12. Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:
Comments could be submitted at the public hearing, by regular mail, or by email to the contact information listed above.
A public hearing was held on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Department of Administration building located at 101 E. Wilson Street, Madison, WI 53703.
The published deadline for submission of comments was February 27, 2018.
RULE TEXT
Section 1: Adm 95.01 is amended to read:
Adm 95.01 Authority. Sections 16.004 (1) and 16.25 (2), (3), (4) and (5), Stats., and 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, section 9101 (10j) (e), authorize the department to promulgate rules for establishing a length of service award program for volunteer fire fighters, first emergency medical responders, and emergency medical technicians services practitioners. Section 2: Adm. 95.02 is amended to read:
Adm 95.02 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish a program for length of service awards to VFF-EMT participants who provide services to municipalities that operate volunteer fire departments or volunteer fire companies, or authorize emergency medical and technical services, and to first emergency medical responders in any municipality that authorizes first emergency medical responders to provide first emergency medical responder services, and to establish qualifications and requirements for private sector individuals and organizations eligible to provide administrative and investment services for length of service award programs.
Section 3: Adm 95.03 (4s) is created to read:
Adm 95.03 (4s) “Emergency medical responder” has the meaning given in s. 16.25 (1) (am), Stats. Section 4: Adm 95.03 (5) is amended to read:
Adm 95.03 (5) “Emergency medical services” means medical care that is rendered to a sick, disabled, or injured individual based on signs, symptoms, or complaints, prior to the individual's hospitalization or while transporting the individual between health care facilities and that is limited to the use of the knowledge, skills, and techniques received from training required under s. 256.15, Stats., and ch. DHS 110, as a condition for being issued an emergency medical technician services practitioner license. Section 5: Adm 95.03 (5m) is created to read:
Adm 95.03 (5m) “Emergency medical services practitioner” has the meaning given in s. 16.25 (1) (at), Stats.
Section 6: Adm 95.03 (6m) is repealed.
Section 7: Adm 95.03 (14) is amended to read:
Adm 95.03 (14) “Service” includes fire fighting services, first emergency medical responder services, emergency medical services, or rescue services provided to a participating municipality by a volunteer fire fighter, first responder, or emergency medical technician VFF-EMT.
Section 8: Adm 95.03 (16) is repealed.
Section 9: Adm 95.03 (20) is amended to read:
Adm 95.03 (20) “VFF-EMT" means a volunteer fire fighter, first volunteer emergency medical responder, or volunteer emergency medical technician services practitioner.
Section 10: Adm 95.04 (1), (2) (Note), (3), (4), and (5) (a) and (b) are amended to read:
Adm. 95.04 (1) A municipality that operates a volunteer fire department or that contracts with a volunteer fire company organized under ch. 181 or 213, Stats., that authorizes first emergency medical responders to provide first emergency medical responder services or that authorizes volunteer emergency medical technicians services practitioners to provide emergency medical services, is eligible to become a participating municipality. (2) (Note) To request approval of a form for a resolution or ordinance, contact the Length of Service Award Program, c/o Department of Administration, Office of Legal Counsel Division of Intergovernmental Relations, P.O. Box 7864 8944, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7864 53708 or (608) 266-7043.
(3) Each participating municipality shall develop standards for determining the service required of the volunteer fire fighters, first emergency medical responders, and emergency medical technicians services practitioners it sponsors under the program in order to qualify for credit and an annual contribution.
(4) Municipalities that jointly operate or contract with a volunteer fire department or a volunteer fire company or that jointly authorize volunteer emergency medical technicians services practitioners, or that jointly authorize first emergency medical responders to provide first emergency medical responder services, may operate as a single participating municipality under the program, and may be required to do so by the program administrator.
(5) (a) A VFF-EMT may perform service for credit toward a length of service award to more than one volunteer fire department, volunteer fire company, first emergency medical responder service or entity authorized to provide volunteer emergency medical services.
(5) (b) A VFF-EMT may have only one account for each volunteer fire department, volunteer fire company, first emergency medical responder service, or entity authorized to provide volunteer emergency medical services to which the VFF-EMT provides service.
Section 11: Adm 95.05 (2) (a) and (b) are amended to read:
Adm 95.05 (2) (a) On a calendar year basis, the department shall match a participating municipality's annual contributions made on behalf of its VFF-EMT participants during that calendar year up to a maximum of $250 per VFF-EMT, subject to any annual adjustment under sub. (3). The department shall pay all amounts matched under this section s. 16.25 (3) (d) 1., Stats., directly to the program administrator, up to the maximum appropriated under s. 20.505 (4) (er), Stats., and subject to any proration required under s. 16.25 (3) (d) 2., Stats. (2) (b) Subject to the time period for a protest or appeal under s. Adm 95.16, a participating municipality shall pay all contributions for a calendar year to the program administrator on or before January 31 February 15 of the following year in order to receive a matching contribution from the department. Section 12: Adm 95.07 (1) (a) and (b) are amended to read:
Adm 95.07 (1) (a) A VFF-EMT that who has provided 20 15 years of service for credit to a participating municipality shall be fully vested and paid a length of service award upon reaching age 60.
(1) (b) A fully vested VFF-EMT age 60 or older shall notify notifying the program administrator and the participating municipality of the VFF-EMT's request may elect to receive their length of service award under this subsection by notifying the program administrator and the participating municipality within the time period required by the program administrator or the applicable program. A VFF-EMT receiving an award under this subsection shall receive the full net asset value of their account.
Section 13: Adm 95.07 (2) (a) is repealed and recreated to read:
Adm 95.07 (2) (a) A VFF-EMT who has discontinued providing eligible service after performing a minimum of 10 years of service for credit shall be partially vested and may elect to receive a partial length of service award under this subsection at any time after reaching age 53, by notifying the program administrator and the participating municipality within the time period required by the program administrator or the applicable program.
Section 14: Adm 95.07 (2) (b) and (c) are amended to read:
Adm 95.07 (2) (b) Upon reaching the age of 60, a A VFF-EMT requesting electing to receive their a partial length of service award after performing 10 years, but less than 20, of service for credit under this subsection shall be entitled to receive the award in the next calendar year following the date of the election. The VFF-EMT shall receive 50% of the net asset value of their account at as of the time date of the request election for the first 10 years of service for credit is provided performed. For each year of service for credit more than 10, but less than 20 15, performed by the VFF-EMT, five ten percent of the net asset value of the account at as of the date of the request election shall be added. A VFF-EMT who has reached the age of 53 but has not reached the age of 60 and who has 15 or more years of service shall receive 95% of the net asset value of the account as of the date of the election. The amounts not paid to a VFF-EMT under this subsection shall be forfeited and equally distributed among all other open VFF-EMT accounts sponsored by that municipality at the time of the forfeiture.
(2) (c) A VFF-EMT who has reached age 60 53 but is not fully vested may continue to perform service for credit toward a length of service award.
Section 15: Adm 95.07 (2) (d) is created to read:
Adm 95.07 (2) (d) A VFF-EMT who has discontinued providing eligible service after performing a minimum of 15 years of service for credit and who has not elected to receive a partial length of service award under this subsection may instead elect to receive their length of service award under sub. (1) upon reaching age 60.
Section 16: Adm 95.08 (1) is amended to read:
