16.25(2)
(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 municipality that authorizes volunteer emergency medical technicians to provide emergency medical technical services in the 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.
16.25(3)
(3) The board shall promulgate rules to include the following design features for the program:
16.25(3)(a)
(a) All municipalities that operate volunteer fire departments or that contract with a volunteer fire company organized under
ch. 181 or
213 and all municipalities that authorize volunteer emergency medical technicians to provide emergency medical technical services are eligible to participate in the program.
16.25(3)(b)
(b) Annual contributions in an amount determined by the municipality shall be paid by each municipality for each volunteer fire fighter and emergency medical technician who provides services for the municipality.
16.25(3)(c)
(c) The 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 municipality. The municipality shall pay the annual contributions directly to the individual or organization offering the plan selected by the municipality.
16.25(3)(d)1.1. Subject to
subd. 2., the board shall match all annual 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 municipalities.
16.25(3)(d)2.
2. If the moneys appropriated under
s. 20.505 (4) (er) are not sufficient to fully fund the contributions required to be paid by the board under
subd. 1., the board shall prorate the contributions paid for the volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians.
16.25(3)(e)
(e) A 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 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 municipality.
16.25(3)(f)
(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 municipality shall be required before a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician may receive any benefits under the program.
16.25(3)(g)
(g) A volunteer fire fighter 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 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 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 municipality or has not reached the age of 60, 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 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 municipality and has reached the age of 60.
16.25(3)(h)
(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 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.
16.25(3)(i)1.1. The beneficiary of a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician who is killed in the line of duty 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 or emergency medical technician and all earnings on the contributions, less any expenses incurred in the investment of the contributions and earnings.
16.25(3)(i)2.
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 municipality shall be paid 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 board.
16.25(3)(j)
(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 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.
16.25(3)(k)
(k) The board shall equitably allocate all moneys in accounts of volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians that have been forfeited or closed to the accounts of volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians that have not been forfeited or closed.
16.25(4)(a)(a) The board shall establish by rule the requirements for, and the qualifications of, the individuals and organizations in the private sector that are eligible to provide administrative services and investment plans under the program, other than services funded from the appropriation under
s. 20.505 (4) (ec). In establishing the requirements and qualifications, the board shall develop criteria of financial stability that each individual and organization must meet in order to offer the services and plans under the program.
16.25(4)(b)
(b) The board may contract with any individual or organization in the private sector that seeks to provide administrative services and investment plans required for the program, other than services funded from the appropriation under
s. 20.505 (4) (ec), if the individual or organization fulfills the requirements and has the qualifications established by the board under
par. (a).
Section 16.72 (2) (b) does not apply to any such contract.
16.25(5)
(5) The board shall establish by rule a process by which a volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician may appeal to the board any decision made by the department or by an individual or organization under contract with the board under
sub. (4) that affects a substantial interest of the volunteer fire fighter or emergency medical technician under the program.
16.25(6)
(6) Annually, on or before December 31, the board shall submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2) describing the activities of the board.
16.25 History
History: 1999 a. 105.
16.255
16.255
College savings program vendor. 16.255(1)
(1) The department shall determine the factors to be considered in selecting a vendor of the program under
s. 14.64, which shall include:
16.255(1)(a)
(a) The person's ability to satisfy record-keeping and reporting requirements.
16.255(1)(b)
(b) The fees, if any, that the person proposes to charge account owners.
16.255(1)(c)
(c) The person's plan for promoting the college savings program and the investment that the person is willing to make to promote the program.
16.255(1)(d)
(d) The minimum initial contribution or minimum contributions that the person will require.
16.255(1)(e)
(e) The ability and willingness of the person to accept electronic contributions.
16.255(1)(f)
(f) The ability of the person to augment the college savings program with additional, beneficial services related to the program.
16.255(2)
(2) The department shall solicit competitive sealed proposals under
s. 16.75 (2m) from nongovernmental persons to serve as vendor of the college savings program. The department shall select the vendor based upon factors determined by the department under
sub. (1).
16.255(3)
(3) The contract between the department and the vendor shall ensure all of the following:
16.255(3)(a)
(a) That the vendor reimburses the state for all administrative costs that the state incurs for the college savings program.
16.255(3)(b)
(b) That a firm of certified public accountants selected by the vendor annually audits the college savings program and provides a copy of the audit to the college savings program board.
16.255(3)(c)
(c) That each account owner receives a quarterly statement that identifies the contributions to the college savings account during the preceding quarter, the total contributions to and the value of the college savings account through the end of the preceding quarter and any distributions made during the preceding quarter.
16.255(3)(d)
(d) That the vendor communicate to the beneficiary and account owner the requirements of
s. 14.64 (8).
Effective date note
Note: This section is created as s. 16.25 eff. 2-1-01 by
1999 Wis. Act 44 and is renumbered by the revisor under s. 13.93 (1) (b).
16.255 History
History: 1999 a. 44; s. 13.93 (1) (b).
HOUSING ASSISTANCE
16.30
16.30
Definitions. In this subchapter:
16.30(1)
(1) "Community-based organization" means an organization operating in a specific geographic area that is organized primarily to provide housing opportunities for persons or families of low or moderate income, and that is one of the following:
16.30(1)(c)
(c) A federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state or an entity established by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band.
16.30(2)
(2) "Housing authority" means any of the following:
16.30(2)(b)
(b) A redevelopment authority or housing and community development authority exercising the powers of a housing authority under
s. 66.1333 (3) or
66.1335 (4).
16.30(2)(c)
(c) A housing authority organized by the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.
16.30(3)
(3) "Housing costs" means whichever of the following applies:
16.30(3)(a)
(a) For housing occupied by the owner, any of the following:
16.30(3)(a)1.
1. The principal and interest on a mortgage loan that finances the purchase of the housing.
16.30(3)(a)2.
2. Closing costs and other costs associated with a mortgage loan.
16.30(3)(a)7.
7. If the housing is owned and occupied by members of a cooperative, fees paid to a person for managing the housing.
16.30(3)(b)
(b) For rented housing, any of the following:
16.30(3)(b)3.
3. Utility-related costs, if not included in the rent.
16.30(6)
(6) "Utility-related costs" means costs related to power, heat, gas, light, water and sewerage.
16.31
16.31
State housing strategy plan. 16.31(1)(a)(a) The department shall prepare a comprehensive 5-year state housing strategy plan. The department shall submit the plan to the federal department of housing and urban development.
16.31(1)(b)
(b) In preparing the plan, the department may obtain input from housing authorities, community-based organizations, the private housing industry and others interested in housing assistance and development.
16.31(2)
(2) The state housing strategy plan shall include all of the following:
16.31(2)(a)
(a) A statement of housing policies and recommendations.
16.31(2)(b)
(b) An evaluation and summary of housing conditions and trends in this state, including housing stock and housing cost analyses, general population and household composition demographic analyses and housing and demographic forecasts.
16.31(2)(c)
(c) An evaluation of housing assistance needs, based in part on the evaluation under
par. (b).
16.31(2)(d)
(d) A discussion of major housing issues, including housing production, housing and neighborhood conservation, housing for persons with special needs, fair housing and accessibility and housing affordability.
16.31(2)(e)
(e) Housing policies that set the general framework for this state's housing efforts.
16.31(2)(f)
(f) Strategies for utilizing federal funding and for coordinating federal and state housing efforts.
16.31(2)(g)
(g) Specific recommendations for public and private action that contribute to the attainment of housing policies under the plan.
16.31(3)
(3) The department shall annually update the state housing strategy plan.
16.31(4)
(4) Before October 1 of each year, the department shall submit the state housing strategy plan to the governor and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under
s. 13.172 (2).
16.31 History
History: 1991 a. 39;
1997 a. 27.
16.33
16.33
Housing cost grants and loans. 16.33(1)
(1) The department shall do all of the following:
16.33(1)(a)
(a) Subject to
sub. (2), make grants or loans, directly or through agents designated under
s. 16.334, from the appropriation under
s. 20.505 (7) (b) to persons or families of low or moderate income to defray housing costs of the person or family.
16.33(1)(b)
(b) Determine the rate of interest, repayment terms or any other term of a loan made under this section.
16.33(1)(c)
(c) Set minimum standards for housing that is occupied by a person or family of low or moderate income who receives a grant or loan under this section.
16.33(2)
(2) In connection with grants and loans under
sub. (1), the department shall do all of the following:
16.33(2)(a)
(a) Base the amount of the grant or loan on the ratio between the recipient's housing costs and income.
16.33(2)(c)
(c) Ensure that the funds for the grants and loans are reasonably balanced among geographic areas of this state.
16.33(2)(d)
(d) Ensure that the funds for the grants and loans are reasonably balanced among the varying housing needs of persons or families of low or moderate income.
16.33(2)(e)
(e) Give priority for grants and loans to all of the following:
