SB70-AA3,240,20 20.437 (1) (dd) State out-of-home care, adoption services, and subsidized guardianships. The amounts in the schedule for foster care, institutional child care, and subsidized adoptions under ss. 48.48 (12) and 48.52, for the cost of care for children under s. 49.19 (10) (d), for the cost of placements of children 18 years of age or over in residential care centers for children and youth under voluntary agreements under s. 48.366 (3) or under orders that terminate as provided in s. 48.355 (4) (b) 4., 48.357 (6) (a) 4., or 48.365 (5) (b) 4., for the cost of the foster care monitoring system, for the cost of reimbursing counties and Indian tribes for subsidized guardianship payments under s. 48.623 (3) (a), for the cost of services to children with special needs who are under the guardianship of the department to prepare those children for adoption, and for the cost of postadoption services to children with special needs.

SB70-AA3,308 Section 308. 20.437 (1) (pd) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,241,10 20.437 (1) (pd) Federal aid; state out-of-home care, adoption services, and subsidized guardianships. All federal moneys received for meeting the costs of providing foster care, institutional child care, and subsidized adoptions under ss. 48.48 (12) and 48.52, the cost of care for children under s. 49.19 (10) (d), the cost of placements of children 18 years of age or over in residential care centers for children and youth under voluntary agreements under s. 48.366 (3) or under orders that terminate as provided in s. 48.355 (4) (b) 4., 48.357 (6) (a) 4., or 48.365 (5) (b) 4., the cost of reimbursing counties and Indian tribes for subsidized guardianship payments under s. 48.623 (3) (a), the cost of services to children with special needs who are under the guardianship of the department to prepare those children for adoption, and the cost of postadoption services to children with special needs. Disbursements for foster care under s. 49.32 (2) and for the purposes described under s. 48.627 may be made from this appropriation.

SB70-AA3,309 Section 309. 48.48 (8r) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,241,15 48.48 (8r) To reimburse county departments and Indian tribes, from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (dd) and (pd), for subsidized guardianship payments made under s. 48.623 (1) or (6), including guardianships of Indian children ordered by tribal courts.

SB70-AA3,310 Section 310. 48.623 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,242,5 48.623 (1) Eligibility. (intro.) A county department or, as provided in sub. (3) (a), an Indian tribe or the department shall provide monthly subsidized guardianship payments in the amount specified in sub. (3) (b) to a guardian of a child under s. 48.977 (2) or under a substantially similar tribal law if the county department, Indian tribe, or department determines that the conditions specified in pars. (a) to (d) have been met. A county department or, as provided in sub. (3) (a), a tribe or the department shall also provide those payments for the care of a sibling of such a child, regardless of whether the sibling meets the conditions specified in par. (a), if the county department, Indian tribe, or department and the guardian agree on the appropriateness of placing the sibling in the home of the guardian. A guardian of a child under s. 48.977 (2) or under a substantially similar tribal law is eligible for monthly subsidized guardianship payments under this subsection if the county department, Indian tribe, or the department, whichever will be providing those payments, determines that all of the following apply:

SB70-AA3,311 Section 311. 48.623 (1) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,242,13 48.623 (1) (b) 3. The guardian is licensed as the child's foster parent and the guardian and all adults residing in the guardian's home meet the requirements specified in s. 48.685 or, for a guardianship of a child ordered by a tribal court in which the background investigation is conducted by the Indian tribe, all adults residing in the guardian's home meet either the requirements specified in s. 48.685 or the background check requirements for foster parent licensing under 42 USC 671 (a) (20).

SB70-AA3,312 Section 312. 48.623 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,242,20 48.623 (1) (c) An order under s. 48.345, 48.357, 48.363, 48.365, 938.345, 938.357, 938.363, or 938.365 or a tribal court under a substantially similar tribal law placing the child, or continuing the placement of the child, outside of the child's home has been terminated, or any proceeding in which the child has been adjudged to be in need of protection or services specified in s. 48.977 (2) (a) has been dismissed, as provided in s. 48.977 (3r) (a).

SB70-AA3,313 Section 313. 48.623 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,243,12 48.623 (2) Subsidized guardianship agreement. (intro.) Before a county department, an Indian tribe, or the department may approve the provision of subsidized guardianship payments under sub. (1) to a proposed guardian, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall negotiate and enter into a written, binding subsidized guardianship agreement with the proposed guardian and provide the proposed guardian with a copy of the agreement. A subsidized guardianship agreement or an amended subsidized guardianship agreement may also name a prospective successor guardian of the child to assume the duty and authority of guardianship on the death or incapacity of the guardian. A successor guardian is eligible for monthly subsidized guardianship payments under this section only if the successor guardian is named as a prospective successor guardian of the child in a subsidized guardianship agreement or amended subsidized guardianship agreement that was entered into before the death or incapacity of the guardian, the conditions specified in sub. (6) (bm) are met, and the court appoints the successor guardian to assume the duty and authority of guardianship as provided in s. 48.977 (5m). A subsidized guardianship agreement shall specify all of the following:

SB70-AA3,314 Section 314. 48.623 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,243,16 48.623 (2) (c) That the county department, Indian tribe, or department will pay the total cost of the nonrecurring expenses that are associated with obtaining guardianship of the child, not to exceed $2,000.

SB70-AA3,315 Section 315. 48.623 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,244,8 48.623 (3) (a) Except as provided in this paragraph, the county department shall provide the monthly payments under sub. (1) or (6). An Indian tribe that has entered into an agreement with the department under sub. (8) shall provide the monthly payments under sub. (1) or (6) for guardianships of children ordered by the tribal court, or a county department may provide the monthly payments under sub. (1) or (6) for guardianships of children ordered by the tribal court if the county department has entered into an agreement with the governing body of an Indian tribe to provide those payments. The county department or Indian tribe shall provide those payments from moneys received under s. 48.48 (8r). The department shall reimburse county departments and Indian tribes for the cost of subsidized guardianship payments, including payments made by county departments for guardianships of Indian children ordered by tribal courts, from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (dd) and (pd). In a county having a population of 750,000 or more or in the circumstances specified in s. 48.43 (7) (a) or 48.485 (1), the department shall provide the monthly payments under sub. (1) or (6). The department shall provide those payments from the appropriations under s. 20.437 (1) (cx) and (mx).

SB70-AA3,316 Section 316. 48.623 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,244,18 48.623 (3) (b) The county department or, as provided in par. (a), an Indian tribe or the department shall determine the initial amount of a monthly payment under sub. (1) or (6) for the care of a child based on the circumstances of the guardian and the needs of the child. That amount may not exceed the amount received under s. 48.62 (4) or a substantially similar tribal law by the guardian of the child for the month immediately preceding the month in which the guardianship order was granted. A guardian or an interim caretaker who receives a monthly payment under sub. (1) or (6) for the care of a child is not eligible to receive a payment under s. 48.57 (3m) or (3n) or 48.62 (4) for the care of that child.

SB70-AA3,317 Section 317. 48.623 (3) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,245,10 48.623 (3) (c) 1. If a person who is receiving monthly subsidized guardianship payments under an agreement under sub. (2) believes that there has been a substantial change in circumstances, as defined by the department by rule promulgated under sub. (7) (a), he or she may request that the agreement be amended to increase the amount of those payments. If a request is received under this subdivision, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall determine whether there has been a substantial change in circumstances and whether there has been a substantiated report of abuse or neglect of the child by the person receiving those payments. If there has been a substantial change in circumstances and if there has been no substantiated report of abuse or neglect of the child by that person, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall offer to increase the amount of those payments based on criteria established by the department by rule promulgated under sub. (7) (b). If an increased monthly subsidized guardianship payment is agreed to by the person receiving those payments, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall amend the agreement in writing to specify the increased amount of those payments.

SB70-AA3,318 Section 318. 48.623 (3) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,246,2 48.623 (3) (c) 2. Annually, a county department , Indian tribe, or the department shall review an agreement that has been amended under subd. 1. to determine whether the substantial change in circumstances that was the basis for amending the agreement continues to exist. If that substantial change in circumstances continues to exist, the agreement, as amended, shall remain in effect. If that substantial change in circumstances no longer exists, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall offer to decrease the amount of the monthly subsidized guardianship payments provided under sub. (1) based on criteria established by the department under sub. (7) (c). If the decreased amount of those payments is agreed to by the person receiving those payments, the county department , Indian tribe, or department shall amend the agreement in writing to specify the decreased amount of those payments. If the decreased amount of those payments is not agreed to by the person receiving those payments, that person may appeal the decision of the county department, Indian tribe, or department regarding the decrease under sub. (5).

SB70-AA3,319 Section 319. 48.623 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,246,10 48.623 (3) (d) The department, an Indian tribe, or a county department may recover an overpayment made under sub. (1) or (6) from a guardian or interim caretaker who continues to receive those payments by reducing the amount of the person's monthly payment. The department may by rule specify other methods for recovering those overpayments. A county department or Indian tribe that recovers an overpayment under this paragraph due to the efforts of its officers and employees may retain a portion of the amount recovered, as provided by the department by rule.

SB70-AA3,320 Section 320. 48.623 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,246,19 48.623 (4) Annual review. A county department, an Indian tribe, or the department shall review a placement of a child for which the county department, Indian tribe, or department makes payments under sub. (1) not less than every 12 months after the county department, Indian tribe, or department begins making those payments to determine whether the child and the guardian remain eligible for those payments. If the child or the guardian is no longer eligible for those payments, the county department, Indian tribe, or department shall discontinue making those payments.

SB70-AA3,321 Section 321. 48.623 (5) (b) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA3,247,11 48.623 (5) (b) 1. (intro.) Upon receipt of a timely petition described in par. (a) the department shall give the applicant or recipient reasonable notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department may make such additional investigation as it considers necessary. Notice of the hearing shall be given to the applicant or recipient and to the county department, Indian tribe, or subunit of the department whose action or failure to act is the subject of the petition. That county department, Indian tribe, or subunit of the department may be represented at the hearing. The department shall render its decision as soon as possible after the hearing and shall send a certified copy of its decision to the applicant or recipient and to the county department, Indian tribe, or subunit of the department whose action or failure to act is the subject of the petition. The decision of the department shall have the same effect as an order of the county department, Indian tribe, or subunit of the department whose action or failure to act is the subject of the petition. The decision shall be final, but may be revoked or modified as altered conditions may require. The department shall deny a petition for review or shall refuse to grant relief if any of the following applies: