3. Allows a family to receive emergency assistance once in a six-month period
instead of once in a 12-month period.
4. Sets the maximum payment at an amount set by DCF by publication in the
Wisconsin Administrative Register, regardless of the size of the family, or the actual
financial need of the family due to the emergency, whichever is less.
The bill also specifies that, during a national emergency declared by the U.S.
president or a state of emergency declared by the governor, a family is considered to
be facing impending homelessness if it cannot make rent, mortgage, or property tax
payments regardless of whether the family has received notice that it will be evicted
if the payments are not made immediately.
Definition of “domestic abuse” in the emergency assistance program
Under the emergency assistance program, a family is considered to be homeless
or facing impending homelessness if certain conditions apply, including if a member
of the family was a victim of domestic abuse. Under the program, “domestic abuse”
has the same definition as under the statute establishing arrest and prosecution
procedures for domestic abuse incidents.
Also under current law, however, DCF is required under the Wisconsin Works
(W-2) program to promulgate rules for screening victims of domestic abuse, and
those rules must specify the evidence that is sufficient to establish that an individual
is or has been a victim of domestic abuse or is at risk of further domestic abuse. Under
current law, the W-2 program provides, among other things, work experience and
benefits for low-income custodial parents who are at least 18 years old.
The bill eliminates the definition of domestic abuse in the emergency assistance
program. Instead, it provides that evidence that is sufficient under the W-2 domestic
abuse screening program to establish that an individual is or has been a victim of
domestic abuse is also sufficient for that purpose under the emergency assistance
program.
Child care quality improvement program
Under Wisconsin Shares, which is a part of the W-2 program, an individual
who is the parent of a child under the age of 13 or, if the child is disabled, under the
age of 19, who needs child care services to participate in various education or work
activities, and who satisfies other eligibility criteria may receive a child care subsidy
for child care services under Wisconsin Shares. Under current law, DCF sets the
maximum payment rates for child care providers who provide services under
Wisconsin Shares and may modify an individual child care provider's payment rate
in the following manner on the basis of the child care provider's quality rating under
the Young Star system: a provider who receives a one-star rating may be denied
payment; a provider who receives a two-star rating may have the maximum
payment rate reduced by up to 5 percent; a provider who receives a three-star rating

may receive up to the maximum payment rate; a provider who receives a four-star
rating may have the maximum payment rate increased by up to 15 percent; and a
provider who receives a five-star rating may have the maximum payment rate
increased by up to 30 percent.
The bill eliminates the current law method by which DCF may modify
payments to child care providers under Wisconsin Shares based on a child care
provider's rating under the quality rating system known as Young Star. The bill
instead authorizes DCF to establish a program for making monthly payments and
monthly per-child payments to certified child care providers, licensed child care
centers, and child care programs established or contracted for by a school board. The
bill allows DCF to promulgate rules to implement the program, including
establishing eligibility requirements and payment amounts and setting
requirements for how recipients may use the payments. The bill funds the program
through a new appropriation and by allocating federal moneys, including child care
development funds and moneys received under the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families block grant program.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Under current law, DCF allocates specific amounts of federal moneys, including
child care development funds and moneys received under the Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program for various public assistance
programs. Under the bill, TANF funding allocations are changed in the following
ways, as compared to the funding allocation in the 2019-21 fiscal biennium:
1. For Wisconsin Works benefits, agency contracts, and job access loans, the
total funding is increased by 20 percent.
2. For emergency assistance payments, funding is increased by 73 percent.
3. For grants to Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc., for distribution to
programs that provide civil legal services to low-income families, funding is doubled.
4. For the Transform Milwaukee and Transitional Jobs programs, funding is
increased by 49 percent.
5. For direct child care services, child care administration, and child care
improvement programs, total funding is decreased by 7 percent.
6. For kinship care payments, safety and out-of-home placement services, and
child abuse and neglect prevention services, total funding is increased by 10 percent.
7. For grants to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, funding is increased by
5 percent.
8. For the earned income tax credit supplement, funding is increased by 34
percent.
9. For the support of the dependent children of recipients of supplemental
security income, funding is decreased by 27 percent.
10. For all other programs under TANF, funding is continued with a funding
change of less than 5 percent.
The bill additionally allocates $500,000 of TANF funding in each fiscal year to
fund the Jobs for America's Graduates programs to improve social, academic, and
employment skills of youth who are eligible to receive TANF.

Also, the bill specifies that, with respect to a TANF-funded contract for
services, “allocation” means the amount under the contract that DCF is obligated to
pay.
Grants for homelessness case management services
Under current law, DOA may award 10 annual grants from TANF funds of up
to $50,000 to homeless shelter facilities to provide case management services for
homeless families. The bill increases the annual limit on grants to a shelter facility
from $50,000 to $75,000 and eliminates the restriction that limits DOA to making
no more than 10 grants in total each year.
Civil legal services grants
Under current law, DCF is directed to allocate in each fiscal year specific
amounts of money, including federal moneys received under the TANF block grant
program, for various public assistance programs. Under current law, DCF provides
funding to the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc. (the Foundation), to
provide civil legal services to TANF-eligible individuals in two ways:
1. DCF provides up to $100,000 in each fiscal year in matching funds to the
Foundation for the provision of civil legal services to eligible individuals. This grant
does not specify what types of civil legal services may be provided.