Amendment ASA1-AB188

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 188

November 3, 2015 - Offered by Representatives Jorgensen and Spreitzer.

AB188-ASA1,1,3 An Act to create 49.79 (11) of the statutes; relating to: removing FoodShare benefits from an inactive account and expunging unused benefits after one year.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB188-ASA1,1 Section 1. 49.79 (11) of the statutes is created to read:

AB188-ASA1,2,9 49.79 (11) Treatment of inactive accounts; expungement of unused benefits. (a) If, for a period of 6 months or longer, an individual or household that is receiving benefits under this section through an electronic benefit transfer system uses no benefits that have been posted to the individual's or household's benefit account, the department shall remove all benefits from the account electronically and store them offline. The benefits being stored offline shall be made available to the individual or household again within 48 hours after a request by the individual or a member of the household to restore the benefits or upon reapplication by the individual or household for benefits under this section, whichever is appropriate under the circumstances. The department shall attempt to notify the individual or household before benefits are removed from the account under this paragraph and shall describe the steps that the individual or household must take to get the benefits returned to the account. The department shall ensure that an individual or household whose benefits have been removed and are being stored offline may contact a caseworker at the county level for assistance in getting the benefits returned to the account immediately.

AB188-ASA1,2,11 (b) The department shall expunge any benefits that have not been used after a period of one year, regardless of whether either of the following applies:

AB188-ASA1,2,13 1. The benefits have been removed from an inactive benefit account under par. (a) and are being stored offline.

AB188-ASA1,2,14 2. The benefits are still posted to an active account.

AB188-ASA1,2,17 (c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) shall not apply to an individual, or a household that contains an individual, who is 65 years of age or older or who is disabled, as defined in s. 46.985 (1) (d).

AB188-ASA1,2,20 (d) Annually, beginning 2 years after implementing the process under this subsection, the department shall assess its costs and savings resulting from the process and shall discontinue the process if the costs exceed the savings.

AB188-ASA1,2,21 (End)