LRB-1286/P1
MPG:ahe
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Stinebrink, BB0171 - Service Award Program Changes
For 2017-2019 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
state government
Other state government
This bill makes the following changes to the service award program, which provides length-of-service awards to volunteer fire fighters, first responders, and volunteer emergency medical technicians:
1. DOA is required to double, rather than match as required under current law, annual municipal contributions paid for volunteer fire fighters, first responders, and voluntary emergency medical technicians up to $500 per fiscal year, rather than $250 per fiscal year.
2. A volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or volunteer emergency medical technician is fully vested to receive a service award once he or she attains 15 years of service for a municipality and reaches the age of 53. Under current law, vesting occurs once a volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or volunteer emergency medical technician attains 20 years of service and reaches the age of 60.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section
1. 16.25 (3) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
16.25 (3) (d) 1. Subject to subd. 2., the department shall match double all annual municipal contributions paid for volunteer fire fighters, first responders, and emergency medical technicians up to $250 $500 per fiscal year, other than contributions paid for the purchase of additional years of service under par. (e), to be paid from the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (4) (er). This amount shall be adjusted annually on July 1 to reflect any changes in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor, for the 12-month period ending on the preceding December 31. The department shall pay all amounts that are matched under this paragraph to the individuals and organizations offering the plans selected by the municipalities.
Section
2. 16.25 (3) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
16.25 (3) (g) A volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician shall be paid a length of service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule, consisting of all municipal and state contributions made on behalf of the volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician and all earnings on the contributions, less any expenses incurred in the investment of the contributions and earnings, after the volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician attains 20 15 years of service for a municipality and reaches the age of 60 53. If a volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician has satisfied all vesting requirements under the program but has less than 20 15 years of service for a municipality or has not reached the age of 60 53, the program shall provide for the payment of a length of service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule in an amount to be determined by the department, but less than the amount paid to a volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician who has attained 20 15 years of service for a municipality and has reached the age of 60 53.
Section
3. 20.505 (4) (er) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.505 (4) (er) (title) Service award program; state matching awards.
****Note: This Section
involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
****Note: Let me know if you want to amend the cap on the sum sufficient under s. 20.505 (4) (er).
(End)
