 (7) The department shall do all of the following:

AB341-ASA1,9,10 (a) Establish by rule a definition of "serious crime" for the purpose of this section. The definition shall include only crimes or acts that are substantially related to the care of a client and shall include classes of crimes or acts involving abuse or neglect of a client for which no person who has committed any of those crimes or acts may be permitted to demonstrate under sub. (5) that he or she has been rehabilitated. The definition may also include other crimes or acts that do not involve abuse or neglect of a client but that are substantially related to the care of a client for which no person who committed any of those crimes or acts may be permitted to demonstrate under sub. (5) that he or she has been rehabilitated.

AB341-ASA1,9,17 (b) Establish by rule a list of crimes or acts that are not included in the definition established under par. (a), that are substantially related to the care of clients and the commission of which warrants a less stringent measure than a bar on employment or similar type of association with an entity. The rule shall be consistent with federal law and regulations and shall include a description of the measures to be taken for the crimes or acts that the department lists under this paragraph.

AB341-ASA1,9,21 (c) Conduct throughout the state periodic training sessions that cover criminal background investigations; reporting misappropriation of property or abuse or neglect of a client; and any other material that will better enable entities to comply with the requirements of this section.

AB341-ASA1, s. 7 Section 7. 48.981 (3) (c) 8. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB341-ASA1,9,25 48.981 (3) (c) 8. Using the format prescribed by the department, each county department shall provide the department with information about each report that it receives or that is received by a licensed child welfare agency that is under contract with the county department and about each investigation it or a licensed child welfare agency under contract with the county department conducts. This information shall be used by the department to monitor services provided by county departments or licensed child welfare agencies under contract with county departments and shall be used by the department for inclusion on the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) in those instances in which the county department has made a determination under subd. 4. that abuse or neglect occurred. The department shall use nonidentifying information to maintain statewide statistics on child abuse and neglect, and for planning and policy development.

AB341-ASA1, s. 8 Section 8. 49.498 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB341-ASA1,10,16 49.498 (3) (b) 1. Inform each resident, orally and in writing at the time of admission to the nursing facility, of the resident's legal rights during the stay at the nursing facility, including a description of the protection of personal funds under sub. (8) and a statement that a resident may file a complaint with the department under s. 146.40 (4r) (a) concerning neglect, abuse or misappropriation of property or neglect or abuse of a resident.

AB341-ASA1, s. 9 Section 9. 50.01 (1r) of the statutes is created to read:

AB341-ASA1,10,18 50.01 (1r) "Home health agency" has the meaning given under s. 50.49 (1) (a).

AB341-ASA1, s. 10 Section 10. 50.065 of the statutes is created to read:

AB341-ASA1,10,21 50.065 Criminal history and patient abuse record search. (1) In this section:

AB341-ASA1,10,22 (b) "Client" means a person who receives services from an entity.

AB341-ASA1,11,2 (c) "Entity" means a facility, organization or service that is regulated, licensed or certified by or registered with the department. "Entity" includes a personal care worker agency and a supportive home care service agency. "Entity" does not include any of the following:

AB341-ASA1,11,3 1. Licensed or certified child care under ch. 48.

AB341-ASA1,11,4 2. Kinship care under s. 48.57 (3m).

AB341-ASA1,11,7 3. A person certified as a medical assistance provider, as defined in s. 49.43 (10), who is not otherwise regulated, licensed or certified by or registered with the department.

AB341-ASA1,11,8 4. An entity, as defined in s. 48.685 (1) (b).

AB341-ASA1,11,10 (d) "Personal care worker agency" has the meaning specified by the department by rule.

AB341-ASA1,11,12 (e) "Serious crime" has the meaning specified by the department by rule under sub. (7) (a).

AB341-ASA1,11,14 (f) "Supportive home care service agency" has the meaning specified by the department by rule.

AB341-ASA1,11,20 (2) (a) Notwithstanding s. 111.335, the department may not license a person to operate an entity or renew the license of a person to operate an entity, and an entity may not hire a person, or offer a contract to a person who will be under the entity's control, as defined by the department by rule, and who is expected to have access to its clients if the department or entity knows or should have known any of the following:

AB341-ASA1,11,22 1. Except as provided in sub. (5), that the person has been convicted of a serious crime.

AB341-ASA1,11,23 2. That the person has pending against him or her a charge for a serious crime.

AB341-ASA1,12,3 3. That a unit of government or a state agency, as defined in s. 16.61 (2) (d), has made a finding that the person has abused or neglected any client or misappropriated the property of any client.

AB341-ASA1,12,5 4. That a determination was made under s. 48.981 (3) (c) 4. that the person has abused or neglected a child.

AB341-ASA1,12,8 5. That, in the case of a position for which the person must be credentialed by the department of regulation and licensing, the person's credential is not current or is limited so as to restrict the person from providing adequate care to a client.

AB341-ASA1,12,10 (b) The department and every entity shall obtain all of the following with respect to a person specified under par. (a):

AB341-ASA1,12,12 1. A criminal history search from the records maintained by the department of justice.

AB341-ASA1,12,14 2. Information that is contained in the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) regarding any findings against the person.

AB341-ASA1,12,16 3. Information maintained by the department of regulation and licensing regarding the status of the person's credentials, if applicable.

AB341-ASA1,12,21 (bg) If an entity contracts with a person for whom, within the last 4 years, the information required under par. (b) was already obtained, either by another entity or by a temporary employment agency, the entity may obtain the information required under par. (b) from that other entity or temporary employment agency, which shall provide the information, if possible, to the entity.

AB341-ASA1,13,2 (bm) If the person who is the subject of the search under par. (b) 1. is not a resident of this state, or if at any time within the 3 years preceding the date of the search that person has not been a resident of this state, the department or entity shall make a good faith effort to obtain criminal records of the person from any state in which the person is a resident or was a resident within the 3 years preceding the date of the search.

AB341-ASA1,13,6 (c) The department may license, and an entity may employ or contract with, a person specified under par. (a) for not more than 60 days pending the receipt of the information sought under par. (b). An entity shall provide supervision for a person who is employed or contracted with as permitted under this paragraph.

AB341-ASA1,13,15 (3) Every 4 years or at any other time that the department or an entity considers appropriate, the department and every entity shall request information maintained by the department of regulation and licensing regarding the status of any relevant credential held by a person who is licensed to operate an entity or by an employe or contract worker of an entity who has, or is expected to have, access to clients of the entity and shall request a criminal history search and a search of the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) for all persons who are licensed to operate an entity or for all of the employes and contract workers of the entity who have, or are expected to have, access to clients of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,13,17 (4) An entity that violates sub. (2) or (3) may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 and may be subject to other sanctions specified by the department by rule.

AB341-ASA1,13,23 (5) The department may license a person to operate an entity and an entity may employ or contract with a person who has been convicted of a serious crime if the person demonstrates to the department by clear and convincing evidence and in accordance with procedures established by the department by rule that he or she has been rehabilitated. No person who has been convicted of any of the following offenses may be permitted to demonstrate that he or she has been rehabilitated:

AB341-ASA1,13,24 (a) First-degree intentional homicide under s. 940.01.

AB341-ASA1,13,25 (b) First degree sexual assault under s. 940.225 (1).

AB341-ASA1,14,1 (c) First degree sexual assault of a child under s. 948.02 (1).

AB341-ASA1,14,4 (d) Second degree sexual assault of a child under s. 948.02 (2) if the person was, at the time of the sexual contact or sexual intercourse, more than 4 years older than the child with whom the person had the sexual contact or sexual intercourse.

AB341-ASA1,14,9 (e) Repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child under s. 948.025 if the child had not attained the age of 13, or if the child had attained the age of 13 and had not attained the age of 16 and the person was, at the time of the sexual contact or sexual intercourse, more than 4 years older than the child with whom the person had the sexual contact or sexual intercourse.

AB341-ASA1,14,14 (5c) Any person who is permitted but fails under sub. (5) to demonstrate to the department that he or she has been rehabilitated may appeal to the secretary of health and family services or his or her designee. Any person who is adversely affected by a decision of the secretary or his or her designee under this subsection has a right to a contested case hearing under ch. 227.

AB341-ASA1,14,22 (5g) Beginning on the first January 1 after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) that specifies the number of persons in the previous year who have requested to demonstrate to the department that they have been rehabilitated under sub. (5), the number of persons who successfully demonstrated that they have been rehabilitated under sub. (5) and the reasons for the success or failure of a person who has attempted to demonstrate that he or she has been rehabilitated.

AB341-ASA1,15,4 (5m) Notwithstanding s. 111.335, the department may refuse to license a person to operate an entity, and an entity may refuse to employ a person who has, or is expected to have, access to its clients, if the person has been convicted of an offense that the department has not defined as a "serious crime" by rule promulgated under sub. (7) (a), or specified in the list established by rule under sub. (7) (b), but that is, in the estimation of the department or entity substantially related to the care of a client.

AB341-ASA1,15,7 (6) (a) The department shall require any person who applies for issuance or renewal of a license to operate an entity to complete a background information form that is developed by the department.

AB341-ASA1,15,10 (am) Every entity shall require all of the following persons to complete a background information form that is developed and distributed to the entity by the department:

AB341-ASA1,15,13 1. A person that the entity employs or contracts with, or intends to employ or contract with, if the person has, or is expected to have, access to any client of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,15,16 2. A person who is a resident or prospective resident at the entity and who is not a client or prospective client of the entity, if the person has, or is expected to have, access to any client of the entity.

AB341-ASA1,15,21 (b) For persons specified under par. (am) 1. who are regulated, licensed or certified by, or registered with, the department, the entity shall send the background information form to the department. For all other persons specified under par. (am), the entity shall maintain the background information form on file for inspection by the department.

AB341-ASA1,15,24 (c) A person who provides false information on a background information form required under this subsection may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 and may be subject to other sanctions specified by the department by rule.