49.197(1m)(1m) Fraud investigation. From the appropriations under s. 20.445 (3) (dz), (kx), (L), (md), (n), and (nL), the department shall establish a program to investigate suspected fraudulent activity on the part of recipients of aid to families with dependent children under s. 49.19, on the part of participants in the Wisconsin works program under ss. 49.141 to 49.161, and, if the department of health and family services contracts with the department under sub. (5), on the part of recipients of medical assistance under subch. IV and food stamp benefits under the food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2036. The department's activities under this subsection may include, but are not limited to, comparisons of information provided to the department by an applicant and information provided by the applicant to other federal, state, and local agencies, development of an advisory welfare investigation prosecution standard, and provision of funds to county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, and 46.23 and to Wisconsin works agencies to encourage activities to detect fraud. The department shall cooperate with district attorneys regarding fraud prosecutions.

49.197(3) (3) State error reduction activities. The department shall conduct activities to reduce payment errors in Wisconsin works under ss. 49.141 to 49.161 and, if the department of health and family services contracts with the department under sub. (5), the medical assistance program under subch. IV and the food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2036.

49.197(4) (4) County and tribal error reduction. If the department of health and family services contracts with the department under sub. (5), the department shall provide funds from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (3) (kx) to counties and governing bodies of federally recognized American Indian tribes administering medical assistance under subch. IV or the food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2036 to offset administrative costs of reducing payment errors in those programs.

49.197(5) (5) Contracts for medical assistance and food stamps. The department of health and family services may contract with the department to investigate suspected fraudulent activity on the part of recipients of medical assistance under subch. IV or recipients of food stamp benefits under the food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2036 as provided in this section.

49.22(1) (1) There is created a child and spousal support and establishment of paternity and medical liability support program in the department. The purpose of this program is to establish paternity when possible, to establish or modify support obligations, to enforce support obligations owed by parents to their children and maintenance obligations owed to spouses or former spouses with whom the children reside in this state or owed in other states if the support order was issued in this state or owed in other states if the parent, spouse or former spouse resides in this state, to locate persons who are alleged to have taken their child in violation of s. 948.31 or of similar laws in other states, and to locate and value property of any person having a support duty. To accomplish the objectives of this program and of other assistance programs under this chapter, county and state agencies will cooperate with one another to implement a child and spousal support and paternity establishment program in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations and rules and to assure proper distribution of benefits of all assistance programs authorized under this chapter.

49.22(2) (2) The department shall constitute the state location service which shall assist in locating parents who have deserted their children and other persons liable for support of dependents or persons who are alleged to have taken their child in violation of s. 948.31 or of similar laws in another state, and in locating and valuing property of any person having a support duty.

49.22(2m)(a)(a) The department may request from any person in this state information it determines appropriate and necessary for the administration of this section, ss. 49.141 to 49.161, 49.19, 49.46, 49.468 and 49.47 and programs carrying out the purposes of 7 USC 2011 to 2029. Unless access to the information is prohibited or restricted by law, or unless the person has good cause, as determined by the department in accordance with federal law and regulations, for refusing to cooperate, the person shall make a good faith effort to provide this information within 7 days after receiving a request under this paragraph. Except as provided in subs. (2p) and (2r) and subject to sub. (12), the department or the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) may disclose information obtained under this paragraph only in the administration of this section, ss. 49.141 to 49.161, 49.19, 49.46 and 49.47 and programs carrying out the purposes of 7 USC 2011 to 2029. Employees of the department or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) are subject to s. 49.83.

49.22(2m)(am) (am) In conjunction with any request for information under par. (a), including a request made by subpoena under par. (b), the department or county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) shall advise the person of the time by which the information must be provided and of any consequences to the person under par. (d) that may result from a failure to respond or comply with the request.

49.22(2m)(b) (b) The department or county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) may issue a subpoena, in substantially the form authorized under s. 885.02, to compel the production of financial information and other documentary evidence in the administration of this section, ss. 49.145, 49.19, 49.46 and 49.47 and programs carrying out the purposes of 7 USC 2011 to 2029.

49.22(2m)(bc) (bc) A person in this state shall comply with an administrative subpoena that is issued from another state to compel the production of financial information or other documentary evidence for purposes comparable to those specified in par. (b).

49.22(2m)(c)3. 3. Any other action taken in good faith to comply with this section or a subpoena described in par. (bc) or to comply with a request for information or access to records from the department or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) in the administration of this section, ss. 49.145, 49.19, 49.46 and 49.47 and programs carrying out the purposes of 7 USC 2011 to 2029.

49.22(2m)(d) (d) Any person who fails to respond to or comply with a subpoena described in par. (bc) or a request under par. (a) by the department or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) may be required to pay a forfeiture in an amount determined by the department by rule.

49.22(2p) (2p) Except as provided in sub. (12), the department or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) may disclose to a parent with legal custody of a child, upon the parent's request, the last-known address, and the name and address of the last-known employer, of the child's other parent if that other parent owes a support obligation to the child and is in arrears in the payment of the support.

49.22(2r) (2r) The department or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) may, to the extent permitted under federal law, disclose information obtained under sub. (2m) to the department of revenue for the purposes of locating persons, or the assets of persons, who have failed to file tax returns, who have underreported their taxable income or who are delinquent taxpayers, identifying fraudulent tax returns or providing information for tax-related prosecutions.

49.22(3) (3) The department, acting as a state location service, shall furnish all services under sub. (2) to any similarly appointed agency of another state which by its laws is authorized to furnish such services to this state or its agencies.

49.22(3m) (3m) The department, acting as a state location service, shall furnish services under sub. (2) upon request to the department of health and family services, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 or a child welfare agency that is administering a program operated under 42 USC 620 to 628b or 42 USC 670 to 679a.

49.22(4) (4) Except as provided in this section, no person may use or disclose information obtained by the state location service. Any person violating this subsection may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both.

49.22(6) (6) The department shall establish, pursuant to federal and state laws, rules and regulations, a uniform system of fees for services provided under this section to individuals not receiving aid under s. 46.261, 49.19 or 49.47; benefits under s. 49.148, 49.155, or 49.79; foster care maintenance payments under 42 USC 670 to 679a; or kinship care payments under s. 48.57 (3m) or long-term kinship care payments under s. 48.57 (3n). The system of fees may take into account an individual's ability to pay. Any fee paid and collected under this subsection may be retained by the county providing the service except for the fee specified in 42 USC 653 (e) (2) for federal parent locator services.

49.22(7) (7) The department may represent the state in any action to establish paternity or to establish or enforce a support or maintenance obligation. The department may delegate its authority to represent the state in any action to establish paternity or to establish or enforce a support or maintenance obligation under this section to an attorney responsible for support enforcement under s. 59.53 (6) (a) pursuant to a contract entered into under s. 59.53 (5). The department shall ensure that any such contract is for an amount reasonable and necessary to assure quality service. The department may, by such a contract, authorize a county to contract with any attorney, collection agency or other person to collect unpaid child support or maintenance. If a county fails to fully implement the programs under s. 59.53 (5), the department may implement them and may contract with any appropriate person to obtain necessary services. The department shall establish a formula for disbursing funds appropriated under s. 20.445 (3) (md) to carry out a contract under this subsection.

49.22(7g) (7g) The department shall provide all of the following:

49.22(7g)(a) (a) Training to hospital staff members concerning the form that is prescribed by the state registrar under s. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. and concerning the significance and benefits of, and alternatives to, of establishing paternity.