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19Section
37. 20.923 (4) (c) 1t. of the statutes is created to read:
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20.923
(4) (c) 1t. Administration, department of: director of the office of
21environmental justice.
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1Section
38. 230.08 (2) (ya) of the statutes is created to read:
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230.08
(2) (ya) The director of the office of environmental justice in the
3department of administration.
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4Section
39. 230.08 (2) (yf) of the statutes is created to read:
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230.08
(2) (yf) The chief resiliency officer in the department of
6administration.”.
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916.293 Water utility assistance for low-income households. (1) 10Definitions. In this section:
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(a) “County department" means a county department under s. 46.215 or 46.22.
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(b) “Crisis assistance" means a benefit that is given to a household experiencing
13or at risk of experiencing a water utility–related emergency.
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(c) “Household" means any individual or group of individuals who are living
15together as one economic unit for whom residential water is customarily purchased
16in common or who make undesignated payments for water in the form of rent.
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(d) “Utility allowance" means the amount of utility costs paid by those
18individuals in subsidized housing who pay their own utility bills, as averaged from
19total utility costs for the housing unit by the housing authority.
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(e) “Water utility assistance" means a benefit that is given to a household to
21assist in meeting the cost of water utility.
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22(2) Administration. (a) The department shall administer a water utility
23assistance program for low-income households to assist eligible households to meet
24home water utility costs and shall establish a payments schedule for the program.
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1(b) The department may contract with a county department, another local
2governmental agency, or a private nonprofit organization to process applications and
3make payments under the water utility assistance program for low-income
4households.
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5(3) Application procedure. (a) A household may apply for water utility
6assistance from the department under the water utility assistance program for
7low-income households. A household shall apply on a form prescribed by the
8department.
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(b) If by February 1 of any year the number of households applying for
10assistance under par. (a) substantially exceeds the number anticipated to apply, the
11department may reduce the assistance payments under sub. (5) made after that date.
12The department may also suspend the processing of additional applications until the
13department adjusts assistance amounts payable.
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14(4) Eligibility. (a) Subject to sub. (3) (b), all of the following households are
15eligible to receive water utility assistance under this section:
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1. A household with income that is not more than 60 percent of the statewide
17median household income.
SB70-SSA2-SA5,31,20182. A household entirely composed of persons receiving food stamps under
7
19USC 2011 to
2036 or supplemental security income or state supplemental payments
20under
42 USC 1381 to
1383c or s. 49.77.
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3. A household with income within the limits specified under par. (b) that
22resides in housing that is subsidized or administered by a municipality, a county, the
23state, or the federal government for which a utility allowance is applied to determine
24the amount of rent or the amount of the subsidy.
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1(b) The department may establish additional eligibility requirements and
2other program guidelines for the program.
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3(5) Assistance payments. Subject to moneys appropriated under s. 20.505 (7)
4(ee), water utility assistance shall be paid according to the payments schedule
5established under sub. (2) (a).
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6(6) Individuals in state prisons or secured juvenile facilities. No assistance
7payment under sub. (5) may be made to an individual who is imprisoned in a state
8prison under s. 302.01 or to an individual placed at a juvenile correctional facility,
9as defined in s. 938.02 (10p), or a secured residential care center for children and
10youth, as defined in s. 938.02 (15g).
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11(7) Crisis assistance program. A household eligible for water utility assistance
12under sub. (4) may also be eligible for a crisis assistance payment. The department
13shall define the circumstances constituting a crisis for which an assistance payment
14may be made and shall establish the amount of payment to an eligible household.
15The department may delegate a portion of its responsibility under this subsection to
16a county department, another local governmental agency, or a private nonprofit
17organization.
SB70-SSA2-SA5,41
1Section
41. 20.505 (7) (dd) of the statutes is created to read:
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20.505
(7) (dd)
Water utility assistance for low-income households;
3administration. The amounts in the schedule to pay program operations costs for the
4water utility assistance program for low-income households under s. 16.293.