Chapter 49

49.19(5)(cm)5. 5. The county department shall review each case in which a direct payment is being made at least once every 12 months and whenever a recipient reports that a condition under subd. 6. for the cessation of direct payments exists.

49.19(5)(cm)6. 6. The county department shall inform the department of health services, and the department of health services shall cease making a direct payment, when the county department determines that any of the following conditions exists:

49.19(5)(cm)6.a. a. A direct payment has been made for 24 consecutive months.

49.19(5)(cm)6.b. b. The recipient has reimbursed the landlord for all back rent owed.

49.19(5)(cm)6.c. c. The recipient has moved and has a different landlord.

49.19(5)(cm)7. 7. The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of this paragraph.

49.19(5)(e) (e) No aid may continue longer than 6 months without reinvestigation, except that the department may provide that in certain cases or groups of cases aid may continue up to 12 months without reinvestigation. The county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 may conduct a reinvestigation of a case whenever there is reason to believe circumstances have changed. The county department shall submit information concerning reinvestigations, at such times and in such form as the department requires.

49.19(5)(f) (f) This subsection does not prohibit such public assistance as may legitimately accrue directly to persons other than the beneficiaries of this section who may reside in the same household.

49.19(6) (6) The county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 may require the child’s parent to do such remunerative work as in its judgment can be done without detriment to the parent’s health or the neglect of the children or the home; and may prescribe the hours during which the parent may be required to work outside of the home.

49.19(7) (7) The county board shall annually appropriate a sum of money sufficient to carry out the provisions of this section. The county treasurer shall pay out the amounts ordered paid under this section.

49.19(9) (9) If the head of a family is a veteran, as defined in s. 45.01 (12), or a person under s. 45.51 (2) (a) 2., and is hospitalized or institutionalized because of disabilities in a county other than that of his or her residence or settlement at time of admission, aid shall be granted to the dependent children of the veteran by the county wherein the head of the family had his or her residence or settlement at the time of admission so long as he or she remains hospitalized or institutionalized.

49.19(10) (10) 

49.19(10)(a) (a) Aid under this section may also be granted to a nonrelative who cares for a child dependent upon the public for proper support in a foster home having a license under s. 48.62, in a foster home located within the boundaries of a federally recognized American Indian reservation in this state and licensed by the tribal governing body of the reservation, or in a group home licensed under s. 48.625, regardless of the cause or prospective period of dependency. The state shall reimburse counties pursuant to the procedure under s. 48.569 (2) and the percentage rate of participation set forth in s. 48.569 (1) (d) for aid granted under this subsection except that if the child does not have legal settlement in the granting county, state reimbursement shall be at 100 percent. The county department under s. 46.215 or 46.22 shall determine the legal settlement of the child. A child under one year of age shall be eligible for aid under this subsection irrespective of any other residence requirement for eligibility within this section.

49.19(10)(b) (b) Aid under this section may also be granted on behalf of a child in the legal custody of a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 or on behalf of a child who was removed from the home of a relative specified in sub. (1) (a) as a result of a judicial determination that continuance in the home of a relative would be contrary to the child’s welfare for any reason when such child is placed in a licensed residential care center for children and youth by the county department. Reimbursement shall be made by the state pursuant to par. (a).

49.19(10)(c) (c) Reimbursement under par. (a) may also be paid to the county when the child is placed in a licensed foster home, group home, or residential care center for children and youth by a licensed child welfare agency or by a federally recognized American Indian tribal governing body in this state or by its designee, if the child is in the legal custody of the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 or if the child was removed from the home of a relative specified in sub. (1) (a) as a result of a judicial determination that continuance in the home of the relative would be contrary to the child’s welfare for any reason and the placement is made under an agreement with the county department.

49.19(10)(d) (d) Aid may also be paid under this section to a licensed foster home, group home, or residential care center for children and youth by the state when the child is in the custody or guardianship of the state, when the child is a ward of an American Indian tribal court in this state and the placement is made under an agreement between the department and the tribal governing body, or when the child was part of the state’s direct service case load and was removed from the home of a relative specified in sub. (1) (a) as a result of a judicial determination that continuance in the home of a relative would be contrary to the child’s welfare for any reason and the child is placed by the department or the department of corrections.

49.19(10)(e) (e) Notwithstanding pars. (a), (c), and (d), aid under this section may not be granted for placement of a child in a foster home licensed by a federally recognized American Indian tribal governing body, for placement of a child in a foster home or residential care center for children and youth by a tribal governing body or its designee, for the placement of a child who is a ward of a tribal court if the tribal governing body is receiving or is eligible to receive funds from the federal government for that type of placement, or for placement of a child in a group home licensed under s. 48.625.

49.19(11) (11) 

49.19(11)(am) (am)

49.19(11)(am)1m. 1m. Except as provided in subs. (11m) and (11s), monthly payments made under s. 20.437 (2) (dz) and (md) to persons or to families with dependent children shall be based on family size and shall be at 80 percent of the total of the allowances under pars. (b) and (d) plus the following standards of assistance beginning on September 1, 1987:

- See PDF for table

49.19(11)(am)2m. 2m. Grants shall vary in 2 areas which shall be groups of counties designated by the department based on variation in shelter cost.

49.19(11)(b) (b) A monthly allowance of $25 per person for each additional member in the family above 10 shall be added to the standard of assistance specified under par. (am) 1m.

49.19(11)(c) (c) In determining family size only those who are eligible for assistance shall be included.

49.19(11)(d) (d) In accordance with sub. (4) (g), a monthly allowance of $71 for each person in the family who qualifies for a payment under sub. (4) (g) shall be added to the standard of assistance specified under par. (am) 1m.

49.19(11)(e) (e) All payments that are not whole dollar amounts shall be rounded down to the nearest whole dollar.

49.19(11)(f) (f) The department may not make a payment for a month if the amount of the payment would be less than $10.

49.19(11g) (11g) When the department submits a copy of the reevaluation of the need standard and payment standard under sub. (11), as required by 42 USC 602 (h), the department shall submit a copy of that reevaluation to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3).

49.19(11m) (11m) 

49.19(11m)(a) (a) The department shall apply to the secretary of the federal department of health and human services for approval of a demonstration project under which the department provides a person eligible for aid under this section who is described in par. (am) with monthly payments, for the first 6 months that he or she lives in this state, calculated on the basis of the aid to families with dependent children benefit level in the state in which the family most recently resided for one month or longer. The department shall promulgate a rule establishing the methods and identifying the factors that the department will use to determine the aid to families with dependent children benefit that will be paid under the demonstration project according to family size and state of former residence. The rule shall also establish the initial benefit table to be used in determining benefits under the demonstration project. The department shall publish annual changes to this benefit table in the Wisconsin administrative register. The department shall base the benefit for a family on the aid to families with dependent children benefit available to a typical family of the same size in the other state, taking into account all factors that may affect the amount of the benefit. If a family moves from a state that allows a family to keep a different amount of income without reducing benefits than a family would be allowed to keep in this state, the department shall allow the family to keep a similar amount of income without reducing benefits.

49.19(11m)(am) (am) Under the demonstration project, a person is subject to receiving the payments under par. (a) if he or she has not previously resided in this state for at least 6 consecutive months and either:

49.19(11m)(am)1. 1. Applies for benefits more than 90 days but fewer than 180 days after moving to this state and is unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the county department of social services or human services that he or she was employed for at least 13 weeks after moving to this state; or

49.19(11m)(am)2. 2. Applies for benefits within 90 days after moving to this state.

49.19(11m)(b) (b) If approval under par. (a) is granted and if the supreme court determines, within 9 months after the department notifies the attorney general that the approval has been granted, that the demonstration project does not violate either the state constitution or the U.S. constitution or the supreme court does not make a decision on the constitutionality of the demonstration project within that time, the department shall implement the demonstration project. The department may conduct the demonstration project for a period not to exceed 36 months. The department may not start the demonstration project before a computerized system for determining the amount of benefits payable to recipients under the demonstration project is complete.

49.19(11m)(c) (c) Subject to pars. (b) and (d), the department shall conduct the demonstration project in Kenosha County, Milwaukee County, Racine County and up to 3 other counties. If the department does not initially select Rock County as one of the other counties and if one of the counties specified in this paragraph or initially selected by the department enacts an ordinance or adopts a resolution under par. (d), the department shall give Rock County priority for consideration as a replacement county.

49.19(11m)(d) (d) The department may not conduct the demonstration project in a county if the county enacts an ordinance or adopts a resolution objecting to participating in the demonstration project.

49.19(11s) (11s) 

49.19(11s)(a) (a) The department shall conduct a demonstration project under this subsection pursuant to a waiver from the secretary of the federal department of health and human services beginning on January 1, 1996. To the extent permitted in the waiver, the department may apply pars. (b) to (d) to all recipients of aid under this section or to a test group of recipients of aid under this section determined by the department. Paragraphs (b) to (d) do not apply to persons who are subject to s. 49.25, 1997 stats., and shall apply only while a waiver under this paragraph is in effect and only with respect to recipients covered by the waiver.

49.19(11s)(b) (b) In determining the payment amount under sub. (11), a child born into a family more than 10 months after the date that the family was first determined to be eligible for assistance under this section shall not be considered in determining family size unless at least one of the following conditions is met:

49.19(11s)(b)1. 1. The family did not receive benefits under this section for a period of at least 6 months, other than as a result of sanctions, and the child was born during that period or not more than 10 months after the family resumed receiving benefits under this section after that period.

49.19(11s)(b)2. 2. The child was conceived as a result of a sexual assault in violation of s. 940.225 (1), (2) or (3) in which the mother did not indicate a freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or of incest in violation of s. 944.06 or 948.06 and that incest or sexual assault has been reported to a physician and to law enforcement authorities.

49.19(11s)(b)3. 3. The child’s mother is a dependent child at the time of the child’s birth and the child is born as a result of the mother’s first pregnancy that resulted in a live birth.

49.19(11s)(b)4. 4. The child does not reside with his or her biological mother or father.

49.19(11s)(b)5. 5. The family or child meets the criteria for an exemption from the application of this paragraph under a rule promulgated by the department.

49.19(11s)(c) (c) The department shall inform all applicants for aid under this section of the limitation under par. (b) at the time of application.

49.19(11s)(d) (d) From the appropriation under s. 20.437 (2) (a), the department may award grants to county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22 and 46.23 for providing education services relating to family planning, as defined in s. 253.07 (1) (a), to persons who are subject to par. (b).

49.19(13) (13) When a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 proposes to terminate, discontinue, suspend or reduce assistance to a recipient under this section such county department shall provide at least the minimum notice required under 42 USC 601 to 613.

49.19(14) (14) 

49.19(14)(a) (a) If any check or draft drawn and issued for payment of aid under this section is lost, stolen or destroyed, the department shall request a replacement as provided under s. 20.912 (5).

49.19(14)(b) (b) If the secretary of administration is unable to issue a replacement check or draft requested under par. (a) because the original has been paid, the department shall promptly authorize the issuance of a replacement check or draft. If the secretary of administration recovers the amount of the original check or draft that amount shall be returned to the department. If the secretary of administration is unable to obtain recovery, the department may pursue recovery.

49.19(15) (15) By January 1, 1990, the department shall apply for approval of a demonstration project under 42 USC 1315 (d) (1) (A) which would test and evaluate the elimination, on a statewide basis, of the limit on the number of hours a parent may work and still be considered unemployed for purposes of eligibility for aid under this section. If the application is approved, the department shall inform the joint committee on finance. The department may implement the demonstration project only if the joint committee on finance approves the demonstration project.

49.19(16) (16) The department shall provide written notice of the penalties under s. 49.29 to each applicant for aid under this section at the time of application and to each person who receives aid under this section on June 18, 1992, at the time of the next redetermination of the person’s eligibility.

49.19(17) (17) The department may recover an overpayment of aid under this section from an overpaid family who continues to receive aid by reducing the amount of the family’s monthly aid payment by no more than 10 percent of the maximum monthly payment allowance under sub. (11) for a family of that size.

49.19(19) (19) The department shall request a waiver from the secretary of the federal department of health and human services to allow the department to determine eligibility and payment amounts under this section for a woman entrepreneur who receives a start-up or capital expansion loan through the revolving loan program operated by the women’s business initiative corporation without consideration of that loan or of any business income during the start-up period of the woman’s business. If the waiver is approved, the department shall implement the waiver.

49.19(19m) (19m) Notwithstanding subs. (1) to (19), no aid may be paid under this section for a child on whose behalf a payment is made under s. 49.775.

49.19(20) (20) 

49.19(20)(a) (a) Beginning on January 1, 1999, or beginning on the first day of the 6th month beginning after the date stated in the notice under s. 49.141 (2) (d), 1997 stats., whichever is sooner, no person is eligible to receive benefits under this section and no aid may be granted under this section. No additional notice, other than the enactment of this paragraph, is required to be given under sub. (13) to recipients of aid under this section to terminate their benefits under this paragraph.

49.19(20)(b) (b) Notwithstanding par. (a):

49.19(20)(b)1. 1. If a nonlegally responsible relative is receiving aid under this section on behalf of a dependent child on October 14, 1997, no aid under this section may be paid to the nonlegally responsible relative after December 31, 1997, or the first reinvestigation under sub. (5) (e) occurring after October 14, 1997, whichever is earlier.

49.19(20)(b)2. 2. If a nonlegally responsible relative is not receiving aid under this section on behalf of a dependent child on October 14, 1997, no aid may be paid to the nonlegally responsible relative on or after October 14, 1997.

49.19 History History: 1971 c. 125, 215, 217; 1973 c. 90, 147, 186, 328, 333; 1975 c. 39, 82, 94, 224, 307, 422; 1977 c. 29, 203, 271, 418, 449; 1979 c. 32 s. 92 (4); 1979 c. 34, 206, 221, 352; 1981 c. 1, 20, 93, 314, 317, 391; 1983 a. 27, 161, 192, 245, 310, 430, 447; 1985 a. 29, 120, 176, 281, 332; 1987 a. 27, 307, 399; 1989 a. 31, 107, 122, 359; 1991 a. 39, 178, 269, 313, 315, 316, 322; 1993 a. 16, 99, 326, 395, 437, 446, 481; 1995 a. 12; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2852 to 2871, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 77, 198, 225, 289, 295; 1997 a. 27, 35, 39, 252; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 59; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 22; 2005 a. 443 s. 265; 2007 a. 20 ss. 1459 to 1463, 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 28; 2013 a. 8, 20; 2021 a. 240 ss. 29, 30.

49.19 Annotation An AFDC budget must be computed on the basis of actual income. 60 Atty. Gen. 431.

49.19 Annotation Sub. (6) has not been affected by amendments to the work incentive program, nor does it violate equal protection provisions of the 14th amendment. 62 Atty. Gen. 120.

49.19 Annotation “Dependent child” under the federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children program does not include unborn children. Burns v. Alcala, 420 U.S. 575, 95 S. Ct. 1180 43 L. Ed. 2d 469 (1975).

49.19 Annotation Various provisions of sub. (4) (d) are invalid as inconsistent with the federal Social Security Act. Doe v. Schmidt, 330 F. Supp. 159 (1971).

49.19 Annotation Unconstitutional Conditions on Welfare Eligibility. Redlich. 1970 WLR 450.

49.19 Annotation Procedural Due Process and the Welfare Recipient: A Statistical Study of AFDC Fair Hearings in Wisconsin. Hammer & Hartley. 1978 WLR 145.

49.195 49.195 Recovery of aid to families with dependent children, Wisconsin Works benefits, and overpayments of emergency assistance.

49.195(1) (1) If any parent at the time of receiving aid under s. 49.19 or a benefit under s. 49.148, 49.155 or 49.157 or at any time thereafter acquires property by gift, inheritance, sale of assets, court judgment or settlement of any damage claim, or by winning a lottery or prize, the county granting such aid, or the Wisconsin works agency granting such a benefit, may sue the parent on behalf of the department to recover the value of that portion of the aid or of the benefit which does not exceed the amount of the property so acquired. The value of the aid or benefit liable for recovery under this section may not include the value of work performed by a member of the family in a community work experience program under s. 46.215 (1) (o), 1991 stats., s. 46.22 (1) (b) 11., 1991 stats., or s. 49.50 (7j) (d), 1991 stats., or in a community work experience component under s. 49.193 (6), 1997 stats. During the life of the parent, the 10-year statute of limitations may be pleaded in defense against any suit for recovery under this section; and if such property is his or her homestead it shall be exempt from execution on the judgment of recovery until his or her death or sale of the property, whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions and limitations, where the aid or benefit recipient is deceased a claim may be filed against any property in his or her estate and the statute of limitations specified in s. 859.02 shall be exclusively applicable. The court may refuse to render judgment or allow the claim in any case where a parent, spouse or child is dependent on the property for support, and the court in rendering judgment shall take into account the current family budget requirement as fixed by the U.S. department of labor for the community or as fixed by the authorities of the community in charge of public assistance. The records of aid or benefits paid kept by the county, by the department or by the Wisconsin works agency are prima facie evidence of the value of the aid or benefits furnished. Liability under this section shall extend to any parent or stepparent whose family receives aid under s. 49.19 or benefits under s. 49.148, 49.155 or 49.157 during the period that he or she is a member of the same household, but his or her liability is limited to such period. This section does not apply to medical and health assistance payments for which recovery is prohibited or restricted by federal law or regulation.

49.195(2) (2) Amounts may be recovered pursuant to this section for aid granted both prior to and after August 31, 1969; and any amounts so recovered shall be paid to the United States, this state and its political subdivisions in the proportion in which they contributed to the payment of the aid granted, in the same manner as amounts recovered for old-age assistance are paid.

49.195(3) (3) A county, tribal governing body, Wisconsin Works agency, or the department shall determine whether an overpayment has been made under s. 49.138, 49.148, 49.155, 49.157, or 49.19 and, if so, the amount of the overpayment. The county, tribal governing body, Wisconsin Works agency, or department shall provide notice of the overpayment to the liable person. The department shall give that person an opportunity for a review following the procedure specified under s. 49.152, if the person received the overpayment under s. 49.141 to 49.161, and for a hearing under ch. 227. Notwithstanding s. 49.96, the department shall promptly recover all overpayments made under s. 49.138, 49.148, 49.155, 49.157, or 49.19 that have not already been received under s. 49.138 (5), 49.161, or 49.19 (17) or received as a setoff under s. 71.93 and shall promulgate rules establishing policies and procedures to administer this subsection. The rules shall include notification procedures similar to those established for child support collections.

49.195(3m) (3m) 

49.195(3m)(a) (a)

49.195(3m)(a)1. 1. If any person fails to pay to the department any amount determined under sub. (3), no review or appeal of that determination is pending and the time for requesting a review or taking an appeal has expired, the department may issue a warrant directed to the clerk of circuit court of any county.

49.195(3m)(a)2. 2. The clerk of circuit court shall enter in the judgment and lien docket the name of the person mentioned in the warrant, the amount for which the warrant is issued and the date on which the clerk entered that information.

49.195(3m)(a)3. 3. A warrant entered under subd. 2. shall be considered in all respects as a final judgment constituting a perfected lien upon the person’s right, title and interest in all real and personal property located in the county in which the warrant is entered.

49.195(3m)(a)4. 4. After issuing a warrant, the department may file an execution with the clerk of circuit court for filing with the sheriff of the county, commanding the sheriff to levy upon and sell sufficient real and personal property of the person to pay the amount stated in the warrant in the same manner as upon an execution against property issued upon the judgment of a court of record, and to return the warrant to the department and pay to it the money collected by virtue of the warrant within 90 days after receipt of the warrant. The execution may not command the sheriff to levy upon or sell any property that is exempt from execution under ss. 815.18 (3) and 815.20.

49.195(3m)(b) (b) The clerk of circuit court shall accept, file, and enter each warrant under par. (a) and each satisfaction, release, or withdrawal under par. (d), (e), (g), or (h) in the judgment and lien docket without prepayment of any fee, but the clerk of circuit court shall submit a statement of the proper fee semiannually to the department covering the periods from January 1 to June 30 and July 1 to December 31 unless a different billing period is agreed to between the clerk of circuit court and the department. The department shall pay the fees, but shall add the fees provided by s. 814.61 (5) for entering the warrants to the amount of the warrant and shall collect the fees from the person named in the warrant when satisfaction or release is presented for entry.

49.195(3m)(c) (c) If a warrant that is not satisfied in full is returned, the department may enforce the amount due as if the department had recovered judgment against the person named in the warrant for the same amount.

49.195(3m)(d) (d) When the amount set forth in a warrant and all costs due the department have been paid to it, the department shall issue a satisfaction of the warrant and file it with the clerk of circuit court. The clerk of circuit court shall immediately enter a satisfaction of the judgment on the judgment and lien docket. The department shall send a copy of the satisfaction to the person named in the warrant.

49.195(3m)(e) (e) If the department finds that the interests of the state will not be jeopardized, the department may issue a release of any warrant with respect to any real or personal property upon which the warrant is a lien or cloud upon title. Upon presentation to the clerk and payment of the fee for filing the release, the clerk shall enter the release of record. The release is conclusive that the lien or cloud upon the title of the property covered by the release is extinguished.

49.195(3m)(f) (f) Notwithstanding s. 49.96, at any time after the filing of a warrant, the department may commence and maintain a garnishee action as provided by ch. 812 or may use the remedy of attachment as provided by ch. 811 for actions to enforce a judgment. The place of trial of such an action may be either in Dane County or the county where the debtor resides and may not be changed from the county in which that action is commenced, except upon consent of the parties.

49.195(3m)(g) (g) If the department issues an erroneous warrant, the department shall issue a notice of withdrawal of the warrant to the clerk of circuit court for the county in which the warrant is filed. The clerk shall void the warrant and any resulting liens.

49.195(3m)(h) (h) If the department arranges a payment schedule with the debtor and the debtor complies with the payment schedule, the department may issue a notice of withdrawal of the warrant to the clerk of circuit court for the county in which the warrant is filed. If the department issues a notice of withdrawal of the warrant, the clerk shall void the warrant and the resulting liens.

49.195(3n) (3n) 

49.195(3n)(a) (a) In this subsection:

49.195(3n)(a)1. 1. “Debt” means the amount of liability determined under sub. (3).

49.195(3n)(a)2. 2. “Debtor” means an individual who is liable under sub. (3).

49.195(3n)(a)3. 3. “Disposable earnings” means that part of the earnings of any debtor after the deduction from those earnings of any amounts required by law to be withheld, any life, health, dental or similar type of insurance premiums, union dues, any amount necessary to comply with a court order to contribute to the support of minor children, and any levy, wage assignment or garnishment executed prior to the date of a levy under this subsection.