The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee has removed 48 policy items from the state budget. The committee decided the policy items have no impact on the budget, and they will now have to be drafted into separate bills.
The most significant policy item removed from the state budget is the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) that
I wrote about in early January.Here is the complete list of policy items taken out of the budget by the Joint Finance Committee:
Administration:
o General Agency Provisions. Truth-in-Sentencing Phase II Council.
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
o Nursery and Plant Quarantine Law Penalties.
Board on Aging and Long Term Care
o CBRF requirement to post contact information on the ombudsman program.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
o Real estate donations to the foundation.
Corrections – Adult Corrections
o Rename Parole Commission the Earned Release Review Commission and expand authority to modify bifurcated sentences.
o Placements for 90-day sanctions.
o Audit limit for state and county-purchased correctional services.
Elections Board
o Campaign finance appropriation.
Employee Trust Funds
o Modify retirement provisions for educational support personnel.
Employment Relations Commission
o Repeal QEO provisions.
o Weighting of factors considered in arbitration awards.
o Collective bargaining for UW faculty and academic staff.
General Fund Taxes – Excise taxes and regulation of tobacco and alcohol.
o Direct marketing of cigarettes and tobacco products.
General Provisions
o Milwaukee County Pension Liabilities – Appropriation bond and promissory note authority.
o Milwaukee County Pension Committee membership expertise.
o Redevelopment Authority inspection rights.
Health and Family Services – Departmentwide
o Required reports.
Health and Family Services – Medical Assistance – Long Term Care
o Statewide licensed nursing home bed cap and bed transfers.
o Repeal nursing home bed bank.
o Nursing home and CBRFs – contesting actions and receiverships.
o Community relocation initiative – authority to provide services to additional clients.
Health and Family Services – Disability and Elder Services
o Audit limit for state and county-purchased human and correctional services.
o Proposed county budget for community aids expenditures.
Health Insurance Risk Sharing Plan Authority
o Authority to designate insurance types for eligibility purposes.
o Eligibility for premium subsidies.
o Pharmacy and pharmacists participation.
o Provider rates.
o Fiscal agent responsibilities.
Insurance
o Minimum coverage requirements for treatment of mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse problems.
o Required health insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders.
o Health insurance – Insurer disclosure of current procedural terminology code changes and explanation of restriction or termination of policy coverage.
Justice
o Public intervenor.
o Civil rights enforcement authority.
Legislature
o Audit of the state crime laboratories.
Natural Resources – Departmentwide
o Automated DNR citations.
Natural Resources – Water Quality
o Authorize Milwaukee Metro Sewerage District to use design-build process.
Public Instruction – Administrative and Other Funding
o High school credit requirements.
o Wind electricity generators.
Regulation and Licensing
o Providing fingerprints to the department.
o Eliminate temporary private security permits.
o Credential limitations.
Revenue – Lottery Administration
o Time period for claiming instant lottery prizes.
Shared Revenue and Tax Relief – Property Tax Credits
o Farmland Preservation – Tax credit and land use provisions.
Shared Revenue and Tax Relief – Property Taxation
o Property tax exemption for veterans service organizations.
o City of Milwaukee authority to extend the life of TIF districts.
Shared Revenue and Tax Relief – Local Revenue Options
o Premier Resort Area – City of Milwaukee.
Transportation – Motor Vehicles
o Operating while intoxicated driver improvement surcharge.
Workforce Development – Child Support
o Study on child support collection process.
