85.21(3m)(b)5.5. Employ as an operator of a human service vehicle any person who the specialized transportation service knows or should have known does not possess a valid operator’s license issued under ch. 343 or by another jurisdiction that authorizes the operation of any human service vehicle to be operated by that operator.

85.21(3m)(b)10.10. Employ as an operator of a human service vehicle any person who has not, within the previous 24 months, been fully trained in the proper use of all passenger restraint systems available in the human service vehicle operated by that operator.

85.21(3m)(bm)(bm) Notwithstanding par. (b) 4. and 7., a specialized transportation service that is operated by a county or that contracts with a county for services under this section may employ as an operator of a human service vehicle any person holding a valid school bus endorsement under s. 343.12 that was issued or renewed within 4 years prior to employment.

85.21(3m)(d)(d) Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, prior to employing any person, other than a person holding a valid school bus endorsement under s. 343.12 that was issued or renewed within 4 years prior to employment, as an operator, a specialized transportation service shall obtain from the records maintained by the department of justice, and the department of justice shall provide, a criminal history search of the person. Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, if the person who is the subject of the criminal history search is not a resident of this state, or if at any time within the 3 years preceding the date of the search that person has not been a resident of this state, the specialized transportation service shall make a good faith effort to obtain promptly from any state in which the person is a resident, or was a resident within the 3 years preceding the date of the search, information that is equivalent to a criminal history.

85.21(3m)(dm)1.1. Every specialized transportation service that is operated by a county or that contracts with a county for services under this section shall, prior to employing any person, other than a person holding a valid school bus endorsement under s. 343.12 that was issued or renewed within the previous 4 years, as an operator of a human service vehicle, obtain the person’s operating record from the department under s. 343.24 or, if the operating record has already been obtained by another entity, from that entity if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the operating record obtained from that entity is accurate and was furnished by the department to that entity not more than 2 months previously.

85.21(3m)(dm)2.2. No later than every 4 years, every specialized transportation service that is operated by a county or that contracts with a county for services under this section shall obtain, in the manner provided in subd. 1., an updated operating record for any person employed as an operator of a human service vehicle by the specialized transportation service.

85.21(4)(a)(a) The county may establish the transportation of seniors and individuals with disabilities to medical, nutritional, and work-related activities as the priority for the specialized transportation services.

85.21(4)(b)(b) Specialized transportation services may at the discretion of the county be open to the general public on a space-available basis.

85.21(4)(c)1.1. The county shall either require a copayment by the user of the specialized transportation service or provide the user with an opportunity to make a voluntary contribution to the cost of the service.

85.21(4)(c)2.2. The county shall establish the amount of copayment if copayment is required and shall recommend an amount for a voluntary contribution if an opportunity to make a voluntary contribution is provided. The county shall establish the method by which the copayment or voluntary contribution is collected from the user.

85.21(4)(c)4.4. A county may exempt a user from payment under subd. 1. if an emergency exists, if the user does not have the economic resources to make a payment or if the user is not competent to make a payment.

85.21(4)(d)(d) A county may not use aids provided under this section to support the regular route services of an urban mass transit system receiving state aids under s. 85.20. A county may use aids provided under this section to support subsystems of urban mass transit systems that provide special services to seniors or individuals with disabilities.

85.21585.215 Tribal elderly transportation grant program. The department shall award grants to federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands to assist in providing transportation services for elderly persons. Grants awarded under this section shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.395 (1) (ck). The department shall prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that shall be contained in an application for a grant under this section. The department shall establish criteria for evaluating applications and for awarding grants under this section.

85.22(1)(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to promote the general public health and welfare by providing assistance to eligible applicants providing transportation services to seniors and individuals with disabilities.

85.22(2)(am)(am) “Eligible applicant” means any applicant that meets eligibility requirements for federal assistance under 49 USC 5310.

85.22(2)(bm)(bm) “Individual with a disability” means any individual who, because of any temporary or permanent physical or mental condition or institutional residence is unable without special facilities or special planning or design to use available transportation facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so affected.