AB739: Bill Text

LRB-4383/3

MES&DAK:kmg:km

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Assembly BILL 739

December 12, 1995 - Introduced by Representatives Lehman, Krusick, Grobschmidt, Hanson, Silbaugh, Hahn, Hoven, L. Young, Baldwin, Powers, Musser, Ourada, Ott, Huber, Springer, Ainsworth, Johnsrud, Bock, Travis, Murat, Dueholm, Albers, Hutchison, Dobyns, Ryba, Wasserman, Handrick, Carpenter, Plache, Olsen, Notestein, Wirch, Coggs, Plombon, Baldus, Kreuser, Hasenohrl, Gunderson, Seratti and R. Potter, cosponsored by Senators Buettner, Panzer, Rosenzweig, Rude, Andrea, Risser, Darling, Clausing, Shibilski, Fitzgerald, Burke, Breske, Moore, Moen, C. Potter, George and Wineke, by request of Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups. Referred to Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care.

AB739,1,6 An Act to renumber and amend 71.07 (8) (a); to amend 46.977 (2) (a); and to create 20.435 (7) (bg), 46.856 and 71.07 (8) (a) 1. to 3. of the statutes; relating to: providing funding for the long-term support community options program, the long-term care ombudsman program, the guardianship grant program and Alzheimer's disease training and information grants, limiting the personal exemptions tax credit and making appropriations.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, under the long-term care ombudsman program, staff of the board on aging and long-term care (BOALTC) investigate complaints about conditions or treatment of aged or disabled persons and about noncompliance with federal statutes or regulations or state statutes or rules. This bill increases the general purpose revenue appropriation to BOALTC by $91,500 for fiscal year 1996-97 to provide 2 additional full-time equivalent positions for the long-term care ombudsman program.

Under current law, the department of health and social services (DHSS) awards grants to recruit, train, monitor and assist guardians for persons who have been adjudicated incompetent. In 1995 Wisconsin Act 27 (the budget act), funding for this grant program was decreased to $125,000 in each fiscal year, and a matching amount of 100% of any grant awarded was required for all grantees. This bill increases the general purpose revenue appropriation for the guardianship grant program by $112,500 in fiscal year 1996-97 and reduces the required grantee matching amount to 10% of the grant awarded.

Under current law, DHSS administers the long-term support community options program (commonly known as "COP"). Part of COP (commonly known as "regular COP") is funded solely by state general purpose revenues and part (commonly known as "COP waiver") is funded, under a waiver of federal medicaid laws, through combined state general purpose revenues and federal medicaid moneys. This bill increases the regular COP program by $578,800 in fiscal year 1996-97, to provide assessments, case plans and services under the program, beginning on July 1, 1996. The bill also increases the COP waiver program by $1,219,100 in general purpose revenues in fiscal year 1996-97, to provide assessments, case plans and services under the program, beginning on July 1, 1996.

Under the budget act, grants were eliminated to private nonprofit organizations to provide training and information for persons who provide services to those with Alzheimer's disease. This bill restores the Alzheimer's disease training and information grant program, and funds the program with $200,000 in general purpose revenues in fiscal year 1996-97.

Under current law, every individual who reaches the age of 65 before the close of the taxable year to which his or her income tax return relates may claim a credit of $25. Under this bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1996, the credit may be claimed by such a person only if his or her adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than $30,000 or, if the person is married and files a joint return, if the couple's AGI is less than $40,000 or, if the person is married and files a separate return, if the taxpayer's AGI is less than $20,000.

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:

AB739, s. 1 Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB739, s. 2 Section 2. 20.435 (7) (bg) of the statutes is created to read:

AB739,3,3 20.435 (7) (bg) Alzheimer's disease; training and information grants. The amounts in the schedule to provide a grant to an organization to carry out the activities related to Alzheimer's disease under s. 46.856.

AB739, s. 3 Section 3. 46.856 of the statutes is created to read:

AB739,3,7 46.856 Alzheimer's disease; training and information grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (7) (bg), the department shall award a grant to a private nonprofit organization, as defined in s. 108.02 (19), to do all of the following:

AB739,3,11 (1) Provide training and technical assistance to the staff of county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22 and 46.23, to the staff of administering agencies designated under s. 46.87 (3) (c) and to other providers of services to persons with Alzheimer's disease, as defined in s. 46.87 (1) (a).

AB739,3,13 (2) Develop training materials for educating persons who provide services to persons with Alzheimer's disease.

AB739,3,15 (3) Collect and disseminate information on Alzheimer's disease and coordinate public awareness activities related to the disease.

AB739, s. 4 Section 4. 46.977 (2) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act 27, is amended to read:

AB739,3,25 46.977 (2) (a) Annually, prior to April 30, an organization may apply to the department for a grant under this section for the purpose of recruiting, training, monitoring and assisting guardians for persons determined to be incompetent under ch. 880. By June 30, the department shall determine which organizations will receive a grant during the following fiscal year based on the criteria under par. (c). No grant may be awarded unless the applicant provides matching funds equal to 10% of the amount of the award. The department shall make grants under this section from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (7) (cg).

AB739, s. 5 Section 5. 71.07 (8) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 71.07 (8) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB739,4,4 71.07 (8) (a) (intro.) An exemption of $25 if the taxpayer has reached the age of 65 prior to the close of the calendar or fiscal year. and if one of the following applies:

AB739, s. 6 Section 6. 71.07 (8) (a) 1. to 3. of the statutes are created to read:

AB739,4,7 71.07 (8) (a) 1. The taxpayer is an individual, files an individual return, and has adjusted gross income of less than $30,000 in the year to which the claim relates.

AB739,4,9 2. The taxpayer is married, files a joint return, and has adjusted gross income of less than $40,000 in the year to which the claim relates.

AB739,4,11 3. The taxpayer is married, files a separate return, and has adjusted gross income of less than $20,000 in the year to which the claim relates.

AB739, s. 7 Section 7. Appropriation changes; aging and long-term care board.

AB739,4,19 (1) Long-term care ombudsman program. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the board on aging and long-term care under section 20.432 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1995, the dollar amount is increased by $91,500 for fiscal year 1996-97 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the board on aging and long-term care by 2.0 GPR positions, beginning on July 1, 1996, for performance of services under section 16.009 (2) (b) of the statutes.

AB739, s. 8 Section 8. Appropriation changes; health and social services.

AB739,4,25 (1) Guardianship grant program. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of health and social services under section 20.435 (7) (cg) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1995, the dollar amount is increased by $112,500 for fiscal year 1996-97 to increase funding for the purpose for which the appropriation is made.

AB739,5,6 (2) Long-term support community options program medical assistance waiver. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of health and social services under section 20.435 (7) (bd) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1995, the dollar amount is increased by $1,219,100 for fiscal year 1996-97 to increase funding for assessments, case plans and services under section 46.27 (11) of the statutes.

AB739,5,12 (3) Long-term support community options program. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of health and social services under section 20.435 (7) (bd) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 1995, the dollar amount is increased by $578,800 for fiscal year 1996-97 to increase funding for assessments, case plans and services under section 46.27 (7) of the statutes.

AB739, s. 9 Section 9. Initial applicability; revenue.

AB739,5,16 (1) Personal exemptions tax credit. The treatment of section 71.07 (8) (a) of the statues and the creation of section 71.07 (8) (a) 1. to 3. of the statutes first apply to taxable years beginning on January 1, 1996.

AB739, s. 10 Section 10. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

AB739,5,20 (1) Guardianship grants. The treatment of section 46.977 (2) (a) of the statutes takes effect on July 1, 1996.

AB739,5,21 (End)