The bill also requires that a PSAO disclose to OCI the extent of any ownership
or control by an entity that provides pharmacy services; provides prescription drug
or device services; or manufactures, sells, or distributes prescription drugs,
biologicals, or medical devices. The PSAO must notify OCI within five days of any
material change in its ownership or control related to such an entity.
Cost-sharing cap on insulin
The bill prohibits every health insurance policy and governmental self-insured
health plan that covers insulin and imposes cost-sharing on prescription drugs from
imposing cost-sharing on insulin in an amount that exceeds $50 for a one-month
supply. Current law requires every health insurance policy that provides coverage
of expenses incurred for treatment of diabetes to provide coverage for specified
expenses and items, including insulin. The required coverage under current law for
certain diabetes treatments other than insulin infusion pumps is subject to the same
exclusions, limitations, deductibles, and coinsurance provisions of the policy as other
covered expenses. The bill's cost-sharing limitation on insulin supersedes the
specification that the exclusions, limitations, deductibles, and coinsurance are the
same as for other coverage.
Value-based diabetes medication pilot project
The bill directs OCI to develop a pilot project under which a pharmacy benefit
manager and pharmaceutical manufacturer are directed to create a value-based,
sole-source arrangement to reduce the costs of prescription diabetes medication.
The bill allows OCI to promulgate rules to implement the pilot project.
Insulin safety net programs
The bill requires insulin manufacturers to establish a program under which
qualifying Wisconsin residents who are in urgent need of insulin and are uninsured
or have limited insurance coverage can be dispensed insulin at a pharmacy. Under
the program, if a qualifying individual in urgent need of insulin provides a pharmacy
with a form attesting that the individual meets the program's eligibility
requirements, specified proof of residency, and a valid insulin prescription, the
pharmacy must dispense a 30-day supply of insulin to the individual and may charge
the individual a copayment of no more than $35. The pharmacy may submit an
electronic payment claim for the insulin's acquisition cost to the manufacturer or
agree to receive a replacement of the same insulin in the amount dispensed.
The bill also requires that insulin manufacturers establish a patient assistance
program to make insulin available to any qualifying Wisconsin resident who is
uninsured or has limited insurance coverage and whose income does not exceed 400
percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Under the bill, an individual must apply
to participate in a manufacturer's program. If the manufacturer determines that the
individual meets the program's eligibility requirements, the manufacturer issues
the individual a statement of eligibility, which is valid for 12 months and may be
renewed. Under the bill, if an individual with a statement of eligibility and valid
insulin prescription requests insulin from a pharmacy, the pharmacy must submit
an order to the manufacturer, who must then provide a 90-day supply of insulin at
no charge to the individual or pharmacy. The pharmacy may charge the individual
a copayment of no more than $50. Under the bill, a manufacturer is not required to
issue a statement of eligibility if the individual has prescription drug coverage
through an individual or group health plan and the manufacturer determines that
the individual's insulin needs are better addressed through the manufacturer's
copayment assistance program. In such case, the manufacturer must provide the
individual with the necessary drug coupons, and the individual may not be required
to pay more than a $50 copayment for a 90-day supply of insulin.
Under the bill, if the manufacturer determines that an individual is not eligible
for the patient assistance program, the individual may file an appeal with OCI. The
bill directs OCI to establish procedures for deciding appeals. Under the bill, OCI
must issue a decision within 10 days, and that decision is final.
The bill requires that insulin manufacturers annually report to OCI
information about the number of patients served and amount of insulin dispensed
under the programs and that OCI annually report to the legislature on the programs.
The bill also directs OCI to conduct public outreach and develop an information sheet
about the programs, conduct satisfaction surveys of individuals and pharmacies who
participate in the programs, and report to the legislature on the surveys by July 1,
2024. Additionally, the bill requires that OCI develop a training program for health
care navigators to assist individuals in accessing appropriate long-term insulin
options and maintain a list of trained navigators.
The bill provides that a manufacturer that fails to comply with the bill's
provisions may be assessed a penalty of up to $200,000 per month of noncompliance,
which increases to $400,000 if the manufacturer continues to be in noncompliance
after six months and to $600,000 if the manufacturer continues to be in
noncompliance after one year. The bill's requirements do not apply to manufacturers
with annual insulin sales revenue in Wisconsin of no more than $2,000,000 or to
insulin that costs less than a specified dollar amount.
Patient pharmacy benefits tool
The bill directs OCI to award grants in an amount of up to $500,000 in each
fiscal year to health care providers to develop and implement a tool that would allow
prescribers to disclose the cost of prescription drugs for patients. The tool must be
usable by physicians and other prescribers to determine the cost of prescription
drugs for their patients. Any health care provider that receives a grant to develop
and implement a patient pharmacy benefits tool is required to contribute matching
funds equal to at least 50 percent of the total grant awarded.
Prescription drug importation program
The bill requires the commissioner of insurance, in consultation with persons
interested in the sale and pricing of prescription drugs and federal officials and
agencies, to design and implement a prescription drug importation program for the
benefit of and that generates savings for Wisconsin residents. The bill establishes
requirements for the program, including all of the following: the commissioner must
designate a state agency to become or contract with a licensed wholesale distributor
and seek federal certification and approval to import prescription drugs; the
importation program must comply with certain federal regulations and import from
Canadian suppliers only prescription drugs that are not brand-name drugs, have
fewer than four competitor drugs in this country, and for which importation creates
substantial savings; the commissioner must ensure that prescription drugs
imported under the program are not distributed, dispensed, or sold outside of
Wisconsin; and the importation program must have an audit procedure to ensure the
program complies with certain requirements specified in the bill. Before submitting
the proposed implementation program to the federal government for certification,
the commissioner must submit the proposed importation program to JCF for its
approval.
State prescription drug purchasing entity
The bill requires OCI to conduct a study on the viability of creating or
implementing a state prescription drug purchasing entity.
Health insurance premium assistance program
The bill directs OCI to develop a program to provide premium assistance to
individuals who purchase a silver level plan on the health insurance exchange
created under the federal Affordable Care Act and whose household income is
between 138 and 250 percent of the federal poverty line. The bill requires that the
assistance be provided no later than plan year 2024 and that OCI include a cost
estimate for the program with the agency's 2023-24 biennial budget submission.
Under the bill, the assistance amount is the difference between the lowest-cost silver
level plan and lowest-cost bronze level plan in the county in which the individual
resides. The bill defines silver and bronze level plans with reference to federal law.
Under federal law, a silver level plan must provide coverage that is designed to
provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 70 percent of the full actuarial
value of the benefits provided under the plan, with the percentage reduced to 60
percent for a bronze level plan. Also under federal law, individuals who purchase a
silver level plan and whose household income does not exceed 250 percent of the
federal poverty line may be eligible for federal cost-sharing subsidies.
State-based exchange
The bill directs OCI to establish and operate a state-based health insurance
exchange. Under current law, the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that
an exchange be established in each state to facilitate the purchase of qualified health
insurance coverage by individuals and small employers. Under the ACA, a state
must operate its own state-based exchange, use the federally facilitated exchange
operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or adopt a hybrid
approach under which the state operates a state-based exchange but uses the
federal platform, known as HealthCare.gov, to handle eligibility and enrollment
functions. Wisconsin currently uses the federally facilitated exchange. The bill
directs OCI to establish and operate a state-based exchange, first by using the
federal platform and then transitioning to a fully state-run exchange. The bill
authorizes OCI to enter into any agreement with the federal government necessary
to implement these provisions. The bill also requires that OCI impose a user fee on
insurers offering plans through the state-based exchange. Under current law, the
ACA imposes user fees on insurers offering plans through federally facilitated
exchanges and state-based exchanges using the federal platform, which are
currently 3 percent and 2.5 percent of total monthly premiums, respectively. The bill
authorizes OCI to impose a user fee at the following rates:
1. For any plan year that OCI operates the state-based exchange using the
federal platform, the rate is 0.5 percent.
2. For the first two plan years that OCI operates the fully state-run exchange,
the rate is 3 percent. For later plan years, the rate is set by OCI by rule.
The bill also creates an annual appropriation in state general purpose revenue
for OCI's general program operations. Under the bill, OCI may spend up to $900,000
in fiscal year 2021-22 for the development of a public option health insurance plan.
Coverage of individuals with preexisting conditions and other insurance
market regulations
The bill requires certain health plans to guarantee access to coverage; prohibits
plans from imposing preexisting condition exclusions; prohibits plans from setting
premiums or cost-sharing amounts based on health status-related factors; prohibits
plans from setting lifetime or annual limits on benefits; requires plans to cover
certain essential health benefits; requires coverage of certain preventive services by
plans without a cost-sharing contribution by an enrollee; sets a maximum annual
amount of cost sharing for enrollees; and designates risk pool, medical loss ratio, and
actuarial value requirements.
The bill requires every individual health insurance policy, known in the bill as
a health benefit plan, to accept every individual who, and every group health
insurance policy to accept every employer that, applies for coverage, regardless of
sexual orientation, gender identity, or whether an employee or individual has a
preexisting condition. The bill allows health benefit plans to restrict enrollment in
coverage to open or special enrollment periods and requires the commissioner of
insurance to establish a statewide open enrollment period of no shorter than 30 days
for every individual health benefit plan. The bill prohibits a group health insurance
policy, including a self-insured governmental health plan, from imposing a
preexisting condition exclusion. The bill also prohibits an individual health
insurance policy from reducing or denying a claim or loss incurred or disability
commencing under the policy on the ground that a disease or physical condition
existed prior to the effective date of coverage.
A health benefit plan offered on the individual or small employer market or a
self-insured governmental health plan may not vary premium rates for a specific
plan except on the basis of whether the plan covers an individual or family, area in
the state, age, and tobacco use as specified in the bill. An individual health benefit
plan or self-insured health plan is prohibited under the bill from establishing rules
for the eligibility of any individual to enroll based on health-status related factors,
which are specified in the bill. A self-insured health plan or an insurer offering an
individual health benefit plan is also prohibited from requiring an enrollee to pay a
greater premium, contribution, deductible, copayment, or coinsurance amount than
is required of a similarly situated enrollee based on a health-status related factor.
Current state law prohibits group health benefit plans from establishing rules of
eligibility or requiring greater premium or contribution amounts based on a
health-status related factor. The bill adds to these current law requirements for
group health benefit plans that the plan may not require a greater deductible,
copayment, or coinsurance amount based on a health-status related factor.
Under the bill, an individual or group health benefit plan or a self-insured
governmental health plan may not establish lifetime or annual limits on the dollar
value of benefits for an enrollee or a dependent of an enrollee under the plan. The
bill specifies a maximum amount of cost-sharing that a plan may impose as the
amount calculated under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(ACA).
The bill requires individual and small employer plans to have either a single
statewide risk pool for the individual market and a single pool for the small employer
market or a single statewide risk pool for a combination of the individual and small
employer markets. The bill requires individual and small employer plans to have a
medical loss ratio of at least 80 percent and larger group plans to have a medical loss
ratio of at least 85 percent. The medical loss ratio is the proportion of premium
revenues that the plan spends on clinical services and quality improvement. The bill
also requires individual and small employer plans to provide a level of coverage that
is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to at least 60 percent
of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan. An actuarial value
of 60 percent corresponds to a bronze tier plan under the ACA.
The bill requires certain health insurance policies, known in the bill as
disability insurance policies, and self-insured governmental health plans to cover
essential health benefits that will be specified by the commissioner of insurance by
rule. The bill specifies a list of requirements that the commissioner must follow when
establishing the essential health benefits including certain limitations on
cost-sharing and the following general categories of benefits, items, or services in
which the commissioner must require coverage: ambulatory patient services,
emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health
and substance use disorder services, prescription drugs, rehabilitative and
habilitative services and devices, laboratory services, preventive and wellness
services and chronic disease management, and pediatric services. If an essential
health benefit specified by the commissioner is also subject to its own mandated
coverage requirement, the bill requires the disability insurance policy or
self-insured health plan to provide coverage under whichever requirement provides
the insured or plan participant with more comprehensive coverage.
The bill requires health insurance policies and self-insured governmental
health plans to cover certain preventive services and to provide coverage of those
preventive services without subjecting that coverage to deductibles, copayments, or
coinsurance. The preventive services for which coverage is required are specified in
the bill. The bill also specifies certain instances when cost-sharing amounts may be
charged for an office visit associated with a preventive service.
Short-term plan coverage requirements
The bill generally sets certain coverage requirements on health plans that are
short-term limited duration health plans. Under current law, short-term plans may
have an initial term of no longer than 12 months and may have an aggregate duration
of no longer than 18 months. The bill shortens the initial term to no longer than three
months and the aggregate duration to no longer than six months.
The bill requires every short-term, limited duration plan to accept every
individual who applies for coverage, whether the individual has a preexisting
condition. Current law allows short-term limited duration plans to impose a
preexisting condition exclusion but requires the plan to reduce the length of time of
the exclusion by the aggregate duration of the insured's consecutive periods of
coverage. A preexisting condition exclusion is a period of time during which a plan
will not cover a medical condition for which the insured received some medical
attention before the effective date of coverage. The bill, however, prohibits
short-term, limited duration plans from imposing any preexisting condition
exclusion.
A short-term, limited duration plan may not vary premium rates for a specific
plan except on the basis of whether the plan covers an individual or family, area in
the state, age, and tobacco use as specified in the bill. A short-term, limited duration
plan is prohibited under the bill from establishing rules for the eligibility of any
individual to enroll based on health status-related factors, which are specified in the
bill, and from requiring an enrollee to pay a greater premium, contribution,
deductible, copayment, or coinsurance amount than is required of a similarly
situated enrollee based on a health status-related factor. Under the bill, a
short-term, limited duration plan may not establish lifetime or limits for the
duration of the coverage on the dollar value of benefits for an enrollee or a dependent
of an enrollee under the plan.
Balance billing for emergency medical services and other items and services
The bill requires defined network plans, such as health maintenance
organizations, and certain preferred provider plans and self-insured governmental
plans that cover benefits or services provided in either an emergency department of
a hospital or independent freestanding emergency department to cover emergency
benefits without requiring a prior authorization determination and without regard
to whether or not the health care provider providing the emergency medical services
is a participating provider or facility. If the emergency medical services for which
coverage is required are provided by a nonparticipating provider, the plan must 1)
not impose a prior authorization requirement or other limitation that is more
restrictive than if the service was provided by a participating provider, 2) not impose
cost-sharing on the enrollee that is greater than the cost-sharing required if the
service was provided by a participating provider, 3) calculate the cost-sharing
amount to be equal to the amount that would have been charged if the service was
provided by a participating provider, 4) provide, within 30 days of the provider's or
facility's bill, an initial payment or denial notice to the provider or facility and then
pay a total amount to the provider or facility that is equal to the amount by which
the provider's or facility's rate exceeds the amount it received in cost-sharing from
the enrollee, and 5) count any cost-sharing payment made by the enrollee for the
emergency medical services toward any in-network deductible or out-of-pocket
maximum as if the cost-sharing payment were made for services provided by a
participating provider or facility. The provider or facility may not bill or hold liable
an enrollee of the plan for any amount for the emergency medical service that is more
than the cost-sharing amount that is determined as described in the bill for the
emergency medical service.
For coverage of an item or service that is provided by a nonparticipating
provider in a participating facility, a plan must 1) not impose a cost-sharing
requirement for the item or service that is greater than the cost-sharing
requirement that would have been imposed if the item or service was provided by a
participating provider, 2) calculate the cost-sharing amount to be equal to the
amount that would have been charged if the service was provided by a participating
provider, 3) provide, within 30 days of the provider's bill, an initial payment or denial
notice to the provider and then pay a total amount to the provider that is equal to the
amount by which the provider's rate exceeds the amount it received in cost-sharing
from the enrollee, and 4) count any cost-sharing payment made by the enrollee for
the emergency medical services toward any in-network deductible or out-of-pocket
maximum as if the cost-sharing payment were made for services provided by a
participating provider. A nonparticipating provider providing an item or service in
a participating facility may not bill or hold liable an enrollee for more than the
cost-sharing amount unless the provider provides notice and obtains consent as
described in the bill. However, if the nonparticipating provider is providing an
ancillary item or service that is specified in the bill and the commissioner of
insurance has not specifically allowed balance billing for that item or service by rule,
the nonparticipating provider providing the ancillary item or service in a
participating facility may not bill or hold liable an enrollee for more than the
cost-sharing amount.
A provider or facility that is entitled to a payment under the bill for an
emergency medical service or other item or service may initiate open negotiations
with the plan to determine the amount of payment. If the open negotiation period
terminates without determination of the payment amount, the provider, facility, or
plan may initiate the independent dispute resolution process as specified by the
commissioner of insurance. If an enrollee of a plan is a continuing care patient, as
defined in the bill, and is obtaining services from a participating provider or facility
and the contract is terminated or the coverage of benefits is going to be terminated,
the plan must notify an enrollee of the enrollee's right to elect to continue transitional
care, provide the enrollee an opportunity to notify the plan of the need for
transitional care, and allow the enrollee to continue to have the benefits provided
under the plan under the same terms and conditions as would have applied without
the termination until either 90 days after the termination notice date or the date on
which the enrollee is no longer a continuing care patient, whichever is earlier.
Telehealth parity
The bill requires health insurance policies and self-insured governmental
health plans to cover a treatment or service that is provided through telehealth if the
treatment or service is covered by the policy or plan when provided in person. A
policy or plan may limit its coverage to those treatments or services that are
medically necessary. “Telehealth” is defined in the bill as a practice of health care
delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data
by means of audio, video, or data communications that are used either during a
patient visit or consultation or are used to transfer medically relevant data about a
patient. Health insurance policies are referred to as disability insurance policies in
the bill, and a self-insured governmental health plan is a self-funded health plan
of the state or a county, city, village, town, or school district.
The bill also sets parameters on the coverage of telehealth treatments and
services that is required in the bill. A policy or plan may not subject a telehealth
treatment or service to a greater deductible, copayment, or coinsurance than if
provided in person. Similarly, a policy or plan may not impose a policy or calendar
year or a lifetime benefit limit or other maximum limitation or a prior authorization
requirement on a telehealth treatment or service that is not imposed on treatments
or services provided through manners other than telehealth. A policy or plan also
may not place unique location requirements on telehealth treatment or services. If
a policy or plan covers a telehealth treatment or service that has no in-person
equivalent, the policy or plan must disclose this in the policy or plan materials.
Participation by school districts in state group health insurance plan
The bill requires the commissioner of insurance to create a task force to develop
an implementation plan for participation by school districts in a group health
insurance plan offered by the Group Insurance Board. The task force consists of 13
members appointed by the governor, including a representative from each of the
following entities: OCI, DOA, DPI, and ETF. The task force also includes one
administrator of a school district, one business official of a school district, one
member of a school board, one official of a public employee union, three employees
of public schools, and one representative of a health plan. Under the bill, the
commissioner of insurance and the secretary of employee trust funds are required
to consult with the task force and review an actuarial study conducted by GIB and
develop a plan to implement participation by school districts in a group health
insurance plan offered by GIB, by January 1, 2024. Finally, under the bill, the
commissioner of insurance and the secretary of employee trust funds are required
to provide the implementation plan to the governor and JCF no later than December
31, 2022.
Outreach and education regarding employee misclassification
The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to conduct, on at least an annual
basis, outreach and education to insurers and other persons regulated by the state
insurance laws on how to identify the misclassification of employees and report
suspected misclassifications to the appropriate federal and state agencies.
JUSTICE
Powers of the attorney general
The bill repeals changes made to the powers of the attorney general in
2017
Wisconsin Act 369 relating to the power to compromise or discontinue civil actions
prosecuted by DOJ and the power to compromise and settle actions in cases in which
DOJ is defending the state. The bill reestablishes these settlement powers as they
existed under the law before
2017 Wisconsin Act 369 was enacted.
The bill allows the attorney general to compromise or discontinue actions
prosecuted by DOJ 1) when directed by the officer, department, board, or commission
that directed the prosecution or 2) with the approval of the governor when the action
is prosecuted by DOJ on the initiative of the attorney general or at the request of any
individual. The bill eliminates the requirement for approval of a compromise or
discontinuance from a legislative intervenor or JCF. It also eliminates the
requirement for the attorney general to obtain approval of a compromise or
discontinuance by the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization in certain
circumstances before submitting a proposed plan to JCF.
Under the bill, when DOJ is defending the state, the attorney general may
compromise and settle the action as the attorney general determines to be in the best
interest of the state. The bill eliminates the requirement under current law that, in
actions for injunctive relief or if there is a proposed consent decree, the attorney
general must 1) obtain the approval of any legislative intervenor or 2) if there is no
intervenor, submit a proposed plan to JCF and, in certain circumstances, obtain
approval of JCF. The bill also eliminates the requirement for the attorney general
to obtain approval from JCLO in certain circumstances before submitting a proposed
plan of settlement or compromise to JCF.
Gifts and grants and disposition of settlement funds
The bill repeals certain changes made by
2017 Wisconsin Act 369 relating to
gifts and grants and certain proceeds received by DOJ, specifically reversing
provisions that changed a DOJ gifts and grants appropriation and a DOJ gifts,
grants, and proceeds appropriation from continuing appropriations to annual
appropriations.
Second, the bill repeals the requirement that the attorney general must deposit
all settlement funds into the general fund. The bill restores procedures relating to
discretionary settlement funds under which the attorney general could expend
certain settlement funds not committed under the terms of a settlement after
submitting a plan to JCF for passive review and either 1) the cochairpersons of JCF
do not schedule a meeting; or 2) a meeting is scheduled and JCF approves a plan for
expenditure.
Sexual assault kits
Under current law, there is no statutory procedure for the collection and
processing of sexual assault kits. The bill creates procedures for transmission,
processing, and storage of sexual assault kits. Under the bill, a health care
professional who collects a sexual assault kit must do one of the following: 1) if the
victim wants to report the sexual assault to law enforcement, the health care
professional must notify a law enforcement agency within 24 hours of collecting the
kit; or 2) if the victim does not want to report the sexual assault to law enforcement,
the health care professional must send the kit to the state crime laboratories within
72 hours for storage. Under the bill, if a law enforcement agency has received
notification from a health care professional that a kit has been collected, the law
enforcement agency must take possession of the kit within 72 hours and must send
the kit to the state crime laboratories for processing within 14 days. If the victim
changes his or her mind about wanting to have his or her kit analyzed after it is given
to a law enforcement agency but before the agency sends the kit to the state crime
laboratories for processing, the agency must send the kit to the state crime
laboratories for storage rather than for processing.
Under the bill, once the state crime laboratories takes possession of a sexual
assault kit, it must do one of the following: 1) if it has received the kit of a person who
has not consented to analysis, securely store the kit for a period of 10 years; or 2) if
it has received the kit of a person who has consented to analysis, process the kit and
then send it to a law enforcement agency to store the kit for a period of 50 years, or
until the date of the expiration of the statute of limitations, or until the end of a term
of imprisonment or probation of a person convicted in the sexual assault case,
whichever is longer.
Under current law, local law enforcement agencies report certain crime
statistics to DOJ. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to provide additional
data to DOJ regarding sexual assault kits collected and processed in Wisconsin in
addition to the data currently being reported. The bill also requires DOJ to publish
data on law enforcement agency compliance with DOJ reporting requirements.
Collection of data from traffic stops
The bill requires a law enforcement agency to collect the following information
concerning motor vehicle stops made on or after January 1, 2022: 1) the name,
address, gender, and race of the operator of the motor vehicle, with the officer
subjectively determining the person's race as being Caucasian, Black or African
American, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander;
2) the reason for the motor vehicle stop; 3) the make and year of the motor vehicle;
4) the date, time, and location of the motor vehicle stop; 5) whether or not a law
enforcement officer conducted a search of the motor vehicle, the operator, or any
passenger and, if so, whether the search was with consent or by other means; 6) the
name, address, gender, and race of any person searched; and 7) the name and badge
number of the officer making the motor vehicle stop.
The information that is collected under the bill concerning motor vehicle stops
is not subject to inspection or copying as a public record. The information, however,
must be forwarded to DOJ, which must then compile and analyze it, along with any
other relevant information, to determine, both for the state as a whole and for each
law enforcement agency, whether the number of stops and searches involving motor
vehicles operated or occupied by members of a racial minority are disproportionate
compared to the number of stops and searches involving motor vehicles operated or
occupied solely by persons who are not members of a racial minority.
Universal background check requirement for all firearm transfers
Current law provides that a federally licensed firearms dealer may not transfer
a handgun after a sale until the dealer has asked DOJ to perform a background check
on the prospective transferee to determine if he or she is prohibited from possessing
a firearm under state or federal law. The bill generally prohibits any person from
transferring any firearm, including the frame or receiver of a firearm, unless the
transfer occurs through a federally licensed firearms dealer and involves a DOJ
background check of the prospective transferee. Under the bill, the following are
excepted from that prohibition: a transfer to a firearms dealer or to a law
enforcement or armed services agency; a transfer of a firearm classified as antique;
or a transfer that is by gift, bequest, or inheritance to a family member. A person who
is convicted of violating the prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and must be fined
not less than $500 nor more than $10,000, may be imprisoned for not more than nine
months, and may not possess a firearm for a period of two years.
Treatment alternatives and diversion grant program
Under current law, DOJ, in collaboration with DOC and DHS, awards grants
to counties or tribes that have established qualifying treatment alternatives and
diversion (TAD) programs that offer substance abuse or mental health treatment
services as alternatives to prosecution or incarceration in order to reduce recidivism,
promote public safety, and reduce prison and jail populations.
Under current law, in order to qualify for a TAD grant, a county's or tribe's
program is required to match 25 percent of the grant, and a program is required to
charge participants a fee to participate. A county or tribe that receives a TAD grant
must create an oversight committee to administer and evaluate its program. DOJ
is required to make grants available to any county or tribe on a competitive basis
every five years. At the end of the five-year grant cycle, DOJ is required to prepare
a comprehensive report on the grant program based on annual reports and other data
it collects from the counties and tribes.
The bill makes several changes to the TAD grant program. Under the bill, a
program funded by a TAD grant need not focus solely on alcohol and other drug
treatment, but must employ evidence-based practices targeted to the population
served by the program. The bill changes the match requirement from 25 percent to
10 percent and changes the competitive grant process to a four-year cycle. The bill
allows, but does not require, an eligible program to charge participants a fee for their
treatment. The bill also eliminates certain requirements pertaining to exposure of
genitals during drug testing.
Under current law, when a person pleads or is found guilty of certain drug
offenses, the court is required to order a substance use assessment. Under current
law, the court does not have to order an assessment if the person is already covered
by such an order, has recently completed an assessment under such an order, or is
participating in a TAD program. The bill specifies that if a person is participating
in any evidence-based substance use disorder treatment program as determined by
DOJ, regardless of its status relating to the TAD program, the court does not need
to order an assessment.
Sentencing review council
The bill creates the Sentencing Review Council within DOJ. The council is
charged with studying and making recommendations on 1) criminal penalties and
reforming the Criminal Code; 2) the equitability of sentences; 3) the state's
bifurcated sentencing structure; and 4) sentencing for individuals who were age 18
to 25 at the time the crime was committed. Under the bill, membership of and
appointments to the council are determined by the governor.
Grants for alternative emergency response and 911 diversion
The bill creates a grant program within DOJ for alternative emergency
response and 911 diversion. Under the bill, DOJ must issue grants to counties with
a population of 750,000 or more to facilitate contracts between local health
departments and behavioral crisis support service providers and to support
research, design, and personnel costs associated with creating programs to divert
behavioral health situations in 911 call centers.
Sexual assault victim services grants for the Wisconsin Coalition Against
Sexual Assault
Under current law, DOJ administers a grant program to provide grants to
organizations that provide services to victims of sexual assault. The bill requires
that, in addition to the other grants under the program, DOJ must provide an annual
grant of $100,000 to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Under the bill,
the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault may also apply for additional grants
under the program.
Youth diversion services
Under current law, DOJ allocates $1,050,000 to contract with organizations to
provide services in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Brown Counties for the
diversion of youths from gang activities into productive activities such as
educational, recreational, and employment programs. Under current law, these
contracts are funded by a penalty surcharge on court fines and forfeitures. The bill
creates a GPR appropriation account from which funding for these services may be
provided.
County Victim Witness Reimbursement
Under current law, there are three program revenue appropriations from which
DOJ is required to reimburse counties for services provided to victims and witnesses
of crime. The bill creates an additional general purpose revenue annual
appropriation from which DOJ is required to reimburse counties for services
provided to victims and witnesses of crime.
Nonviolent offender diversion program
The 2019 biennial budget created a diversion pilot program for nonviolent
criminal offenders to be diverted to a treatment option. Under current law, the pilot
program sunsets on July 1, 2021. The bill repeals that sunset so that the diversion
program remains in place beyond July 1, 2021.
Ongoing transfer for investigation of crimes against children
The bill creates an ongoing transfer of moneys collected from crime laboratory,
DNA analysis, and drug law enforcement surcharges to an appropriation to be used
for investigation and prosecution of internet crimes against children.
Relator appropriation
The bill creates a continuing appropriation to hold all money received by DOJ
that is owed to a relator, to provide payments to relators. A relator is a type of party
in a legal action in whose name an action is brought by a state.
Law enforcement
Use of force policies
Under current law, each law enforcement agency must have a written public
policy that regulates the use of force by law enforcement officers. The bill makes
several changes that affect this requirement.
