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Community action agencies
Under current law, DCF must distribute grants to community action agencies
to provide skills enhancement services, including access to transportation, child
care, career counseling, job placement assistance, and financial support for
education and training. The bill provides an additional $500,000 in each fiscal year
of the 2021-23 fiscal biennium for that purpose.
The bill also provides a match from state funding to the federal community
services block grant, which funds the work of community action agencies. Under
current law, a community action agency is an entity that provides services such as
employment or housing assistance, financial planning, or educational services to
low-income individuals and that works to combat poverty in the community that it
serves. The bill increases the income cap for receiving services from a community
action agency from 125 percent of the federal poverty line to 200 percent of the federal
poverty line.
The bill also requires the Department of Health Services to establish a grant
program to provide grants to community action agencies to enable them to respond
to the needs of communities and low-income families and individuals in crisis
resulting from opioid addiction-related issues. Through the program, DHS is
required to endeavor to expand and support effective community efforts to identify
and respond to causes and consequences of opioid misuse and addiction experienced
by low-income individuals, families, and communities. Under the bill, DHS must
award grants of at least $25,000 and up to $250,000 per year. The bill sets out criteria
DHS must use in awarding grants as well as characteristics of applications to which
DHS must give preference. Grants under the bill may not be more than three years
in duration unless approved by the secretary of health services.

Lead exposure and abatement
1. Early intervention services for children with lead in their blood
Under current law, DHS implements a statewide program, referred to as the
Birth to 3 Program, that provides early intervention services for children aged three
and under who are developmentally delayed or are diagnosed as having a condition
that is likely to result in significantly delayed development. The bill ensures that
children with a concentration of lead in their blood of at least 5 micrograms per 100
milliliters of blood are eligible for services under the Birth to 3 Program.
2. Lead-Safe Homes Program
Under current law, DHS provides lead abatement services through the
Lead-Safe Homes Program. The Lead-Safe Homes Program provides repairs to
owner-occupied and rental properties to make them lead-safe. Currently, the
program is funded in part through federal funding. The bill increases state funding
for the program by $28,400,000 over the fiscal biennium.
3. Windows Plus lead exposure program
The bill authorizes one general purpose revenue position within DHS and
increases funding to resume the Windows Plus lead exposure program. The
Windows Plus lead exposure program was initiated in the 2019-21 fiscal biennium
with onetime funding to provide lead-safe renovations in homes built before 1950
that are inhabited or frequently visited by low-income families with children. The
program focuses renovations on high-risk components of housing, such as windows,
porches, floors, and siding.
4. Lead service line replacement
Under current law, DOA and the Department of Natural Resources administer
the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP), which provides financial
assistance to local governmental units and to the private owners of community water
systems that serve local governmental units for projects for the planning, designing,
construction, or modification of public water systems. DNR establishes a funding list
for SDWLP projects, and DOA allocates funding for those projects.
Under current law, the state may contract up to $74,950,000 in public debt for
the SDWLP. The bill increases the bonding authority for the program by $40,000,000
and requires DOA to allocate up to $40,000,000 of the authorized public debt to
projects involving forgivable loans to private users of public water systems to cover
not more than 50 percent of the cost to replace lead service lines.
Sober living and mental health
The bill requires DHS to encourage the development, expansion, and quality
control of networks of sober living residences and to allocate moneys to create a
revolving loan fund for establishing sober living residences or a network of sober
living residences or to award grants for purposes specified in the bill.
The bill requires DHS to award grants to entities or groups that meet its
qualifications to perform research projects on mental health issues and access to
mental health services in rural areas of the state.

Nonemergency medical transportation services
The bill requires DHS to determine and implement a reimbursement rate for
nonemergency medical transportation services for Medical Assistance recipients
who are nursing home residents that is the same as the prevalent brokerage
reimbursement rate applied to other nonemergency medical transportation services
for Medical Assistance recipients.
Transportation
1. Transportation grants
Under current law, the Department of Transportation may award grants to
public and private organizations for the development and implementation of
demand management, ride-sharing, and job access and employment transportation
assistance programs. The bill increases the amount of state monies appropriated for
the development and implementation of job access and employment transportation
assistance programs by $249,450 in each year of the 2021-23 fiscal biennium.
2. Urban mass transit aid
Under current law, DOT provides state aid payments to local public bodies in
urban areas served by mass transit systems to assist the local public bodies with the
expenses of operating those systems. The bill increases the total amount of state aid
payments for mass transit systems serving urban areas having a population of less
than 50,000 to $5,707,800 in calendar year 2021 and thereafter.
3. Specialized transportation services
Under current law, DOT administers specialized transportation programs to
provide financial assistance for transportation services for seniors and individuals
with disabilities. One program provides funding to counties based on each county's
proportion of the state's population of seniors and individuals with disabilities. The
other program provides funds to local public bodies and nonprofit organizations
through a competitive application process to supplement federal funding under the
Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program. The bill
increases funding for both programs by 2 percent.
Higher education
The bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
to allocate $50,000 each fiscal year for the Institute for Research on Poverty at
UW-Madison to study and provide an annual report to the public on poverty in this
state.
For further information see the state and local 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:
AB1145,1 1Section 1. 13.48 (26m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,8,6
113.48 (26m) Lead service line replacement. The legislature finds and
2determines that the prevalence of lead service lines in connections to public water
3systems poses a public health hazard and that processes for reducing lead entering
4drinking water from such pipes requires additional treatment of wastewater. It is
5therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist
6private users of public water systems in replacing lead service lines.
AB1145,2 7Section 2. 16.03 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,8,98 16.03 (2) (d) No later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, do all of the
9following:
AB1145,8,1510 1. Identify ways in which the departments of administration, children and
11families, health services, public instruction, workforce development, and veterans
12affairs and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority can
13increase access to services for homeless individuals and families, including
14individuals who are included in the category of homeless children and youths, as
15defined in 42 USC 11434a (2).
AB1145,8,1916 2. Advise each of the departments specified in subd. 2. and the Wisconsin
17Housing and Economic Development Authority to revise any policy or practice of the
18department or authority that the council determines impedes homeless individuals
19and families from obtaining services.
AB1145,3 20Section 3. 16.19 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,9,3 2116.19 Civil legal services for the indigent. Annually, the department shall
22pay the amount appropriated under s. 20.505 (7) (e) to the Wisconsin Trust Account
23Foundation, Inc., to provide civil legal services to indigent persons. The Wisconsin
24Trust Account Foundation, Inc., shall distribute the amount received from the
25department under this section as grants to programs that provide civil legal services

1to indigent persons, and those programs may use the grant funds to match other
2federal and private grants. The grants may be used only for the purposes for which
3the funding was provided.
AB1145,4 4Section 4. 16.306 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,9,135 16.306 (2) (a) From the appropriation appropriations under s. 20.505 (7) (fk)
6and
(fm), the department may award a grant to an eligible applicant for the purpose
7of providing housing and associated supportive services to homeless individuals and
8families to facilitate their movement to independent living if the conditions under
9par. (b) are satisfied. The department shall ensure that the funds for the grants are
10reasonably balanced among geographic areas of the state that correspond to the
11geographic areas served by each continuum of care organization designated by the
12federal department of housing and urban development, consistent with the quality
13of applications submitted
award grants under this paragraph on a competitive basis.
AB1145,5 14Section 5. 16.3065 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,9,16 1516.3065 Rental assistance. (1) In this section, “eligible applicant” has the
16meaning given in s. 16.306 (1).
AB1145,9,22 17(2) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (7) (bq), the department shall
18award grants to eligible applicants to provide tenant-based rental assistance to
19individuals and families. All grant funds shall be used to provide tenant-based
20rental assistance to individuals and families who have suffered an economic
21hardship and whose annual household income does not exceed 80 percent of the
22median household income for the county in which the individual or family resides.
AB1145,6 23Section 6. 16.3085 (2) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,9,2524 16.3085 (2) (b) 2. Employment-related services, including connecting parents
25who are job training graduates or who have a recent work history with their local

1workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 3122 and assisting
2them with using the job center website maintained by the department of workforce
3development.
AB1145,7 4Section 7. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
5the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB1145,8 1Section 8. 20.435 (5) (cg) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,11,42 20.435 (5) (cg) Rural mental health research grants. The amounts in the
3schedule for grants for research on mental health issues in rural areas under s.
446.538.
AB1145,9 5Section 9. 20.435 (5) (em) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,11,86 20.435 (5) (em) Sober living residences. Biennially, the amounts in the
7schedule to support sober living residences or sober living residence networks under
8s. 46.483.
AB1145,10 9Section 10. 20.437 (2) (cs) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,11,1310 20.437 (2) (cs) Community services block grant; state match. A sum sufficient
11to match 25 percent of the amounts received under 42 USC 9903 for the federal
12community services block grant for the purposes for which the federal community
13services block grant funds are received.
AB1145,11 14Section 11. 20.437 (2) (eg) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,11,1615 20.437 (2) (eg) Internet assistance program. The amounts in the schedule for
16the Internet assistance program under s. 49.168.
AB1145,12 17Section 12. 20.445 (1) (fc) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,11,2018 20.445 (1) (fc) Job and employment services; pilot program. The amounts in the
19schedule for the pilot program established under 2021 Wisconsin Act .... (this act),
20section 72 (1).
AB1145,13
1Section 13 . 20.445 (1) (fc) of the statutes, as created by 2021 Wisconsin Act ....
2(this act), is repealed.
AB1145,14 3Section 14. 20.505 (7) (bq) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,12,54 20.505 (7) (bq) Rental assistance. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts
5in the schedule for rental assistance grants under s. 16.3065.
AB1145,15 6Section 15. 20.505 (7) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,12,97 20.505 (7) (e) Indigent civil legal services. The amounts in the schedule to
8provide grants for the provision of civil legal services to indigent persons under s.
916.19.
AB1145,16 10Section 16. 20.505 (7) (fk) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,12,1211 20.505 (7) (fk) Housing grants. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in
12the schedule for housing grants under s. 16.306.
AB1145,17 13Section 17. 20.866 (2) (td) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,12,1914 20.866 (2) (td) Safe drinking water loan program. From the capital
15improvement fund, a sum sufficient to be transferred to the environmental
16improvement fund for the safe drinking water loan program under s. 281.61. The
17state may contract public debt in an amount not to exceed $71,400,000 $114,950,000
18for this purpose. The state may contract additional public debt in an amount up to
19$3,550,000 for this purpose.
AB1145,18 20Section 18. 36.25 (56) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,12,2521 36.25 (56) Annual poverty study. Of the moneys appropriated to the Board
22of Regents under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the board shall, beginning in fiscal year 2021-22,
23allocate $50,000 in each fiscal year for the Institute for Research on Poverty at the
24University of Wisconsin-Madison to study and provide an annual report to the public
25on poverty in this state.
AB1145,19
1Section 19. 38.40 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,13,52 38.40 (2) Interagency assistance. The council on workforce investment
3established under 29 USC 2821 3111 and the department of public instruction shall
4assist the board in providing the technical preparation, school-to-work, and
5work-based learning programs under sub. (1m).
AB1145,20 6Section 20. 46.483 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,13,11 746.483 Sober living residences. (1) Definition. In this section, “sober living
8residence" means a residential dwelling unit or other form of group housing that is
9offered or advertised by a person as a residence that provides a peer-supported,
10alcohol-free, and drug-free living environment where no treatment services are
11provided on-site and that would qualify for a loan under 42 USC 300x-25.
AB1145,13,15 12(2) Requirement; funding support. The department shall encourage the
13development, expansion, and quality control of networks of sober living residences.
14From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (5) (em), the department shall allocate
15moneys for any of the following purposes:
AB1145,13,1716 (a) Creating a revolving loan fund for establishing a sober living residence or
17a network of sober living residences.
AB1145,13,1918 (b) Awarding grants to train and supervise field workers to provide technical
19assistance to sober living residences.
AB1145,13,2220 (c) Awarding grants to entities that establish sober living residences or to sober
21living residences to support the development, expansion, and quality operation of
22sober living residences.
AB1145,21 23Section 21. 46.538 of the statutes is created to read:
AB1145,14,4 2446.538 Rural mental health research grants. From the appropriation
25under s. 20.435 (5) (cg), the department shall award $50,000 cumulatively in grants

1to entities or groups to perform research projects on mental health issues and access
2to mental health services in rural areas of the state. The department shall establish
3qualifications for entities and groups to be eligible to receive a grant under this
4section.
AB1145,22 5Section 22. 46.56 (14) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,14,246 46.56 (14) (a) In order to support the development of a comprehensive service
7system of coordinated care for children who are involved in 2 or more systems of care
8and their families, the department shall establish a state advisory committee with
9representatives of county departments and tribal governing bodies, the department
10of public instruction, educational agencies, the department of children and families,
11the department of corrections, the juvenile correctional system, professionals
12experienced in the provision of services to children who are involved in 2 or more
13systems of care and their families, advocates for such families and their children, the
14subunit of the department of workforce development that administers vocational
15rehabilitation, a representative of the local workforce development board
16established under 29 USC 2832 3122, a representative of the philanthropy
17community, the technical college system, health care providers, courts assigned to
18exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938, child welfare officials, and other
19appropriate persons as selected by the department. The department may use an
20existing committee for this purpose if it has representatives from the listed groups
21and is willing to perform the required functions. This committee shall establish
22principles and core values for administering initiatives, monitor the development of
23initiatives throughout the state, and support communication and mutual assistance
24among operating initiatives as well as those that are being developed.
AB1145,23 25Section 23. 49.143 (2) (a) 4m. e. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,15,3
149.143 (2) (a) 4m. e. Coordinate with local workforce development boards
2established under 29 USC 2832 3122 to ensure compatibility of purpose and no
3duplication of effort.
AB1145,24 4Section 24. 49.155 (1m) (c) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,15,165 49.155 (1m) (c) 1. (intro.) Except as provided in subds. 1d., 1g., 1h., 1m., 2., and
63., the gross income of the individual's family is at or below 185 percent of the poverty
7line for a family the size of the individual's family or, for an individual who is already
8receiving a child care subsidy under this section, the gross income of the individual's
9family is at or below
200 percent of the poverty line for a family the size of the
10individual's family. In calculating the gross income of the family, the department or
11county department or agency determining eligibility shall include court-ordered
12child or family support payments received by the individual, if those support
13payments exceed $1,250 per month, and income described under s. 49.145 (3) (b) 1.
14and 3., except that, in calculating farm and self-employment income, the
15department or county department or agency determining eligibility shall include the
16sum of the following:
AB1145,25 17Section 25. 49.163 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1145,15,2318 49.163 (4) Contract for administration. (intro.) The department may
19contract with any person to administer the program under this section, including a
20Wisconsin Works agency; county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23; local
21workforce development board established under 29 USC 2832 3122; or community
22action agency under s. 49.265. The department, or the agency or agencies with which
23the department contracts under this subsection, shall do all of the following:
AB1145,26 24Section 26. 49.1635 (1) of the statutes is repealed.
AB1145,27 25Section 27. 49.1635 (2) of the statutes is repealed.
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