Chapter 49

49.78(2)(b)2. 2. That the department and multicounty consortia shall cooperate to provide the following administrative functions related to the income maintenance programs:

49.78(2)(b)2.a. a. Conducting subrogation and benefit recovery efforts.

49.78(2)(b)2.b. b. Participating in fair hearings.

49.78(2)(b)2.c. c. Conducting fraud prevention and identification activities.

49.78(2)(b)3. 3. That the department will reimburse a multicounty consortium for services provided under the contract using a method determined by the department.

49.78(2m) (2m) Administration by a tribal governing body.

49.78(2m)(a) (a) A tribal governing body may administer income maintenance programs by electing to have the department administer the tribe’s income maintenance programs or by providing the required administrative services and entering into a contract with the department for reimbursement under par. (b).

49.78(2m)(b) (b) Annually, for the income maintenance administrative program functions, if any, that the department delegates to a tribal governing body, the department and tribal governing body may enter into a contract, for reimbursement of the tribal governing body for the reasonable cost of administering income maintenance programs.

49.78(2m)(c) (c) The amount of each reimbursement paid under a contract entered into par. (b) shall be calculated using a formula based on workload within the limits of state and federal funds. The department may adjust reimbursement amounts determined under the contract for workload changes and computer network activities performed by a tribal governing body.

49.78(2r) (2r) Departmental administrative functions. The department shall perform all of the following administrative functions related to income maintenance programs:

49.78(2r)(a) (a) Providing income maintenance worker training.

49.78(2r)(b) (b) Performing 2nd-party reviews.

49.78(2r)(c) (c) Administering the funeral expenses program under s. 49.785.

49.78(2r)(d) (d) Providing information technology and licenses for call centers that are operated by multicounty consortia.

49.78(2r)(e) (e) Maintaining the client assistance reemployment and economic support system.

49.78(2r)(f) (f) Contracting with multicounty consortia under sub. (2), including establishing performance requirements.

49.78(2r)(g) (g) Contracting with tribal governing bodies under sub. (2m), including establishing performance requirements.

49.78(2r)(h) (h) Monitoring contracts with multicounty consortia and tribal governing bodies, including compliance with performance standards and federal and other reporting requirements.

49.78(2r)(i) (i) Operating a centralized document processing unit.

49.78(3) (3) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules establishing standards of competency, including training requirements, for income maintenance workers.

49.78(4) (4) Rules; merit system. The department of children and families shall promulgate rules for the efficient administration of aid to families with dependent children in agreement with the requirement for federal aid, including the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on a merit basis. The provisions of this section relating to personnel standards on a merit basis supersede any inconsistent provisions of any law relating to county personnel. This subsection shall not be construed to invalidate the provisions of s. 46.22 (1) (d).

49.78(5) (5) Personnel examinations. Statewide examinations to ascertain qualifications of applicants in any county department administering aid to families with dependent children shall be given by the director of the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration. The department of administration shall be reimbursed for actual expenditures incurred in the performance of its functions under this section from the appropriations available to the department of children and families for administrative expenditures.

49.78(6) (6) Personnel lists. All persons who are qualified as a result of examinations shall be certified to the counties in which they reside at the time of examination; if there are no resident qualified persons for any class of positions on the list certified to the county, appointments shall be made from available lists without regard to residence within the county.

49.78(7) (7) County personnel systems. Pursuant to rules promulgated under sub. (4), the department of children and families where requested by the county shall delegate to that county, without restriction because of enumeration, any or all of the authority of the department of children and families under sub. (4) to establish and maintain personnel standards including salary levels.

49.78(8) (8) Reimbursement for income maintenance administration.

49.78(8)(a) (a) From the appropriations under s. 20.435 (4) (bn) and (nn) and subject to par. (b), the department shall provide funding to reimburse each multicounty consortium that contracts with the department under sub. (2) and each tribal governing body that contracts with the department under sub. (2m) for the costs of administering the income maintenance programs, including conducting fraud prevention activities, in accordance with the terms of the applicable contract. The amount of reimbursement calculated under this paragraph and par. (b) is in addition to any reimbursement provided to a county, multicounty consortium, or tribal governing body for fraud and error reduction under s. 49.197 or 49.845.

49.78(8)(b) (b) The department may reduce the amount of any reimbursement if federal reimbursement is withheld due to audits, quality control samples, or program reviews.

49.78(10) (10) Reimbursement certification.

49.78(10)(a) (a) An authorized representative from each multicounty consortium that contracts with the department under sub. (2) and each tribal governing body that contracts with the department under sub. (2m) shall certify monthly under oath to the department in such manner as the department prescribes the claim of the multicounty consortium or tribal governing body for state reimbursement under sub. (8) (a). The department shall review each claim of reimbursement and, if the department approves the claim, the department shall certify to the department of administration for reimbursement to the multicounty consortium or tribal governing body for amounts due under sub. (8) (a) and payment claimed to be made to the multicounty consortia or tribal governing bodies monthly. The department may make advance payments prior to the beginning of each month equal to one-twelfth of the contracted amount.

49.78(10)(b) (b) To facilitate prompt reimbursement the certificate of the department may be based on the certified statements of the authorized representatives of multicounty consortia or tribal governing body executives filed under par. (a). Funds recovered from audit adjustments from a prior fiscal year may be included in subsequent certifications only to pay counties or multicounty consortia owed funds as a result of any audit adjustment. By September 30 annually, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) on funds recovered and paid out during the previous calendar year as a result of audit adjustments.

49.78(11) (11) Requirement to provide information.

49.78(11)(a) (a)

49.78(11)(a)1. 1. The department, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, a multicounty consortium, or a tribal governing body may request from any person in this state information it determines appropriate and necessary for determining or verifying eligibility or benefits for a recipient under any income maintenance program. Unless access to the information is prohibited or restricted by law, or unless the person has good cause, as determined by the department in accordance with federal law and regulations, for refusing to cooperate, the person shall make a good faith effort to provide the information within 7 days after receiving a request under this paragraph. The department, county department, multicounty consortium, or tribal governing body, or employees of any of them, may not disclose information obtained under this subdivision for any purpose not connected with the administration of the income maintenance program for which the information was requested.

49.78(11)(a)2. 2. In conjunction with any request for information under subd. 1., including a request made by subpoena under par. (b), the department, county department, multicounty consortium, or tribal governing body shall advise the person of the time by which the information must be provided.

49.78(11)(b) (b) The department, a county department, a multicounty consortium, or a tribal governing body may issue a subpoena, in substantially the form authorized under s. 885.02, to compel the production of financial information or other documentary evidence for determining or verifying eligibility or benefits for a recipient under any income maintenance program.

49.78(11)(c) (c) A person is not liable to any person for any of the following:

49.78(11)(c)1. 1. Allowing access to financial or other records by the department, a county department, a multicounty consortium, or a tribal governing body in response to a request under par. (a) or a subpoena described in par. (b).

49.78(11)(c)2. 2. Disclosing information from financial or other records to the department, a county department, a multicounty consortium, or a tribal governing body in response to a request under par. (a) or a subpoena described in par. (b).

49.78(11)(c)3. 3. Any other action taken in good faith to comply with this subsection or a subpoena described in par. (b) or to comply with a request for information or access to records from the department, a county department, a multicounty consortium, or a tribal governing body for determining or verifying eligibility or benefits for a recipient under any income maintenance program.

49.78 History History: 1995 a. 27 ss. 2041 to 2049, 2933 to 2936, 3084 to 3087, 3130; 1995 a. 289, 417; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33 ss. 1308, 1448, 9160; Stats. 2003 s. 49.78; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 15, 28; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 365 s. 111.

49.78 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 254, Wis. adm. code.

49.785 49.785 Funeral expenses.

49.785(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (1m) and subject to s. 49.825, if any recipient specified in sub. (1c) dies and the estate of the deceased recipient is insufficient to pay the funeral, burial, and cemetery expenses of the deceased recipient, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (4) (br) the department shall pay, to the person designated by the department, all of the following:

49.785(1)(a) (a) The lesser of $1,000 or the cemetery expenses that are not paid by the estate of the deceased and other persons.

49.785(1)(b) (b) The lesser of $1,500 or the funeral and burial expenses not paid by the estate of the deceased and other persons.

49.785(1c) (1c) All of the following are eligible recipients under this section:

49.785(1c)(a) (a) A recipient of benefits under s. 49.148, 49.46, or 49.77, or under 42 USC 1381 to 1385 in effect on May 8, 1980.

49.785(1c)(b) (b) A recipient of benefits under s. 49.471 who is any of the following:

49.785(1c)(b)1. 1. A pregnant woman or a child under 6 years of age with a family income not exceeding 185 percent of the poverty line at the time of death.

49.785(1c)(b)2. 2. A child at least 6 years of age but less than 19 years of age with a family income not exceeding 100 percent of the poverty line at the time of death.

49.785(1c)(b)3. 3. A parent or caretaker relative with a family income not exceeding 50 percent of the poverty line at the time of death.

49.785(1m) (1m) 

49.785(1m)(a) (a) If the total cemetery expenses for the recipient exceed $3,500, the department is not required to make a payment for the cemetery expenses under sub. (1) (a).

49.785(1m)(b) (b) If the total funeral and burial expenses for the recipient exceed $4,500, the department is not required to make a payment for funeral and burial expenses under sub. (1) (b).

49.785(1m)(c) (c) If a request for payment under sub. (1) is made more than 12 months after the death of the recipient, the department is not required to make a payment for cemetery, funeral, or burial expenses.

49.785(1m)(d) (d) If the recipient, or the recipient’s spouse or another person, owns a life insurance policy insuring the recipient’s life and the face value of the policy is more than $3,000, any amount that the department would be obligated to pay under sub. (1) shall be reduced by one dollar for every dollar by which the face value of the policy exceeds $3,000.

49.785(1r) (1r) A funeral home, cemetery, or crematorium that receives payment under sub. (1) shall be exempt from paying any of the following fees:

49.785(1r)(a) (a) Fees for services rendered by a coroner or medical examiner.

49.785(1r)(b) (b) Fees assessed for the signing of a death record by a coroner or medical examiner.

49.785(1r)(c) (c) Fees assessed by a county related to transportation services.

49.785(2) (2) The department shall pursue recovery of any amounts paid under sub. (1) from the estate of the recipient and from the estate of any surviving spouse or former spouse of the recipient as provided in ss. 49.682 and 49.849.

49.785 History History: 1973 c. 147, 333; 1975 c. 39, 224; 1979 c. 206; 1981 c. 20; 1985 a. 29, 176, 332; 1989 a. 31, 239; 1995 a. 27, 289; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33 s. 1302; Stats. 2003 s. 49.785; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 15, 393; 2011 a. 32, 260; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55, 336; 2017 a. 334.

49.785 Annotation A cement grave liner will be considered a funeral and burial expense or a cemetery expense depending on who provides the liner; a liner provided by a funeral home constitutes a funeral and burial expense subject to the statutory payment limit. 79 Atty. Gen. 164.

49.79 49.79 Food stamp administration.

49.79(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

49.79(1)(am) (am) “Able-bodied adult” means an individual who is not any of the following:

49.79(1)(am)1. 1. Younger than 18 years of age.

49.79(1)(am)2. 2. Fifty years of age or older.

49.79(1)(am)3. 3. Determined by the department to be medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment, as described in 7 CFR 273.24 (c) (2).

49.79(1)(am)6. 6. Exempt from the work requirement under the food stamp program, as described in 7 CFR 273.24 (c) (5).

49.79(1)(am)7. 7. Pregnant.

49.79(1)(ap) (ap) “Able-bodied adult without dependents” means an able-bodied adult who is not any of the following:

49.79(1)(ap)4. 4. A parent of a household member who is younger than 18 years old, even if the household member who is younger than 18 years old is not eligible for food stamps.

49.79(1)(ap)5. 5. Residing in a household that includes a household member who is younger than 18 years old, even if the household member who is younger than 18 years old is not eligible for food stamps.

49.79(1)(b) (b) “Controlled substance” has the meaning given in 21 USC 802 (6).

49.79(1)(bg) (bg) “Custodial parent” has the meaning given in s. 49.141 (1) (b).

49.79(1)(c) (c) “Food stamp program” means the federal food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2036.

49.79(1)(e) (e) “Multicounty consortium” has the meaning given in s. 49.78 (1) (br).

49.79(1)(em) (em) “Noncustodial parent” has the meaning given in s. 49.141 (1) (h).

49.79(1)(f) (f) “Qualified alien” has the meaning given in 8 USC 1641 (b).

49.79(1)(g) (g) “Wisconsin Works employment position” has the meaning given in s. 49.141 (1) (r).

49.79(1m) (1m) Welfare recipient. An individual who is a recipient under the food stamp program is considered to be a welfare recipient for purposes of 21 USC 862b.

49.79(1p) (1p) Eligibility; restrictions on certain assets.

49.79(1p)(a) (a) In this subsection, “elderly, blind, or disabled individual” has the meaning given for “elderly or disabled member” in 7 USC 2012 (j).

49.79(1p)(b) (b) To the extent allowed under federal law, an individual who is not an elderly, blind, or disabled individual and who is at least 19 years of age is ineligible to participate in the food stamp program in a month in which any of the following applies:

49.79(1p)(b)1. 1. The individual owns more than one home.

49.79(1p)(b)2. 2. The individual owns a primary residence that is worth more than 200 percent of the statewide median home value. In calculating the home value, the value of any agricultural land owned by the individual is excluded.

49.79(1p)(b)3. 3. The combined equity value of vehicles, except those used for business purposes, owned by the individual is more than $20,000.

49.79(1p)(c) (c) If the department promulgates a rule establishing a hardship exemption, par. (b) does not apply to an individual who meets the criteria for a hardship exemption.