JFC Executive Session (week of June 3rd)

This last week the Republican members of the Joint Committee on Finance made historic investments aimed at increasing healthcare access and affordability for millions of Wisconsinites.

This budget will provide over $1.6 billion (all funds) to expand access to care and increase affordability. The committee was able to fund many of the state's priorities without expanding welfare. These are bipartisan initiatives supported by numerous stakeholders. The number one issue the committee heard about during their budget listening sessions as they traveled the state was healthcare workforce. The committee increased funding for Personal Care Workers by $37 million over the biennium and increased funding for Direct Caregivers in Family Care by $27 million over the biennium. Funding was increased for Nursing Homes by $30 million over the biennium.

This past week's action also provided much needed investments into the Department of Children and Families in a responsible manner. The Governor’s  proposed budget would have left the largest TANF deficit in state history at -$124.7 million.  If revenues and expenditures hold steady this would have resulted in a need of $211.9 million GPR in the 2021-23 budget. This deficit will hurt families and children who rely on TANF supported programs. The committee dramatically increased support for Children and Family Aids. Where Governor Evers failed, JFC Republicans are stepping up. Additionally, the committee increased Children and Family Aids by $30.5 million over the biennium all funds.

The committee also voted to maintain the Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan. Due to Republican leadership on this issue, OCI estimates that 2019 premiums are 10% lower than they otherwise would have been without the reinsurance program. The 2019 individual market premiums are 4.2% lower, on average, than the 2018 premiums.

JFC provided additional resources to the Department of Justice for multiple initiatives that keep our state safe, and protect some of the most vulnerable among us. They also provided more funding for treatment and diversion (TAD) programs across the state.

The committee increased funding for broadband by $44 million which quadruples the amount approved in the previous budget.

The committee would provide $397 million in additional revenues for transportation excluding a one-time $90 million General Fund transfer.  This is a total $487 million in additional revenue for transportation in the 2019-21 biennium.  This is the largest increase in new revenue in over a generation. The committee included a 19% increase in state highway rehabilitation raising the funding to the largest amount ever and maintains our road conditions. The committee motion authorizes the lowest level of bonding since the 2001-03 budget. The bonding is less than the Governor recommended. The committee provide a 10% increase in general transportation aids that matches the Governor.  The $90 million in one-time GPR would triple what we currently spend on the Local Road Improvement Program.  These local road increases build on massive local increases in the last budget that were the largest since 1998.

Specific Provisions Considered

Omnibus DHS Motion

This motion provides an all funds increase of $1.63 billion for Health Services.  This motion provides for larger increases than what was recommended by the Governor for direct care rates and personal care rates, and nursing home rates, and hospital reimbursements.

Medical Assistance

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in medical assistance:

• Increases medical assistance (MA) cost-to-continue by $356.1 million GPR
• Provides an increase of $30 million GPR in each year of the biennium for disproportionate share hospital payments or DSH. This is $2.5 million GPR per year higher than the Governor’s recommendation.  With federal matching funds, this will provide an increase of $147.8 million all funds over the biennium.
  • This will help dramatically reduce the cost shift that currently occurs due to low medicaid reimbursement. The cost shift is estimated at $1.1 billion per year.
• Increases rural critical care hospital payments by $4.9 million per year which is $4.3 million higher per year than the Governor’s recommendation.
  • This will help support rural hospitals that would have otherwise qualified for DSH payments but do not because they don’t offer obstetric (childbirth related) services.
• Increases the county crisis intervention services reimbursement by $13.4 million all funds over the biennium
• Increases physician and behavioral health services reimbursements by $12.3 million per year, but provide the funding in the committee’s supplemental appropriation for the department to request via a 13.10
  • The intent is to reimburse rates for physician and behavioral health providers, however the Governor’s budget lacked any concrete details. The department now can consult with interested parties to make the most impactful targeted investment.
• Provides $20 million all funds in the base to maintain the dental reimbursement pilot program over the biennium.
• Increases FamilyCare direct care funding by $66.6 million all funds which is more than the $29.6 million recommended by the Governor.  Over the biennium we are more doubling the base funding ($12.5 million GPR annually) for the direct care workforce funding initiative.
  • This is one of the most common issues the committee heard about while holding listening sessions throughout the state.
  • The Governor's budget only increased this by $12 million over the biennium
• Increases nursing home reimbursement rates by $47.6 million all funds over the biennium.  This would provide a 7% rate increase because 1% each year was already included in the MA cost-to-continue.
• Increases personal care rate increases by $90.4 million all funds. This will Change the  current rate of $16.73 to new hourly rate of $18.24 starting July 1, 2019. Personal care increase is about 9% in the first year. The Governor's budget only increased personal care rates $7 million over the biennium.
• Provides $3.1 million all funds for children’s long-term care services to be placed in the committee’s supplemental appropriation for the department to request via a 13.10
  • This funding will allow us to cover all children on the current waitlist
• Provides $6.9 million to expand telehealth, but include the GPR in the committee’s supplemental appropriation for the department to request via a 13.10
  • This will help expand much needed access to telehealth. However, there is a bill authored by Rep. Loudenbeck that will be addressing this. The money will be set aside awaiting passage of this bill.
• Increases dental services for individuals with disabilities on MA by $2.5 million over the biennium.
• Provides $89,900 GPR for a substance abuse hub and spoke treatment model and places that funding in the committee’s supplemental appropriation for the department to request via a 13.10
  • Due to a lack of detail, the committee voted to provide funding, but placed it in the supplemental appropriation to be released following a more in-depth proposal being provided.
• Provides $500,000 for clinical consultations for student mental health
• Provides $5 million for physical health service provider reimbursements and places the GPR in the committee’s supplemental for the department to request via a 13.10
  • This will provide increases to providers like chiropractors, physical therapists etc. who can offer treatment for pain without prescribing opioids.
  • The committee would like the department to consult with stakeholders and report back to the committee on the most impactful reimbursement increases.

Medicaid Services Administration

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in Medicaid services administration:

• Increases base funding for contracted services by 10% costing an additional $47.2 million all funds over the biennium
• Re-estimates cemetery and funeral aids down $2.3 million to reflect actual projected costs

Public Health

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in public health:

• Provides $14.2 million all funds for lead abatement to residences occupied by children and pregnant women eligible for MA or CHIP
  • This will expand lead abate for low-income families. Lead abatement involved the removal of lead-based paint in homes of children who have been identified as having elevated BLLs or who are at risk of lead poisoning.
• Maintains $11.2 million per year for the Birth to Three program
  • This program offers early intervention services for children, ages birth to three, who are identified with, or determined to be at risk for developmental delays.
• Funds an additional eight dementia care specialists and one tribal dementia care specialist
  • The Dementia Care Specialist (DCS) started as a pilot program in 2013 to support 5 DCS positions. In 2014, DHS expanded the program to 16 DCS positions. The 2017-19 budget provided funding for a total of 21 DCSs and three tribal DCSs.
• Increases funding by $2 million over the biennium for dental services provided by the Division of Public Health
• Provides $500,000 for minority health grants and prioritize applicants that provide maternal and child health services
• Provides $211,800 for grants to PSAPs for training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation enacted as a part of 2017 Act 296
• Increases funding for the Well Woman program by $200,000
• Reallocates 5 FTE for an infant mortality program
• Approves $3.3 million GPR annually for graduate medical education grants and expands eligibility to all medical specialties
• Provides $500,000 GPR per year in a new appropriation for Qualified Treatment Trainee program grants. These grants provide funds for health providers to take graduate degree participants who do not have enough supervised practice requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, or a psychologist can get the requirements they need for licensure;
• Provides $3 million GPR in the committee's supplemental appropriation for nitrate well testing, filtration systems, and well replacement
• Provides $100,000 GPR on a one time basis to the Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Association for suicide prevention
• Provides $100,000 GPR for vaccination outreach and education for the department to conduct a science-based campaign to vaccinate
• Increases respite care funding by $125,000 GPR annually.
• Provides $500,000 GPR annually for free and charitable clinics to provide community health services

FoodShare

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in FoodShare:

• Reduces FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) cost-to-continue by $18.2 million all funds to reestimate enrollment costs and increase $1 million GPR annually to fund FSET services for MA childless adults
• Maintains funding for drug screening, testing, and treatment for FSET enrollees
• Retains requirements for able-bodied adults to enroll in FSET and places the GPR cost estimate of $20.6 million GPR in the committee’s supplemental for request by the department via 13.10 no earlier than April 1, 2020 after updated enrollment data is realized
• Provides $447,700 over the biennium and 2.09 positions to implement drug screening, testing, and treatment requirements for FSET
• Provides $5.5 million all funds and 7.64 positions to implement FSET pay-for-performance contracting, HSA’s for MA, and the childless adult waiver
• Increases funding for income maintenance fraud prevention activities by $500,000 per year to prevent fraud

Behavioral Health

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in behavioral health:

• Provides $66,700 in GPR for the development of a mental health consultation program
• Repeals the prohibition on the department providing grants to programs that offer methadone treatment
• Modifies purposes for counties to use grants for mobile crisis teams in rural areas so grants can be awarded to rural areas
• Provides $500,000 in additional funding for the Child Psychiatry Consultation program to increase the funding to $1.5 million

Departmentwide and Quality Assurances

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following in quality assurance:

• Increases funding for assisted living staff by $1.6 million and creates 6 positions on a one time basis for IT infrastructure improvements

Omnibus DCF Motion

The omnibus motion provides a total increase of $125.5 million all funds of which $23.8 million is GPR.  The Children and Family Aids increase is larger than what was recommended by the Governor.

Economic Support and TANF-Funded Programs

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following:

• Re-estimates TANF expenditures down $24.4 million FED
• Increases Children First reimbursement rates from $400 to $800 for the maximum per capita reimbursement rate
• Maintains cost-to-continue and raises Wisconsin Shares child care reimbursement rates to be within 25% of the 75th percentile rate with $54.5 million FED
• Provides $1 million per year FED to increase the reimbursement limit for regularly and provisionally certified child care providers from 75% and 50% of the maximum reimbursement rates to no more than 90% of the licensed family hourly rate
• Provides $8.3 million FED to increase four and five star YoungStar providers to 15% and 30% respectively, maintains 2 stars at -1%, increases the use of the pyramid model in child care programs, and increases funding for child care in Milwaukee
• Provides $2.8 million for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
• Provides $2 million for child abuse prevention services
• Provides $3 million for child welfare safety services
• Increases funding for Transform Milwaukee and Transitional Jobs programs by $1 million
• Provides $6.3 million and 1 position for child care administration
• Provides $60,000 per year in FED for GED test assistance funding

Child Welfare Services

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following:

• Increases Children and Family Aids by $30.5 million over the biennium all funds and reduces Milwaukee shared revenue to adjust for the increased cost of the state providing child welfare services that has not been adjusted since the state took over the operation
• Increases foster care and kinship care rates by $10.9 million that will increase rates by 4% in 2020
• Provides $500,000 for runaway and homeless youth services

Child Support

The omnibus motion passed out of JFC does the following:

• Provides $2.25 million all funds for child support enforcement activities
• Increase the fee charged to custodial parents from $25 to $35 as required by federal law

Office of the Commissioner of Insurance

Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan

The Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan (WHSP) is a state-operated reinsurance program that is intended to reduce premiums paid by individuals who purchase health insurance in the individual market. 

Under the program, OCI is authorized to spend up to $200,000,000 each year for reinsurance payments, an amount that can be increased by the Joint Committee on Finance upon request of OCI. Prior to each plan year, OCI establishes the reinsurance payment parameters, relying on actuarial estimates of individual market claims, and with the intent of spending the full amount set aside for payments. For 2019 plans, the program will pay 50% of the total annual medical claims of any covered individual that fall between $50,000 and $250,000. With these parameters, the maximum amount the program will pay on behalf of any individual is $100,000. 

Based on information filed for 2019 premium rate review, OCI estimates that 2019 premiums are 10% lower than they otherwise would have been without the reinsurance program. The 2019 individual market premiums are 4.2% lower, on average, than the 2018 premiums. 

The committee voted to fund reinsurance payments for plan year 2019, but did not approve 1.07 PR position and associated funding for the administration of the program.

Nonresident Insurance Appointment Fee

Insurers are required to appoint intermediaries (generally, licensed insurance agents) who solicit, negotiate, or place insurance or annuities on behalf of the insurer. Insurers are required to report to the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) all appointments, including renewals of appointments, and all terminations of appointments of insurance agents that do business in Wisconsin, and pay a fee for each resident and nonresident appointment. The insurance appointment fee is $16 for Wisconsin residents and $30 for nonresidents. 

Governor Evers proposed increasing the annual fee for nonresident insurance appointments by $10, from $30 to $40, effective January 1, 2020. 

Oftentimes, when states raise their nonresident appointment fees, other states do so in retaliation. In hopes of preventing this, the committee decided no action was necessary. 

The committee voted to take no action at this time.

Healthcare Outreach Positions

The Governor recommended providing $541,300 PR annually to fund 5.1 PR positions, beginning in 2019-20, to provide health insurance education and outreach activities, including assisting individuals with enrolling in the health insurance exchange. 

Oftentimes individuals have difficulty navigating the exchange, therefore remaining uninsured and driving up costs for everyone else. 

To help address some of these barriers to enrollment, the ACA established a navigator assistance program. Grants under the program support the operations of navigator organizations, which are entities that perform educational activities regarding health insurance exchange enrollment and facilitate enrollment by individuals. 

Under federal rules, a navigator cannot be a health insurance issuer and may not receive direct or indirect benefit from a health insurance issuer in connection with enrollment activities. 

CMS reduced the total amount of funding available through the federal navigator assistance program from $62.9 million in 2016 to $10.0 million in 2018. In that period, the total amount of grants awarded to Wisconsin navigator entities went from $1,338,300 to $200,000, a reduction of $1,138,300. 

Of the 82,000 individuals between 100-138% of the FPL (MA expansion population), nearly half already have highly-subsidized coverage. Under expansion they would be kicked off their current coverage. 

Instead of doing this, we should invest resources in connecting the remaining half that is uninsured to coverage. Additionally, it is estimated that there is a large population of individuals between 0-100% of the FPL who qualify for Medicaid but remain uninsured. Navigators also assist this population. 

The committee voted to provide $541,300 PR annually for health insurance education and outreach. The motion deleted the 5.10 PR positions provided in the bill. The motion also placed the funding in the JFC supplemental account.

Kickapoo Reserve Management Board

The Governor recommended providing the Kickapoo Valley Reserve with $46k PR in 19-20 and $60.1k PR in 20-21 a new forester position. 

The committee took no action on this item, thereby denying the request for the forester.

Public Service Commission - Broadband Provisions

The committee voted to include a transfer of $44 million in federal funds to the PSC for broadband expansion grants.  This quadruples the $11 million in funding provided in the previous budget and is the largest amount ever budgeted for this program.  This funding will assist in the state augmenting the hundreds of millions in CAF II and ACAM funds currently being deployed in Wisconsin to improve broadband service in unserved and underserved areas.  The Governor proposed a $78 million increase using a mix of state and federal funds and various non-fiscal, statutory changes that were opposed by the industry and could be considered as separate legislation.

Public Service Commission - Departmentwide and Energy Programs

This committee increased intervenor compensation by $100,000 per year.  This increases the total to $842,500 per year.  These funds are provided to organizations and individuals who intervene in utility rate cases and advocate on behalf of ratepayers.  The Governor proposed a $300,000 increase each year and a $200,000 increase per year to the Citizens Utility Board.

Revenue - Tax Administration

The committee decided to hold a decision on the DOR auditors over to when the committee takes up general fund taxes.  The Governor is requesting 36 new auditors costing $7 million that would realize an estimated $43.5 million in additional state tax revenue.  The Fiscal Bureau offered an option to make 38 auditor project positions created in the 2017-19 budget permanent so as to maintain their collections into the 2021-23 budget.  This option would reduce the advanced commitments in 2021-23 by $65 million. 

The committee took no action on the changes to the state debt collection program recommended by the Governor.  This means they will not be in the budget and can be considered as separate legislation.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

The committee approved a re-estimate of WEDC’s appropriations, a modification to WEDC’s GPR appropriations for operations and programs, and modified a quarterly tax credit report to DOR. 

The committee approved extending the fab lab grant program at $500,000 per year.  The committee also approved $250,000 for the Milwaukee 7 Economic Development Partnership to support efforts to secure a KC-46 tanker U.S. Air Force aircraft base for the 128th Air Refueling Wing. 

The Governor recommended a number of policy changes that would be better considered as separate legislation.

Omnibus Justice (DOJ) Motion

The Governor recommended $2 million in one-time GPR for overtime costs for local beat patrol officers and modifying current law to expand the overtime grant and beat patrol grant programs to include community policing. These programs are both currently funded with PR. The beat patrol grant program partially funds about 30 officers around the state. 

The committee voted to swap out $1 million worth of PR funding for GPR annually for the beat patrol grant program. Overall funding for this program will remain at $1.224 million annually. 

The Governor proposed $2 million GPR ($1 million annually) in one-time funding for treatment and diversion (TAD) programs. $250k would replace PR with GPR, $250k would go toward expanding existing programs, and $500k would go toward funding new TAD programs for counties and tribes that have not received a grant under the TAD program. 

The committee voted to approve the Governor’s recommendation on this item. 

The Governor proposed providing $511k GPR annually in one-time funding to continue and expand the Nonviolent Offender Treatment Diversion Pilot Program and sunet the pilot on July 1, 2021. Part of that funding would need to go toward establishing a program in Milwaukee. This program is currently being piloted in the Superior PD, Sauk Prairie PD, Baraboo PD, and Sturgeon Bay PD. 

The committee voted to provide funding at existing levels for the continuation of these pilot programs, and remove the requirement that the program be expanded to Milwaukee. We are also requiring DOJ to submit a report to JFC regarding the progress of the program. 

The Governor proposed $2.1 million GPR and $1.5 million PR increase over the biennium as a cost-to-continue for the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), as well as an additional $200k PR and 2.0 PR FTE over the biennium for the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. 

The committee voted to approve the Governor’s GPR and PR increases for DCI. Regarding the ICAC recommendation, the committee approved a $99k and 1 PR FTE increase. Though this is less than what the Governor recommended, our action allows for additional funding for the sexual assault victim services (SAVS) grant program. 

The Governor proposed providing $396k GPR, $208k PR in 2019-20, and $502k GPR, $477k PR in 2020-21 and 9 GPR and 5 PR FTE for additional positions are the state crime laboratories. These positions consist of 5 PR DNA analysts, 3 GPR crime scene response specialists, 3 GPR toxicologists, 2 GPR firearm and toolmark examiners, and 1 GPR evidence specialists. (14 total positions) 

The committee voted to provide $200,500 GPR in 2019-20 and $267,300 GPR in 2020-21 for 5.6 additional positions consisting of: 1.6 crime analysts, 1.6 crime scene response specialists, 1.6 toxicologist, 1 firearm and toolmark examiner, and .6 evidence examiner. We will also be providing $108,000 PR in 2019-20 and $146,600 PR in 2020-21 for 2.6 DNA analysts. (9 total positions) 

The Governor proposed providing $153k GPR in 2019-20 and $204k GPR in 2020-21 and 3 FTE’s to increase digital forensic services provided by DOJ to local law enforcement. These positions would primarily be for ICAC cases.

The committee took no action on this item. 

The Governor proposed $211k GPR, $47k PR, and $10k FED over the biennium for one-time pay progression for Assistant Attorneys General. 

The committee voted to adopt the Governor’s recommendation. 

The committee adopted several backpage items, including standard budget adjustments, technical transfers, PR reestimates, and a position realignment. They also modified one backpage item to create a sexual assault resource prosecutor position.

Volkswagen Settlement

The committee included a $20 million increase in funding for the transit capital assistance program housed at DOA. This provides grants to governmental entities that operate transit systems to replace buses. The state realizes a portion of the savings through a shared revenue reduction. This was maintained and not eliminated as was recommended by the Governor. The program is optional for local governments. There were 58 buses replaced with $32 million thus far in the program. The state will save $800,000 this biennium from the program and these savings will grow over time. 

The committee also approved $3 million to replace school buses with more fuel efficient buses. There would be no state aid reduction as a part of this program. The committee did not approve funding for electric charging stations.   

The Governor recommended funding transit at $15 million and charging stations at $10 million. The Governor also recommended eliminating state savings requirements and giving DOA more flexibility in how they use the funds. These provisions were not approved.

Department of Transportation

The committee motion responsibly funds our transportation system.  Overall, this committee motion provides enough funding to complete the projects that the Governor’s budget recommended and adds funding for additional projects. This includes his $320 million increase in state highway rehabilitation, funding for all major and mega projects included in the Governor’s recommendations, and adds funding for the I-41 expansion to six lanes, and funds for I-94 E/W planning. 

The committee would provide $397 million in additional revenues for transportation excluding a one-time $90 million General Fund transfer.  This is a total $487 million in additional revenue for transportation in the 2019-21 biennium.  This is the largest increase in new revenue in over a generation. 

The committee motion authorizes the lowest level of bonding since the 2001-03 budget. The bonding is less than the Governor recommended. 

We provide a 10% increase in general transportation aids that matches the Governor.  The $90 million in one-time GPR would triple what we currently spend on the Local Road Improvement Program.  These local road increases build on massive local increases in the last budget that were the largest since 1998. 

The committee also voted to include a number of savings reforms such as design build and aggregate that will save money on road projects.  We also maintain previously passed reforms such as repealing prevailing wage and right to work.

Transportation Finance

The committee would provide $397 million in additional revenues for transportation excluding a one-time $90 million General Fund transfer.  This is a total $487 million in additional revenue for transportation in the 2019-21 biennium.  The Governor recommended a net $518 in new revenue. 

The committee would increase title fees by $95 to a total fee of $164.5.  This would bring in an estimated $275.4 million over the biennium.  This would make Wisconsin’s title fee high compared to our neighbors, but looking holistically our registration fees are for the most part much lower than our neighbors.  Also, title fees are not paid every year.  According to an IHS Markit study, the average driver keeps a car for 7 years and the average age of vehicles is over 11 years.  The $95 title fee would average $13.57 per year compared to $42 per year under the Governor’s $8 cent gas tax for a Sedan driving 12,000 miles per year at 22.5 MPG. 

The committee would increase automobile and light truck registrations by $10 and consolidate light truck registrations from three weight classes to one.  This would bring in an estimated $83.1 million over the biennium. 

The committee would codify the hybrid and electric vehicle registration increase of $75 for hybrids and $100 for fully electric.  This was passed in the 2017-19 budget, but DOT could not implement it.  This would bring in an estimated $11.3 million over the biennium. 

The committee would eliminate an administrative allowance and evaporation loss allowance that technology has made unnecessary.  This will save an estimated $27 million over the biennium.  These were brought forward by the DOT as options to increase revenue for transportation in the Governor’s stakeholder task force. 

The committee would directly deposit $1 cent of the current $2 cent Petroleum Inspection Fee (PIF) to the Transportation Fund in order to improve the state’s transportation debt ratio without raising any taxes. 

The committee included a one-time General Fund transfer of $90 million in order to fund a local aid program similar to the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP).  The program would be open to towns, cities, villages, and counties at a lower match requirement for local governments.  The match would be 90/10 state/local. 

The committee included a study on tolling and requires the DOT to report to the committee by January 1, 2023 on a mileage based transportation funding system. The DOT would create a division to oversee this funding system. 

The DOT would be limited on security costs for the Lieutenant Governor in 2019-21 to what was spent on the Lieutenant Governor in the 2017-19 biennium.  The current costs have increased exponentially (+5,000%) and it has been reported that taxpayer funded security is being provided for personal events and travel.

Local Transportation Aid

The committee increased General Transportation Aids (GTA’s) by 10%.  This matches the Governor’s recommendation costing $66 million over the biennium.  This is on top of the 12.9% increase for counties and an 8.5% increase for municipalities included in the last budget.  These are the largest increases since 1998.

The committee also:

• Increased mass transit operating assistance by 2%
• Increased seniors and disability aids by 10% raising by $1.5 million annually
• Increased the transportation employment mobility aids $500,000 over the biennium
• Increased para-transit aids by $550,000
• Increased tribal and elderly aids by $79,200
• Increased county forest aids by $71,800 to fully fund the program that provides grants to 24 counties

Local Transportation Assistance

• The committee creates a LRIP program with one-time GPR funds of $90 million that is more than double the current program that is authorized $33 million in state funds per year. The local match would decline to 10%. Funds would be spent until they are exhausted
• The committee included funding for a lift bridge in Kaukauna that would fund it at 80%
• The committee includes $45.2 million in SEG and bonding for Harbor Assistance. This includes $29 million for Marinette Marine
• The committee includes $30 million in freight rail bonding.  
• The committee voted to provide $1.5 million for intermodal facilities
• The committee includes $35 million in passenger rail bonding for the Hiawatha
• The committee provides $465,300 in railroad crossing repair funding
• The committee includes the $1 million recommended by the Governor to upgrade aeronautics air traffic control systems

State Highway Program

The committee meets the Governor’s intended increase in state highway rehabilitation of $320 million.  This is a 19% increase over the base funding.  This raises the program to the largest total ever and according to DOT maintains road conditions. 

The committee funds the major projects recommended by the Governor at $564.2 million. This includes the I-43 enumeration and adds an enumeration of I-41 expanding it to six lanes. The I-41 addition will cost an estimated $6 million in this biennium. 

The committee fully funds the Governor’s recommended level for the Southeast Mega Program at $226.4 million.  In addition this includes $20 million to refresh the design and plans for the I-94 E/W corridor project. 

The committee funded the major interstate bridge program at $27 million, installed a noise barrier on I-41 in Milwaukee County, and deleted the sunset on the intelligent traffic systems and control signals appropriations. 

The committee included various reform and savings initiatives. These include alternative delivery methods such as design build and local regulations on quarry operations. These are designed to save costs on road projects while maintaining local control and environmental protections.  The local governments and stakeholders worked out the quarry compromise proposal.