Amendment SSA1-AB924

LRBs0361/1

EAW:wlj

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 924

February 20, 2018 - Offered by Senators Erpenbach, Risser, Ringhand, Miller, Shilling, Bewley, L. Taylor and Johnson.

AB924-SSA1,1,3 An Act to amend 49.175 (1) (p) of the statutes; relating to: child care provider rates under Wisconsin Shares, funding for Wisconsin Shares child care subsidies, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This substitute amendment increases funding for child care subsidies under the Wisconsin Shares program and requires the Department of Children and Families to increase maximum payment rates for licensed child care services provided under Wisconsin Shares no later than 30 days after the substitute amendment goes into effect.

The Wisconsin Works (W-2) program under current law, which is administered by DCF, provides work experience and benefits for low-income custodial parents who are at least 18 years old. Also, an individual who is the parent of a child under the age of 13 or, if the child is disabled, under the age of 19, who needs child care services to participate in various educational or work activities, and who satisfies other eligibility criteria may receive a child care subsidy for child care services under the W-2 program. This child care subsidy program is known as Wisconsin Shares.

Under current law, DCF is directed to allocate in each fiscal year specific amounts of money, including federal moneys received under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program, for various public assistance programs. Current law directs DCF to allocate $289,215,200 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $310,369,200 in fiscal year 2018-19 for direct child care services under Wisconsin Shares. This substitute amendment increases each of those allocations by $24,000,000 in each of those fiscal years.

Under current law, DCF establishes maximum payment rates, within specified parameters, for child care providers that provide child care services under Wisconsin Shares. This substitute amendment requires DCF to increase these maximum payment rates no later than 30 days after the substitute amendment goes into effect.

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

AB924-SSA1,1 Section 1. 49.175 (1) (p) of the statutes, as affected by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, is amended to read:

AB924-SSA1,2,5 49.175 (1) (p) Direct child care services. For direct child care services under s. 49.155, $289,215,200 $313,215,200 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $310,369,200 $334,369,200 in fiscal year 2018-19.

AB924-SSA1,2 Section 2. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB924-SSA1,2,9 (1) The department of children and families shall increase the maximum payment rates for licensed child care services under section 49.155 (6) of the statutes no later than the 30th day beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

AB924-SSA1,3 Section 3 . Fiscal changes.

AB924-SSA1,3,2 (1) Child care payment rates. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of children and families under section 20.437 (2) (md) of the statutes, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2017-18 is increased by $24,000,000 for the purpose of increasing the child care payment rates for child care services provided under section 49.155 of the statutes. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of children and families under section 20.437 (2) (md) of the statutes, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2018-19 is increased by $24,000,000 for the purpose of increasing the child care payment rates for child care services provided under section 49.155 of the statutes.

AB924-SSA1,3,3 (End)