SB70-SSA2-SA2,99,12 20.485 (1) (gk) Institutional operations. The amounts in the schedule for the care of the members of the Wisconsin veterans homes under s. 45.50, for the payment of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (4) (ky) for payment of the state share of the medical assistance costs related to the provision of stipends under s. 45.50 (2m) (f), for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43 to allow them to reside at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove, for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation accounts under pars. (kc) and (kj), for the transfer of moneys in an amount up to $10,000,000 to the appropriation account under par. (ks), and for the payment of grants under s. 45.82. Not more than 1 percent of the moneys credited to this appropriation account may be used for the payment of assistance to indigent veterans under s. 45.43. All moneys received under par. (m) and s. 45.51 (7) (b) and (8) and all moneys received for the care of members under medical assistance, as defined in s. 49.43 (8), shall be credited to this appropriation account. All moneys transferred under 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 9248 (1r), shall be credited to this appropriation account. Except for the moneys transferred under this paragraph to the appropriation account under par. (kc), no moneys may be expended from this appropriation for the purposes specified in par. (kc).

SB70-SSA2-SA2,9148 Section 9148. Nonstatutory provisions; Veterans Affairs.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,99,19 (1) Study for a master plan for the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. From the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (u), during the 2023-25 fiscal biennium, the department of veterans affairs shall contract with a vendor to study the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The study shall provide a framework to guide decision-making for future operations and development on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King. The study shall be completed before June 1, 2025.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,9248 Section 9248. Fiscal changes; Veterans Affairs.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,99,23 (1r) Veterans homes institutional operations. There is transferred from the general fund to the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (1) (gk) $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2023-24.”.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,99,24 213. Page 374, line 11: after that line insert:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,100,1 “ Section 98. 45.82 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,100,15 45.82 (2) The department of veterans affairs shall award a grant annually to a county that meets the standards developed under this section if the county executive, administrator, or administrative coordinator certifies to the department that it employs a county veterans service officer who, if chosen after April 15, 2015, is chosen from a list of candidates who have taken a civil service examination for the position of county veterans service officer developed and administered by the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration, or is appointed under a civil service competitive examination procedure under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63. The grant shall be $9,350 $18,700 for a county with a population of less than 20,000, $11,000 $22,000 for a county with a population of 20,000 to 45,499, $12,650 $25,300 for a county with a population of 45,500 to 74,999, and $14,300 $28,600 for a county with a population of 75,000 or more. The department of veterans affairs shall use the most recent Wisconsin official population estimates prepared by the demographic services center when making grants under this subsection.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,99 Section 99. 45.82 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,100 Section 100. 45.82 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,2 45.82 (4) The department shall provide grants to the governing bodies of federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands from the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (km) or (vu) if that governing body enters into an agreement with the department regarding the creation, goals, and objectives of a tribal veterans service officer, appoints a veteran to act as a tribal veterans service officer, and gives that veteran duties similar to the duties described in s. 45.80 (5), except that the veteran shall report to the governing body of the tribe or band. The department may make annual grants in an amount not to exceed $16,500 $33,000 per grant under this subsection and shall promulgate rules to implement this subsection.”.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,3 214. Page 374, line 11: after that line insert:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,5 “ Section 101. 20.485 (2) (vm) (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,6 20.485 (2) (vm) (title) Veterans assistance grants.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102 Section 102. 45.40 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,8 45.40 (title) Veterans assistance grants.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,103 Section 103. 45.40 (1g) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,101,14 45.40 (1g) (a) “Health care provider" means an advanced practice nurse prescriber certified under s. 441.16 (2), an audiologist licensed under ch. 459, a dentist licensed under ch. 447, an optometrist licensed under ch. 449, a physician licensed under s. 448.02, or a podiatrist licensed under s. 448.63 has the meaning given in s. 146.81 (1) and includes an ambulatory surgery center.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,104 Section 104. 45.40 (1m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102,6 45.40 (1m) (a) The department may provide subsistence payments to a veteran on a month-to-month basis or for a 3-month period. The department may pay subsistence aid for a 3-month period if the veteran will be incapacitated for more than 3 months and if earned or unearned income or aid from sources other than those listed in the application will not be available in the 3-month period. The department may provide subsistence payments only to a veteran who has suffered a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. The department may grant subsistence aid under this subsection to a veteran whose loss of income is the result of abuse of alcohol or other drugs only if the veteran is participating in an alcohol and other drug abuse treatment program that is approved by the department. No payment may be made under this subsection if the veteran has other assets or income available to meet basic subsistence needs or if the veteran is eligible to receive aid from other sources to meet those needs. When determining the assets available to the veteran, the department may not include the first $50,000 of cash surrender value of any life insurance.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,105 Section 105. 45.40 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102,10 45.40 (1m) (b) The maximum amount that any veteran may receive under this subsection per occurrence during a consecutive 12-month period may not exceed $3,000 $5,000.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,106 Section 106. 45.40 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102,15 45.40 (2) (a) The department may provide health care aid to a veteran for dental care, including dentures; vision care, including eyeglass frames and lenses; and hearing care, including hearing aids; and for any other medical device prescribed by a health care provider.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,107 Section 107. 45.40 (2m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102,22 45.40 (2m) (a) The unremarried spouse and dependent children of a veteran who died on active duty, or in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training purposes, in the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces are eligible to receive payments under subs. (1m) and (2) if the household income of those persons does not exceed the income limitations established under sub. (3m).

SB70-SSA2-SA2,108 Section 108. 45.40 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-SSA2-SA2,102,25 45.40 (3) Limitations. The total cumulative amount that any veteran may receive under this section may not exceed $7,500 $10,000.”.

SB70-SSA2-SA2,103,1 215. Page 374, line 11: after that line insert: