The bill creates the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy in DOA to
administer certain energy programs. The bill requires the Office of Sustainability
and Clean Energy to work on initiatives with specified goals regarding clean and
renewable energy, innovative sustainability, and diversification of energy resources
and imposes duties on the office for advising, supporting, reporting, and assisting
state agencies, local governments, and private entities on clean and renewable
energy. The bill allows the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy to provide
technical assistance to governmental units and private entities. In addition, the bill
requires the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy to establish a program for
making grants from the environmental fund for clean energy production research.
Creating the Office of Environmental Justice
The bill creates the Office of Environmental Justice within DOA. The office is
led by a director outside the classified service who is appointed by the secretary of
administration.
The duties of the office include all of the following: 1) developing a statewide
climate risk assessment and resiliency plan; 2) assisting state agencies, local
governments, and tribal governments with the development of climate risk
assessment and resiliency plans; 3) administering a climate risk assessment and
resiliency plan technical assistance grant program; 4) collaborating with state
agencies and entities that serve vulnerable communities to address the impact of
climate change on vulnerable communities; 5) providing guidance to state entities
on issues regarding environmental justice and related community issues to address
environmental issues and concerns that affect primarily low income and minority
communities; and 6) creating an annual report on issues, concerns, and problems
related to environmental justice. The bill also creates the unclassified positions of
chief resiliency officer and director of the Office of Environmental Justice. Under the
bill, the chief resiliency officer and the director of the Office of Environmental Justice
are assigned to executive salary group 3.
The bill makes an appropriation for the administration of the Office of
Environmental Justice, development of state agency climate risk assessments and
resiliency plans, and the chief resiliency officer. Also under the bill, DOA is required
to charge state agencies a fee for the development of state agency climate risk
assessments and resiliency plans.
The bill also makes an appropriation for the administration of the climate risk
assessment and resiliency plan technical assistance grant program.
Office of Digital Transformation; enterprise data management and
analytics
The bill creates the Office of Digital Transformation in DOA. The office is under
the direction and supervision of a director who is appointed by and serves at the
pleasure of the secretary of administration.
The bill authorizes the office to establish an enterprise data management and
analytics program to gather, combine, and analyze data provided by state agencies
to evaluate the outcomes of state-funded programs; develop and implement policies
and strategies to promote the effective, efficient, and best use of state resources; and
identify, prevent, or eliminate the fraudulent use of state funds, resources, and
programs. At the office's request, a state agency must provide data to the office for
use under the program.
The bill includes measures to protect the confidentiality of data provided to the
office under the program and requires the office, in consultation with other agencies,
to develop protocols and security measures to ensure the security and proper use of
data shared under the program.
Administrative attachments to DOA
Under current law, a division, office, commission, council, or board that is
attached to an agency for administrative purposes exercises its powers and duties
independently, but the agency performs budgeting, program coordination, and
related management functions on behalf of the division, office, or other body.
Under current law, the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and
state treasurer each head a staff termed the “office" of the respective constitutional
officer. The bill attaches all of those offices to DOA for administrative purposes.
Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board is an independent
agency in the executive branch of state government. The bill attaches to DOA for
administrative purposes both HEAB and the Distance Learning Authorization
Board, which is currently attached to HEAB.
Under current law, the Kickapoo Reserve Management Board is attached to the
Department of Tourism for administrative purposes. The bill attaches the board to
DOA for administrative purposes.
Under current law, the State Fair Park Board is attached to the Department
of Tourism for administrative purposes. The bill attaches the board to DOA for
administrative purposes.
The bill also requires DOA to perform budgeting, program coordination, and
related management functions on behalf of the Department of Tourism.
Assistant secretary of state
2015 Wisconsin Act 55 eliminated the position of assistant secretary of state.
The bill restores that position. The secretary of state may delegate any duty or power
to the assistant secretary of state, except duties and powers the secretary of state
performs as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL).
Office of the State Treasurer appropriation
The bill creates a GPR program operations appropriation for the Office of the
State Treasurer. Currently, the office is funded by a PR appropriation from moneys
received from the state's unclaimed property program.
Programs for the certification of certain businesses for preference in state
contracting
Under current law, DOA administers disabled veteran-owned business
certifications, woman-owned business certifications, and minority business
certifications. A business that qualifies for and maintains one of those certifications
may be eligible to receive certain advantages bidding on public projects and other
benefits. Current law authorizes DOA to charge a certification fee to cover its costs
to administer the certifications programs. The bill eliminates that fee authorization.
Additionally, the bill establishes the following new certification programs:
1. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-owned businesses, including
financial advisers and investment firms. DOA may certify a business as a lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgender-owned business if it determines the business satisfies
all of the following:
a. One or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals own at least
51 percent of the business or, in the case of any publicly owned business, one or more
lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals own at least 51 percent of the stock
of the business.
b. One or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals or one or more
duly authorized representatives of one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender
individuals control the management and daily business operations of the business.
c. The business has its principal place of business in this state.
d. The business is currently performing a useful business function.