2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRBb0696/1
JAM&MJW:all
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 17,
TO ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 2,
TO ASSEMBLY BILL 50
July 2, 2025 - Offered by Representatives McCarville, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Bare, Billings, Brown, Clancy, Cruz, DeSanto, DeSmidt, Doyle, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Goodwin, Haywood, Hong, Hysell, J. Jacobson, Joers, Johnson, Kirsch, Madison, Mayadev, McGuire, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Neubauer, Palmeri, Phelps, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Roe, Sheehan, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spaude, Stroud, Stubbs, Subeck, Taylor, Tenorio, Udell and Vining.
AB50-ASA2-AA17,1,104(1m) 2027-29 biennial budget calculation. Notwithstanding s. 16.42 (1) 5(e), in submitting information under s. 16.42 for purposes of the 2027-29 biennial 6budget bill, the department of veterans affairs shall submit information concerning 7the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (u) as though the total amount appropriated 8under s. 20.485 (2) (u) for the 2026-27 fiscal year was $2,374,400 less than the total 9amount that was actually appropriated under s. 20.485 (2) (u) for the 2026-27 fiscal 10year. AB50-ASA2-AA17,2,6
1(1) Veterans benefit management system. In the schedule under s. 20.005 2(3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) 3(u), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $1,887,200 and the 4dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $3,132,400 for the purchase 5and ongoing maintenance of a new cloud-based grant administration system for 6veterans benefit programs.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,2,189(1) Veterans outreach and recovery program. In the schedule under s. 1020.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 1120.485 (2) (qs), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $512,900 to 12increase the authorized FTE positions to the department of veterans affairs by 7.0 13SEG positions to increase services under the veterans outreach and recovery 14program. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the 15department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (qs), the dollar amount for fiscal 16year 2026-27 is increased by $602,800 to provide funding for the positions 17authorized under this subsection to increase services under the veterans outreach 18and recovery program.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,2,2120“Section 1. 20.485 (2) (vm) (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to 21read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,2,222220.485 (2) (vm) (title) Veterans assistance grants. AB50-ASA2-AA17,223Section 2. 45.40 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,3,1
145.40 (title) Veterans assistance grants. AB50-ASA2-AA17,32Section 3. 45.40 (1g) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are consolidated, 3renumbered 45.40 (1g) and amended to read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,3,11445.40 (1g) Definitions. In this section: (a) “Health, “health care provider” 5means an advanced practice nurse prescriber who is certified under s. 441.16 (2), 6an audiologist who is licensed under subch. II of ch. 459 or who holds a compact 7privilege under subch. III of ch. 459, a dentist who is licensed under subch. I of ch. 8447 or who holds a compact privilege under subch. II of ch. 447, an optometrist who 9is licensed under ch. 449, a physician who is licensed under s. 448.02, or a podiatrist 10who is licensed under s. 448.63 has the meaning given in s. 146.81 (1) and includes 11an ambulatory surgery center. AB50-ASA2-AA17,4,41445.40 (1m) (a) The department may provide subsistence payments to a 15veteran on a month-to-month basis or for a 3-month period. The department may 16pay subsistence aid for a 3-month period if the veteran will be incapacitated for 17more than 3 months and if earned or unearned income or aid from sources other 18than those listed in the application will not be available in the 3-month period. The 19department may provide subsistence payments only to a veteran who has suffered a 20loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. The department may grant 21subsistence aid under this subsection to a veteran whose loss of income is the result 22of abuse of alcohol or other drugs only if the veteran is participating in an alcohol 23and other drug abuse treatment program that is approved by the department. No 24payment may be made under this subsection if the veteran has other assets or
1income available to meet basic subsistence needs or if the veteran is eligible to 2receive aid from other sources to meet those needs. When determining the assets 3available to the veteran, the department may not include the first $50,000 of cash 4surrender value of any life insurance. AB50-ASA2-AA17,4,8645.40 (1m) (b) The maximum amount that any veteran may receive under 7this subsection per occurrence during a consecutive 12-month period may not 8exceed $3,000 $5,000. AB50-ASA2-AA17,4,131045.40 (2) (a) The department may provide health care aid to a veteran for 11dental care, including dentures; vision care, including eyeglass frames and lenses; 12and hearing care, including hearing aids; and any other medical device prescribed 13by a health care provider. AB50-ASA2-AA17,4,201545.40 (2m) (a) The unremarried spouse and dependent children of a veteran 16who died on active duty, or in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for 17training purposes, in the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed 18forces are eligible to receive payments under subs. (1m) and (2) if the household 19income of those persons does not exceed the income limitations established under 20sub. (3m). AB50-ASA2-AA17,4,232245.40 (3) Limitations. The total cumulative amount that any veteran may 23receive under this section may not exceed $7,500 $10,000.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,5336.27 (2) (b) 5. A person who is a resident of and living in this state at the time 4of registering at an institution and who is a veteran described under s. 45.01 (12) 5(fm) is entitled to the exemption under par. (a). AB50-ASA2-AA17,116Section 11. 36.27 (3p) (a) 1r. g. of the statutes is created to read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,8736.27 (3p) (a) 1r. g. The person meets the criteria described under s. 45.01 8(12) (fm). AB50-ASA2-AA17,129Section 12. 38.24 (8) (a) 1r. g. of the statutes is created to read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,111038.24 (8) (a) 1r. g. The person meets the criteria described under s. 45.01 (12) 11(fm). AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,141345.01 (12) (fm) A person who resides in this state, if any of the following 14applies: AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,16151. The person was naturalized pursuant to section 2 (1) of the federal Hmong 16Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000, P.L. 106-207. AB50-ASA2-AA17,5,21172. The person is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United 18States and the secretary has determined that the person served honorably with a 19special guerrilla unit or irregular forces operating from a base in Laos in support of 20the armed forces of the United States at any time during the period beginning 21February 28, 1961, and ending September 18, 1978. AB50-ASA2-AA17,1523Section 15. 45.44 (3) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read: AB50-ASA2-AA17,6,2
145.44 (3) (c) (intro.) A veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f) (fm), or one 2of the following: AB50-ASA2-AA17,6,5445.51 (2) (a) 1. A veteran, other than a veteran described under s. 45.01 (12) 5(fm). AB50-ASA2-AA17,6,87234.622 (4) (b) A veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) to (f) (fm), who has 8been accepted into the program. AB50-ASA2-AA17,6,1310234.625 (4) (b) 9. If the participant is a veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12) (a) 11to (f) (fm), who is not 65 years of age or older, at a time before any of the events 12under subds. 1. to 7. occurs, as determined under policies and procedures 13established by the authority.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,7,216(1) Veterans housing and recovery program. In the schedule under s. 1720.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 1820.485 (2) (rm), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $900,000 19to increase funding for supplies and services costs in the program, and for costs 20associated with leasing a different facility for the Chippewa Falls–based program 21due to space and facility deficiencies of the current location.. In the schedule under 22s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 2320.485 (2) (rm), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $1,050,000 24to increase funding for supplies and services costs in the program, and for costs
1associated with leasing a different facility for the Chippewa Falls–based program 2due to space and facility deficiencies of the current location.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,7,84“Section 19. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, 5insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: AB50-ASA2-AA17,7,121020.485 (2) (qw) Veterans mental health services. Biennially, from the veterans 11trust fund, the amounts in the schedule for the promotion and assistance of access 12to, and grants for, veterans’ mental health services under s. 45.49. AB50-ASA2-AA17,7,161445.49 Veterans mental health services. (1) The department shall 15promote and assist veterans’ access to, and provide grants to organizations that 16provide to veterans, community-based and emergency crisis mental health services. AB50-ASA2-AA17,7,2217(2) The department may promulgate emergency rules under s. 227.24 as 18necessary to administer this section. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the 19department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this 20subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public 21peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of 22emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,8,103(1) Fund source transfer for claims officer positions; decrease. In the 4schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans 5affairs under s. 20.485 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is decreased 6by $254,800 to decrease the authorized FTE positions for the department by 2.0 PR 7veterans claims officer positions. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the 8appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (1) (a), the 9dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is decreased by $254,800 due to the position 10reduction under this subsection. AB50-ASA2-AA17,8,1811(2) Fund source transfer for claims officer positions; increase. In the 12schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans 13affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (u), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased 14by $254,800 to to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 2.0 15SEG veterans claims officer positions.. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the 16appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (u), the 17dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $254,800 to provide funding 18for the positions authorized under this subsection.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,9,321(1) Veterans cemetery caretaker positions. In the schedule under s. 2220.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 2320.485 (4) (q), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $131,800
1and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $170,800 to increase 2the number of authorized FTE positions in the department of veterans affairs by 33.0 SEG positions for the purpose of caring for the 3 state veterans cemeteries.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,9,146(1) Veterans museum oral history position. In the schedule under s. 720.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 820.485 (5) (wd), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $143,700 9to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department of veterans affairs by 101.0 SEG position to support and expand oral history collections at the Wisconsin 11Veterans Museum. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the 12department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (5) (wd), the dollar amount for fiscal 13year 2026-27 is increased by $158,500 to provide funding for the positions 14authorized under this subsection. AB50-ASA2-AA17,9,2115(2) Veterans museum oral history programming. In the schedule under s. 1620.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 1720.485 (5) (wd), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $100,000 18and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $100,000 for media 19and information technology costs and for the translation of and preparation of 20existing interviews conducted in the Hmong language at the Wisconsin Veterans 21Museum.”. AB50-ASA2-AA17,10,7
1(1) Standard budget adjustments; turnover reduction; PR. In the 2schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans 3affairs under s. 20.485 (1) (gk), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is 4decreased by $1,200,100 as a turnover reduction. In the schedule under s. 20.005 5(3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (1) 6(gk), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is decreased by $1,200,100 as a 7turnover reduction. AB50-ASA2-AA17,10,148(2) Standard budget adjustments; turnover reduction; SEG. In the 9schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of veterans 10affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (u), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is decreased 11by $147,800 as a turnover reduction. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the 12appropriation to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (u), the 13dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is decreased by $147,800 as a turnover 14reduction. AB50-ASA2-AA17,10,2215(3) Standard budget adjustments; full funding of salaries and fringe 16benefits; FED. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the 17department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (m), the dollar amount for fiscal 18year 2025-26 is increased by $75,400 to fully fund salaries and fringe benefits for 19department employees. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to 20the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (2) (m), the dollar amount for 21fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $75,400 to fully fund salaries and fringe benefits 22for department employees. AB50-ASA2-AA17,11,623(4) Standard budget adjustments; full funding of salaries and fringe 24benefits; PR. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the
1department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (1) (gk), the dollar amount for fiscal 2year 2025-26 is increased by $11,067,600 to fully fund salaries and fringe benefits 3for department employees. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation 4to the department of veterans affairs under s. 20.485 (1) (gk), the dollar amount for 5fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $11,067,600 to fully fund salaries and fringe 6benefits for department employees.
