AB443: Bill Text

LRB-3977/1

TJD:skw

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 443

September 13, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives James, Summerfield, Tittl, Dittrich, Edming, Kulp, Kurtz, Magnafici, Oldenburg, Petryk, Pronschinske, Quinn, Rohrkaste, Skowronski, Spiros, Tusler and VanderMeer, cosponsored by Senators Bernier, Tiffany, Schachtner, Smith, Stroebel, Testin and Wanggaard. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.

AB443,1,1 An Act relating to: grant to a hospital for expanding psychiatric bed capacity.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Building Commission to award a grant to a hospital in Eau Claire County, as specified in the bill, in the amount of $15,000,000 for the purpose of expanding capacity by approximately 22 psychiatric beds between the hospital in Eau Claire County and a hospital in Chippewa County. The hospitals must give preference in admissions for the beds added under this bill to individuals who meet the criteria for emergency detention and who are from one of the counties specified in the bill. Under 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, which is the biennial budget act, the Building Commission is authorized to award moneys for a center and is allowed to authorize up to $15,000,000 in general fund supported borrowing for that purpose. Instead, this bill requires the Building Commission to award a grant in that amount and requires the Building Commission to authorize general fund supported borrowing, if necessary. If the grant awarded under this bill is not used for the purpose of expanding psychiatric bed capacity, the state retains an ownership interest in the hospital's expansion equal to the amount of the state's grant.

For further information see the state 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:

AB443,1 Section 1 . Nonstatutory provisions.

AB443,2,1 (1) Grant for psychiatric beds.

AB443,2,8 (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 services and allowing public financial resources to be better distributed to more effectively improve delivery of mental health services. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the hospital described under par. (b) in expanding psychiatric bed capacity.

AB443,2,13 (b) In fiscal year 2019-20 the building commission shall award under s. 13.48 (20s) a grant in the amount of $15,000,000 and, if necessary, shall authorize general fund supported borrowing as described under s. 13.48 (20s) (b) for the purpose of expanding capacity for psychiatric beds to a hospital that meets all of the following criteria:

AB443,2,16 1. The hospital is located in Eau Claire County, south of the Chippewa River, northeast of the intersection of state highway 37 and US highway 12, and is part of a health system that has a hospital in Chippewa County.

AB443,2,24 2. The hospital agrees to expand psychiatric bed capacity by approximately 22 beds between the Eau Claire County hospital and the Chippewa County hospital. The hospitals shall give preference in admissions to fill beds added under this subdivision to individuals who meet the criteria for emergency detention under s. 51.15 and who are from Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Jackson, La Crosse, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempeleau, Vilas, Washburn, or Wood Counties.

AB443,3,2 (c) Notwithstanding s. 150.93, any hospital that expands psychiatric bed capacity under this subsection may increase its approved bed capacity.

AB443,3,5 (d) If, for any reason, the grant awarded under par. (b) is not used for the purpose of expanding psychiatric bed capacity, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the hospital's expansion equal to the amount of the state's grant.

AB443,3,6 (End)