2021 WISCONSIN ACT 58
(Vetoed in Part)
An Act; relating to: state finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget act of the 2021 legislature.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
58,1
Section 1
. 13.48 (20m) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
13.48 (20m) (c) The building commission may authorize up to $25,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing under par. (b), including up to $3,000,000 for the project described in par. (d).
58,2
Section 2
. 13.48 (20m) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (20m) (d) 1. The legislature finds and determines that supporting entrepreneurs and innovators, providing facilities for job training, and promoting dynamic community revitalization and development are of vital importance in creating jobs and contributing to economic development and tourism in this state and are statewide responsibilities of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the Incourage Community Foundation, Inc., in redeveloping the former Daily Tribune building in the city of Wisconsin Rapids into an economic and community hub.
2. The building commission may under this subsection assist the Incourage Community Foundation, Inc., in redeveloping the former Daily Tribune building in the city of Wisconsin Rapids into an economic and community hub. The state funding commitment shall be in the form of a grant to the Incourage Community Foundation, Inc. Before approving any state funding commitment for redeveloping the former Daily Tribune building, the building commission shall determine that the Incourage Community Foundation, Inc., has secured additional funding for the project from nonstate revenue sources at least equal to the state's grant.
3. If the building commission authorizes a grant to the Incourage Community Foundation, Inc., under subd. 2., and if, for any reason, the facility that is redeveloped with funds from the grant is not used for an economic and community hub, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the facility equal to the amount of the state's grant.
58,3
Section 3
. 13.48 (20t) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (20t) Psychiatric and behavioral health treatment beds. (a) The legislature finds and determines that expanding psychiatric bed capacity as described in par. (b) would greatly benefit state residents by expanding access to timely inpatient mental health treatment and other behavioral health services and allowing public financial resources to be better distributed to more effectively improve delivery of mental health services and is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to expand psychiatric bed capacity and behavioral health treatment capacity.
(b) The building commission may authorize up to $5,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing to make a grant for the purpose of renovating an existing mental health facility in Marathon County. The renovation shall provide 26 beds for expanded capacity for psychiatric and other behavioral health treatment to an organization that applies to the building commission and meets all of the following criteria:
1. The organization provides mental and behavioral health services in the north central region of the state and has a campus in Marathon County.
2. The organization agrees to renovate an existing mental health facility in Marathon County to provide 16 adult inpatient psychiatric beds, 5 beds for emergency stabilization, and 5 beds for detoxification and substance use treatment. The organization shall serve individuals, including individuals who meet the criteria for emergency detention under s. 51.15 or 51.45, who are from Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Vilas Counties.
3. The organization identifies measures that it believes will serve the needs of area residents with behavioral health needs, especially, as a critical component of the measures, in reducing the burden on state-operated facilities.
4. The organization agrees to annually report to the legislature, in the manner described under s. 13.172 (2), the services provided with the resources funded by the grant awarded under this subsection, including the number of individuals diverted from state-operated mental health institutes.
5. The organization recognizes that it is liable to repay the grant funds to the state if the organization fails to continue to maintain the expanded services and number of beds described under subd. 2. for a minimum of 10 years.
(c) Notwithstanding s. 150.93, a hospital may increase its approved bed capacity for purposes of this subsection.
(d) If, for any reason, the space that is renovated with funds from the grant under par. (b) is not used for the purpose of providing the services described under par. (b) 2., the state shall retain an ownership interest in the renovated space equal to the amount of the state's grant.
58,4
Section
4. 13.48 (20v) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (20v) Grants for local projects. (a) The building commission shall establish and operate a grant program under this subsection to assist nonstate organizations to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose. The building commission cannot award a grant for a construction project under this subsection unless the joint committee on finance both approves the grant and finds that the project is in the pub
lic interest and serves one or more statewide public purposes.
(b) The building commission may award a grant to any nonstate organization for a construction project that satisfies par. (a). The municipality, as defined in s. 59.001 (3), in which the construction project is or will be located shall apply to the building commission for the grant on behalf of the nonstate organization carrying out the construction project.
(c) The building commission may authorize up to $10,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing for grants awarded under par. (b). Each grant award cannot exceed $2,000,000. Before approving each grant, the building commission shall determine that the organization carrying out the project has secured additional funding for the project from nonstate revenue sources in an amount that is equal to at least half of the total cost of the project.
(d) If the building commission awards a grant under par. (b), and if, for any reason, the space that is constructed with funds from the grant is not used for one or more public purposes determined by the building commission under par. (a), the state shall retain an ownership interest in the constructed space equal to the amount of the state's grant.
(e) The building commission cannot award a grant under par. (b) unless the department of administration has reviewed and approved plans for the construction project associated with the grant. Notwithstanding ss. 16.85 (1) and 16.855 (1m), the department of administration cannot supervise any services or work or let any contract for the project. Section 16.87 does not apply to the project.
58,5
Section
5. 13.48 (30) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (30) Broadband expansion grants. (a) In this section:
1. “Underserved” has the meaning given in s. 196.504 (1) (b).
2. “Unserved” has the meaning given in s. 196.504 (1) (c).
(b) The legislature finds and determines that the provision of broadband Internet access is essential to the welfare of the citizens of this state and to economic development in this state, and therefore the provision of broadband Internet access is a government function and a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. The legislature further determines that sufficient private capital has been and continues to be unavailable to fulfill the need for the development of broadband Internet access in underserved and unserved areas in this state. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the public service commission in making broadband expansion grants under s. 196.504 (2) (a) for the purpose of constructing broadband infrastructure in underserved and unserved areas of this state.
(c) The building commission may authorize up to $125,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing. The amount is for use under s. 196.504 (2) (a).
(d) If the building commission authorizes borrowing under par. (c), and if, for any reason, a grant funded from the proceeds of such borrowing is not used for the construction of broadband infrastructure, as specified in par. (b), the state shall retain an ownership interest in the project funded from the grant equal to the amount of those proceeds.
58,6
Section 6
. 13.48 (42m) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (42m) Museum of nature and culture. (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing education, programming, and immersive exhibits concerning Wisconsin's natural history and the intersection of nature and culture in Wisconsin and the world vastly enriches the lives of the citizens of this state and is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC, in the construction of a new building to serve as a museum of nature and culture in the city of Milwaukee.
(b) The building commission may authorize up to $40,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing to assist Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC, in the construction of a museum of nature and culture to be located on the northeast corner of 6th Street and McKinley Avenue in the city of Milwaukee. The state funding commitment shall be in the form of a grant to Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC. Before approving any state funding commitment for the construction of the museum, the building commission shall determine that Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC, has secured additional funding for the project of at least $85,000,000 from nonstate revenue sources.
(c) If the building commission authorizes a grant to Historic Haymarket Milwaukee, LLC, under par. (b), and if, for any reason, the facility that is constructed with funds from the grant is not used as a museum of nature and culture, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the facility equal to the amount of the state's grant.
58,7
Section 7
. 13.48 (46p) of the statutes is created to read:
13.48 (46p) Beyond Vision; new facility. (a) The legislature finds and determines that the employment of individuals who are blind or visually impaired, including statewide remote employment, and the provision of other related services to those individuals improves those individuals' lives, increases the workforce and reduces unemployment in this state, and is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist Wiscraft, Inc., doing business as Beyond Vision, in the purchase and renovation of a new facility in Milwaukee County, to be known as the VisABILITY Center, for the employment of and provision of other related services to blind and visually impaired individuals.
(b) The building commission may authorize up to $5,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing to assist Wiscraft, Inc., in the purchase and renovation of a new facility in Milwaukee County for the employment of and provision of other related services to blind and visually impaired individuals. The state funding commitment shall be in the form of a grant to Wiscraft, Inc. Before approving any state funding commitment for the purchase and renovation of the new facility, the building commission shall determine that Wiscraft, Inc., has secured additional funding for the project of at least $14,000,000 from nonstate revenue sources.
(c) If the building commission authorizes a grant to Wiscraft, Inc., under par. (b) and if, for any reason, the space that is purchased and renovated with funds from the grant is not used for the employment of and provision of other related services to blind and visually impaired individuals, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the renovated space equal to the amount of the state's grant.
58,8
Section
8. 13.75 (1g) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
13.75 (1g) (b) Filing the principal registration form under s. 13.64 before July 1, 2021, $375. Beginning on July 1, 2021, the fee is $385.
58,9
Section
9. 13.75 (1g) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
13.75 (1g) (d) Filing an authorization statement under s. 13.65 before July 1, 2021, $125. Beginning on July 1, 2021, the fee is $135.
58,10
Section
10. 15.463 of the statutes is created to read:
15.463 Same; offices. (1) Office of innovative program delivery. There is created an office of innovative program delivery in the department of transportation. The director of the office shall be appointed by, and report directly to, the secretary of transportation.
58,11
Section 11
. 16.07 of the statutes is created to read:
16.07 Grants to American Indian tribes or bands. In fiscal year 2021-22, from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (kk), the department shall award grants to American Indian tribes or bands in this state. The department shall establish the amount of each grant based on the pro rata number of employees employed by the tribe or band as of December 31, 2019. Each tribe or band may use grant moneys as it deems necessary to support programs to meet the needs of members of the tribe or band. No grant moneys may be used to pay gaming-related expenses.
58,12
Section 12
. 16.07 of the statutes, as created by 2021 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.
58,13
Section 13
. 16.25 (3) (d) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 16.25 (3) (d) and amended to read:
16.25 (3) (d) Subject to subd. 2., the The department shall provide a match equal to twice the amount of all annual municipal contributions paid for volunteer fire fighters, emergency medical responders, and emergency medical services practitioners up to a state match of $390 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 department shall pay all amounts that are matched under this paragraph to the individuals and organizations offering the plans selected by the municipalities.
58,14
Section 14
. 16.25 (3) (d) 2. of the statutes is repealed.
58,15
Section
15. 16.313 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
16.313 (3) A municipality receiving a grant under sub. (2) shall itself contribute at least $50,000
$10,000 for the purpose specified in sub. (2) (b).
58,16
Section
16. 16.5185 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
16.5185 (1) (a) An amount equal to 0.25 percent of the moneys projected to be deposited in the general fund during the fiscal year that are designated as “Taxes" in the summary in s. 20.005 (1), as published in the biennial budget act for that fiscal year. For fiscal year 2022-23
and each fiscal year thereafter the amount calculated under this paragraph is doubled.
