AB723: Bill Text

LRB-3315/1

JTK:wlj:pg

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Assembly BILL 723

October 3, 2005 - Introduced by Representatives Sherman, Townsend, Boyle, Hahn, Vrakas, Petrowski, Lehman, Sheridan, Seidel and Molepske, cosponsored by Senators Jauch, Grothman, Erpenbach and Darling. Referred to Committee on Urban and Local Affairs.

AB723,1,5 An Act to amend 16.25 (2), 16.25 (3) (a), 16.25 (3) (b), 16.25 (3) (c), 16.25 (3) (d) 1., 16.25 (3) (e), 16.25 (3) (f), 16.25 (3) (g), 16.25 (3) (h), 16.25 (3) (i) 2. and 16.25 (3) (j) of the statutes; relating to: authorization for counties to provide length-of-service awards for emergency medical technicians who perform services for the county.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, any county may, acting by itself or jointly with a municipality or hospital, operate an emergency medical services program. Current law also establishes a program under which a municipality that provides emergency medical services may provide length-of-service awards to qualifying emergency medical technicians who perform emergency medical services for the municipality. Annual contributions to the awards program by each municipality are matched by the state, subject to certain conditions and limitations.

This bill permits a county that operates an emergency medical services program to provide length-of-service awards to qualifying emergency medical technicians who perform services for the county. Under the bill, the awards may qualify for state matching contributions subject to the same conditions and limitations that currently apply.

For further information see the state 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:

AB723, s. 1 Section 1. 16.25 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,2,10 16.25 (2) The board shall establish by rule a program to provide length-of-service awards, described in 26 USC 457 (e) (11), to volunteer fire fighters in municipalities that operate volunteer fire departments or that contract with volunteer fire companies organized under ch. 181 or 213 and to volunteer emergency medical technicians in any county or municipality that authorizes volunteer emergency medical technicians to provide emergency medical technical services in the county or municipality. To the extent permitted by federal law, the board shall design the program so as to treat the length-of-service awards as a tax-deferred benefit under the Internal Revenue Code.

AB723, s. 2 Section 2. 16.25 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,2,16 16.25 (3) (a) All municipalities that operate volunteer fire departments or that contract with a volunteer fire company organized under ch. 181 or 213 and all counties and municipalities that authorize volunteer emergency medical technicians to provide emergency medical technical services are eligible to participate in the program.

AB723, s. 3 Section 3. 16.25 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,2,21 16.25 (3) (b) Annual contributions in an amount determined by the county or municipality shall be paid by each county or municipality for each volunteer fire fighter and emergency medical technician who provides services for the county or municipality.

AB723, s. 4 Section 4. 16.25 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,3,7 16.25 (3) (c) The county or municipality may select from among the plans offered by individuals or organizations under contract with the board under sub. (4) for the volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians who perform services for the county or municipality. The county or municipality shall pay the annual contributions directly to the individual or organization offering the plan selected by the county or municipality.

AB723, s. 5 Section 5. 16.25 (3) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,3,18 16.25 (3) (d) 1. Subject to subd. 2., the board shall match all annual county and municipal contributions paid for volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians up to $250 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 board shall pay all amounts that are matched under this paragraph to the individuals and organizations offering the plans selected by the counties and municipalities.

AB723, s. 6 Section 6. 16.25 (3) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,4,2 16.25 (3) (e) A county or municipality may purchase additional years of service for volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians who have at least 5 years of service as a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician for the county or municipality. The number of additional years of service that may be purchased under this paragraph may not exceed the number of years of volunteer fire fighting or emergency medical technical service performed by the volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician for the county or municipality.

AB723, s. 7 Section 7. 16.25 (3) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,4,9 16.25 (3) (f) Except in the case of a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician or the beneficiary of a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician eligible for a lump sum under par. (i), a vesting period of 10 years of volunteer fire fighting or emergency medical technical service for a county or municipality shall be required before a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician may receive any benefits under the program.

AB723, s. 8 Section 8. 16.25 (3) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,4,25 16.25 (3) (g) A volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician shall be paid a length of service length-of-service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule, consisting of all county or municipal and state contributions made on behalf of the volunteer fire fighter 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 or emergency medical technician attains 20 years of service for a county or municipality and reaches the age of 60. If a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician has satisfied all vesting requirements under the program but has less than 20 years of service for a county or municipality or has not reached the age of 60, the program shall provide for the payment of a length of service length-of-service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule in an amount to be determined by the board, but less than the amount paid to a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician who has attained 20 years of service for a county or municipality and has reached the age of 60.

AB723, s. 9 Section 9. 16.25 (3) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,5,7 16.25 (3) (h) A volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician who has not met all of the vesting requirements under the program shall forfeit his or her accrued years of volunteer fire fighting or emergency medical technical service if he or she should cease providing volunteer fire fighting or emergency medical technical services for a county or municipality for a period of 6 months or more, unless he or she has been granted a leave of absence by his or her supervisor.

AB723, s. 10 Section 10. 16.25 (3) (i) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,5,13 16.25 (3) (i) 2. A volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician who becomes disabled during his or her service as a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician for the county or municipality shall be paid a length of service length-of-service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule, in an amount to be determined by the board.

AB723, s. 11 Section 11. 16.25 (3) (j) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB723,5,19 16.25 (3) (j) The account of any volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician who has not met all of the vesting requirements under the program, who has not provided volunteer fire fighting or emergency medical technical services for a county or municipality for a period of 6 months or more and who has not been granted a leave of absence by his or her supervisor shall be closed.

AB723,5,20 (End)