AB821,19,32 45.51 (3) (c) 1. d. Parents of eligible persons under sub. (2) (a) 1. or 2. to 3. have
34th priority for admission.
AB821,75 4Section 75. 45.51 (3) (c) 1m. c. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,19,75 45.51 (3) (c) 1m. c. A person who is not a resident of the state on the date of
6application for membership in a veterans home
eligible under sub. (1m) has 3rd
7priority for admission.
AB821,76 8Section 76. 45.51 (3) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,19,109 45.51 (3) (c) 2. The department may deviate from this sequence upon order of
10the board
to prevent the separation of a husband and wife.
AB821,77 11Section 77. 45.51 (6m) of the statutes is renumbered 45.51 (1m) and amended
12to read:
AB821,19,1613 45.51 (1m) Residency. In Notwithstanding s. 45.02 (2) and subject to sub. (3),
14in
order to be eligible for benefits under this subchapter, a person specified under
15sub. (2) (a) 1., 2., or 3.
does not have to be a resident of this state on the date of
16application for membership
.
AB821,78 17Section 78. 45.51 (7) of the statutes is renumbered 45.50 (12), and 45.50 (12)
18(a), as renumbered, is amended to read:
AB821,19,2119 45.50 (12) (a) The board department shall establish a pay plan for
20compensation of members for services rendered to a veterans home under its work
21therapy program.
AB821,79 22Section 79. 45.51 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 45.50 (13).
AB821,80 23Section 80. 45.51 (10) of the statutes is renumbered 45.50 (14), and 45.50 (14)
24(a) and (b), as renumbered, are amended to read:
AB821,20,11
145.50 (14) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the application
2and admission of any applicant admitted under this section s. 45.51 shall constitute
3a valid and binding contract between a member and the department. If a member
4dies leaving a relative that is entitled to an interest in the property of the member
5under the rules of intestate succession or a will the existence of which is made known
6to the commandant of the veterans home within 60 days of the member's death, the
7member's property shall constitute a part of the member's estate, except the
8commandant may distribute personal effects of nominal monetary value of a
9deceased member who is not survived by a member spouse to surviving relatives of
10the member who request the personal effects within a reasonable time after the
11member's death.
AB821,20,1712 (b) The department may manage, sell, lease, or transfer property passing to the
13state pursuant to this section s. 45.51 or conveyed to it by members, defend and
14prosecute all actions concerning it, pay all just claims against it, and do all other
15things necessary for the protection, preservation, and management of the property.
16All expenditures necessary for the execution of functions under this paragraph or
17sub. s. 45.51 (14) shall be made from the appropriation in s. 20.485 (1) (h).
AB821,81 18Section 81. 45.51 (11) of the statutes is renumbered 45.50 (15).
AB821,82 19Section 82. 45.51 (12) of the statutes is renumbered 45.50 (16).
AB821,83 20Section 83. 45.57 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,20,2321 45.57 (1) The department may transfer all or part of the unencumbered balance
22of any of the appropriations under s. 20.485 (1) (g), (gd), (gk), or (i) to the veterans
23trust fund or to the veterans mortgage loan repayment fund.
AB821,84 24Section 84. 45.62 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,21,8
145.62 (2) The department may prepare blank forms for the transmission to the
2department of the information required for the record under sub. (1). The
3department may distribute the forms to county veterans service officers or county
4veterans benefit specialists
. A county veterans service officer or county veterans
5benefit specialist
within whose county any cemetery or other burial place is located
6in which deceased veteran's bodies are interred shall submit the facts required for
7the record under sub. (1) to the department on the forms provided by the department,
8if so requested by the department.
AB821,85 9Section 85. 45.70 (1b) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 45.70 (1b) and
10amended to read:
AB821,21,1411 45.70 (1b) The board department may approve, recommend, and veto any
12proposed plans, modifications, and changes or policies with respect to established
13state memorials and any future veterans state memorials, and may recommend the
14creation and establishment of future veterans state memorials.
AB821,86 15Section 86. 45.70 (1b) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,87 16Section 87. 45.70 (1m) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,88 17Section 88. 45.70 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,21,2318 45.70 (2) (b) No structures, other than memorials approved by the board
19department, and no walks, roads, or subterranean footings may be placed or erected
20upon Camp Randall Memorial Park, Madison, Wisconsin, as described in par. (c),
21unless authorized by the legislature;, nor shall the park be used for any permanent
22purpose other than a memorial park and no event may be held within the park unless
23approved by the department
.
AB821,89 24Section 89. 45.80 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,21,25 2545.80 (title) County veterans service officer services to veterans.
AB821,90
1Section 90. 45.80 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 45.80 (1) (a) (intro.) and
2amended to read:
AB821,22,43 45.80 (1) (a) (intro.) Except as provided under par. (b), the county board shall
4elect a one of the following:
AB821,22,10 51. A county veterans service officer who shall be a Wisconsin resident who
6served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces or in forces
7incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces and who meets at least one of the
8conditions listed in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (d) and at least one of the conditions listed in
9s. 45.02 (2)
, served under honorable conditions in a reserve unit of the U.S. armed
10forces, or served under honorable conditions in the national guard
.
AB821,91 11Section 91. 45.80 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB821,22,1912 45.80 (1) (a) 2. A county veterans benefit specialist who shall be a Wisconsin
13resident who served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed
14forces or in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces, served under
15honorable conditions in a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or served under
16honorable conditions in the national guard, and who shall be accredited by the U.S.
17department of veterans affairs to assist veterans and their families in the
18preparation, presentation, and prosecution of a veteran benefit claim in accordance
19with 38 USC 5901 to 5904 and 38 CFR 14.629.
AB821,92 20Section 92. 45.80 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,23,221 45.80 (1) (c) In counties with a county executive or county administrator, the
22county executive or county administrator shall appoint and supervise a county
23veterans service officer or county veterans benefit specialist who shall have the
24qualifications prescribed under par. (a). The appointment is subject to confirmation
25by the county board unless the county board, by ordinance, elects to waive

1confirmation or unless the appointment is made under a civil service system
2competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63.
AB821,93 3Section 93. 45.80 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,23,74 45.80 (2) Term. A county veterans service officer or county veterans benefit
5specialist
elected under sub. (1) (a) shall serve until the first Monday in January of
6the 2nd year subsequent to the year of his or her election, and, if reelected, shall
7continue to serve unless removed under s. 17.10 (2).
AB821,94 8Section 94. 45.80 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,23,119 45.80 (3) Salary. The salary of the county veterans service officer or county
10veterans benefit specialist
shall be fixed by the county board prior to or at the time
11of the service officer's election and annually thereafter.
AB821,95 12Section 95. 45.80 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,23,1513 45.80 (4) Milwaukee County. In counties having a population of 500,000
14750,000 or more the county veterans service officer or county veterans benefit
15specialist
shall be appointed subject to ss. 63.01 to 63.17.
AB821,96 16Section 96. 45.80 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,23,1817 45.80 (5) Duties. (intro.) The A county veterans service officer shall do all of
18the following:
AB821,97 19Section 97. 45.80 (5) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,98 20Section 98. 45.80 (6) (intro.) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,99 21Section 99. 45.80 (6) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 45.80 (5) (g).
AB821,100 22Section 100. 45.80 (6) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 45.80 (5) (h).
AB821,101 23Section 101. 45.80 (7) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,102 24Section 102. 45.80 (8) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,103 25Section 103. 45.80 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
AB821,24,2
145.80 (9) Prohibited activities. A county veterans service officer may not do
2any of the following:
AB821,24,53 (a) Verify veterans status for individuals for the purpose of obtaining permits
4or licenses from the department of natural resources or the department of motor
5vehicles.
AB821,24,66 (b) Initiate mortgage loans under s. 45.37 or personal loans under s. 45.42.
AB821,104 7Section 104. 45.805 of the statutes is created to read:
AB821,24,12 845.805 County veterans service consortium. (1) The department may
9approve a county veterans service consortium to administer veterans benefits and
10services within the boundaries of the participating counties. The department may
11not approve more than one county veterans service consortium. The department
12shall create standards under which a consortium shall operate.
AB821,24,19 13(2) The department shall designate one of the proposed participating counties
14to submit a plan for the proposed county veterans service consortium to the
15department that sets forth policies and procedures for the consortium. The plan
16shall provide for the establishment of a county veterans consortium commission to
17administer the consortium, and the county veterans consortium commission shall
18consist of one representative from each county that is a member of the consortium.
19The plan may not be implemented without the department's approval.
AB821,24,22 20(3) If the department approves the plan under sub. (2), the department shall
21award a grant to the county that submitted the plan to assist the county veterans
22service consortium in implementing its plan.
AB821,105 23Section 105. 45.805 of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this
24act), is repealed.
AB821,106 25Section 106. 45.81 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,25,11
145.81 (2) The commission shall be organized by the election of one of their
2number as chairperson. The county executive or county board chairperson in a
3county that does not have a county executive after the expiration of the terms of those
4first appointed shall annually on or before the 2nd Monday in December appoint one
5person as a member of the commission for the term of 3 years. Except as provided
6in s. 59.21 (1) (intro.), the county executive or county board chairperson shall require
7each member of the commission and the county veterans service officer to execute to
8the county an individual surety bond, with sufficient sureties to be approved by the
9county executive or county board chairperson, each bond to be in an amount equal
10to the tax levied in the current year for expenditure by the commission. Each bond
11shall be filed with the county clerk.
AB821,107 12Section 107. 45.81 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,25,1513 45.81 (3) (a) Except as provided under sub. (4), the The commission may
14furnish aid to any person described in s. 45.86 if the right of that person to aid is
15established to the commission's satisfaction.
AB821,108 16Section 108. 45.81 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,25,1917 45.81 (4) A county veterans service officer appointed under s. 45.80 (1) (b) or
18(4) shall may have the administrative powers and duties prescribed for the county
19veterans service commission under sub. (2).
AB821,109 20Section 109. 45.81 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,25,2521 45.81 (6) The county veterans service officer shall may serve as executive
22secretary of the county veterans service commission and shall may make or direct
23all necessary investigations to determine eligibility for aid under s. 45.86 when the
24commission so requests. The county service officer, in making an investigation, may
25use the facilities for investigating that are made available by the county board.
AB821,110
1Section 110. 45.82 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,26,152 45.82 (1) Each county may annually apply to the department for a grant for the
3improvement of service to former military personnel of the county through the
4county veterans service office. A county may not allocate any portion of a grant for
5use by another county department nor may the county reduce funding to a county
6veterans service office based upon receipt of a grant. The county veterans service
7officer of any
A county applying for the grant shall enter into an agreement with the
8department. The agreement shall state the goals and objectives to be attained by the
9county veterans service office during the remainder of the year covered by the grant
10application. The department shall prepare the basic form of this agreement in
11consultation with the county veterans service officers association and provide a copy
12and an explanation of that agreement to each county veterans service officer. The
13department shall develop reasonable budget and operating standards to assure
14improved services, but full operating control of the county office shall be left to each
15county.
AB821,111 16Section 111. 45.82 (2) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
17is amended to read:
AB821,27,918 45.82 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall award a grant annually, on
19a reimbursable basis as specified in this subsection, to a county that meets the
20standards developed under this section if the county executive, administrator, or
21administrative coordinator certifies to the department that it employs a county
22veterans service officer who, if chosen after April 15, 2015, is chosen from a list of
23candidates who have taken a civil service examination for the position of county
24veterans service officer developed and administered by the bureau of merit
25recruitment and selection in the department of administration, or is appointed under

1a civil service competitive examination procedure under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63
. The
2department of veterans affairs shall twice yearly reimburse grant recipients for
3documented expenses under sub. (5), subject to the following annual reimbursement
4limits: $8,500 for a county with a population of less than 20,000, $10,000 for a county
5with a population of 20,000 to 45,499, $11,500 for a county with a population of
645,500 to 74,999, and $13,000 for a county with a population of 75,000 or more. The
7department of veterans affairs shall use the most recent Wisconsin official
8population estimates prepared by the demographic services center when making
9grants under this subsection.
AB821,112 10Section 112. 45.82 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
AB821,113 11Section 113. 45.84 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,27,21 1245.84 Burial allowance. (1) Each county veterans service officer or county
13veterans benefit specialist
shall cause to be interred in a decent and respectable
14manner in any cemetery in this state, other than those used exclusively for the burial
15of paupers, the body of any veteran, spouse, or surviving spouse who was living in
16the county at the time of death and who dies not leaving sufficient means to defray
17the necessary expenses of a decent burial, or under circumstances that would cause
18financial distress to the person's family. The cost of this interment shall be the
19responsibility of the county, but may not be less than $300, and shall be in addition
20to the burial allowance payable under laws administered by the U.S. department of
21veterans affairs.
AB821,28,3 22(2) Before assuming the burial expense, the county veterans service officer or
23county veterans benefit specialist
shall exercise due diligence in attempting to
24determine the financial condition required by sub. (1). The county veterans service
25officer, in making the inquiry, may use the facilities for investigation that are made

1available by the county board. The county veterans service officer shall report the
2results of that determination to the appropriate authorities designated by the
3county.
AB821,28,12 4(3) The chairperson of the county board and the clerk of the county on the
5receipt of the report under sub. (2) shall draw an order on the county treasurer for
6the amount of expenses so incurred, payable to the person designated in the report
7as being entitled to that payment. The county veterans service officer or county
8veterans benefit specialist
of each county shall, upon the death and burial of a
9veteran described under sub. (1) who was living in the county at the time of death,
10make application to the proper authorities for a suitable headstone as provided for
11by act of congress, and at the expense of the county cause the same to be placed at
12the head of the deceased's grave.
AB821,114 13Section 114. 59.21 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,29,314 59.21 (1) (intro.) Each county officer named in this chapter, except county
15supervisors, shall execute and file an official bond and take and file the official oath
16within 20 days after receiving official notice of election or appointment, or if not
17officially notified, within 20 days after the commencement of the term for which the
18officer is elected or appointed, or the board may provide a schedule or blanket bond
19that includes any or all of these officials, except county supervisors, and a blanket
20bond may also include members of a county veterans service commission under s.
2145.81 (1) and a county veterans service officer under s. 45.81 (2) or a county veterans
22benefit specialist
. Every county supervisor shall take and file the official oath within
2320 days after receiving official notice of election or appointment, or if not officially
24notified, within 20 days after the commencement of the term for which he or she is
25elected or appointed. Every deputy appointed by any such officer shall take and file

1the official oath and if the deputy neglects to do so, he or she shall forfeit $100. If the
2board does not provide a schedule or blanket bond, the official bonds shall be in sums
3and with sureties, as follows:
AB821,115 4Section 115. 59.535 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,29,75 59.535 (4) Service officer and commission. The board may appropriate funds
6for the execution of the duties of the county veterans service officer or the county
7veterans benefit specialist
and the county veterans service commission.
AB821,116 8Section 116. 851.09 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB821,29,14 9851.09 Heir. "Heir" means any person, including the surviving spouse, who
10is entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to an interest in property of a
11decedent. The state is an heir of the decedent and a person interested under s. 45.51
12(10)
45.50 (14) and (11) (15) when the decedent was a member of a Wisconsin veterans
13home operated by the department of veterans affairs under s. 45.50 at the time of the
14decedent's death.
AB821,117 15Section 117. Fiscal changes.
AB821,29,2516 (1) Facilities management. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the
17statutes for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under section
1820.485 (1) (gk) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for
19fiscal year 2015-16 is increased by $0 to increase the authorized FTE positions for
20the department by 1.0 PR position for facilities maintenance at the Veterans Home
21at Union Grove. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the
22appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under section 20.485 (1) (gk) of
23the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2016-17
24is increased by $0 to provide funding for the position authorized under this
25subsection.
AB821,30,1
1(2) County veterans services grants.
AB821,30,52 (a) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation
3to the department of veterans affairs under section 20.485 (2) (tf) of the statutes, as
4affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2016-17 is decreased
5by $250,000 to decrease the amount in the appropriation.
AB821,30,96 (b) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation
7to the department of veterans affairs under section 20.485 (2) (vx) of the statutes, as
8affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2016-17 is increased
9by $250,000 to provide funding for a county veterans services consortium.
AB821,118 10Section 118. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after
11publication, except as follows:
AB821,30,1312 (1) The repeal and recreation of section 20.485 (1) (gk) of the statutes takes
13effect on July 1, 2017.
AB821,30,1414 (2) The repeal of section 45.805 of the statutes takes effect on July 1, 2017.
AB821,30,1615 (3) The amendment of section 20.485 (2) (vx) (by Section 25) of the statutes
16takes effect on July 1, 2017.
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