LRB-3386/1
PJK:jld
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
October 7, 2015 - Introduced by Senators Kapenga, Stroebel, Wanggaard and
Nass, cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Brandtjen, Craig, Gannon,
Horlacher, Kitchens, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kremer, T. Larson, Murphy,
Sanfelippo, Thiesfeldt and Tittl. Referred to Committee on Public Benefit
and Regulatory Reform.
SB290,1,2 1An Act to create 49.84 (8) of the statutes; relating to: requiring verification
2from court orders for eligibility for public assistance programs.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
The Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Department of Children and
Families (DCF) administer a number of programs that provide services, benefits,
and other types of assistance to eligible persons, usually persons with low incomes,
who need assistance to obtain such necessities as food, health care, or child care.
These programs are known as public assistance programs. Some examples are
Wisconsin Works, including Wisconsin Shares; the food stamp program; the Medical
Assistance program; the program that provides eligible persons with assistance in
establishing the paternity of a child, establishing or modifying child support
obligations, enforcing child support or maintenance (alimony) obligations, and
locating persons who owe child support or children taken by parents in violation of
court orders; the programs that provide state supplemental payments to persons
receiving federal supplemental security income; the program that pays funeral,
burial, and cemetery expenses for persons whose estates are insufficient to pay those
expenses; and the disease aids program that provides assistance in paying the costs
of medical treatment for eligible persons with cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, or chronic
renal disease. For some public assistance programs, a person is not eligible for
assistance unless he or she has a specified relationship or arrangement with a child.
This bill provides that, if a person's eligibility for a public assistance program
depends on his or her relationship or arrangement with a child and that relationship
or arrangement is set out in a court order, DHS or DCF, whichever department

administers the program, must verify the information the person provides about his
or her relationship or arrangement with a child by accessing the applicable court
order. The bill specifies that, for purposes of the requirement, a person's relationship
or arrangement with a child includes whether the person has legal custody of a child;
whether a child resides with the person; whether the person is a child's parent or
caretaker relative; whether the person exercises primary responsibility for a child's
care and control; and any other relationship or arrangement that is relevant to
eligibility for a public assistance program.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB290,1 1Section 1. 49.84 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
SB290,2,22 49.84 (8) (a) In this subsection:
SB290,2,43 1. "Applicant" means an individual who applies for assistance under any
4assistance program.
SB290,2,85 2. "Assistance program" means any program administered by the department
6of health services or the department of children and families under this chapter
7under which the department administering the program provides services, benefits,
8or other assistance.
SB290,2,109 3. "Recipient" means an individual who is receiving services, benefits, or other
10assistance under an assistance program.
SB290,3,211 (b) If an applicant's eligibility or a recipient's continued eligibility for an
12assistance program depends on the applicant's or recipient's relationship or
13arrangement with a child and if that relationship or arrangement is set out in a court
14order or the parameters of the relationship or arrangement are specified in a court
15order, the department administering the assistance program or person processing
16the application or reviewing eligibility shall verify information provided by the

1applicant or recipient that relates to the applicant's or recipient's relationship or
2arrangement with a child by accessing the applicable court order.
SB290,3,113 (c) For purposes of par. (b), an applicant's or recipient's relationship or
4arrangement with a child includes whether the applicant or recipient has legal
5custody of a child; whether a child resides with the applicant or recipient; the amount
6of time a child resides with the applicant or recipient; whether the applicant or
7recipient is a parent, as defined in s. 49.155 (1) (c), of a child; whether the applicant
8or recipient is a caretaker relative of a child; whether the applicant or recipient
9exercises primary responsibility for a child's care and control; and any other
10relationship or arrangement with, or connection to, a child that is relevant to
11eligibility for an assistance program.
SB290,2 12Section 2. Initial applicability.
SB290,3,1413 (1) This act first applies to applications that are received and continued
14eligibility reviews that are commenced on the effective date of this subsection.
SB290,3,1515 (End)
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