March 9, 2011
WI Senate Passes Non-Fiscal Budget Repair Bill Items on Collective Bargaining; Some Changes Made to Medical Assistance Provisions
In a surprising move tonight, Republican Senators have passed the budget repair bill items related to collective bargaining. According to Channel 3000 news:
Republicans on Wednesday split from the legislation the proposal to curtail union rights, and a special conference committee of state lawmakers approved that bill a short time later.
The move set up a vote in the Senate, which voted mere moments later.
Protesters gathered at the Capitol as the committee convened, yelling “shame” at lawmakers.
The Assembly will be in special session at 11 a.m. on Thursday to take up the conference committee bill, which includes taking away most collective bargaining rights from most state employees. Republicans on Wednesday split from the legislation the proposal to curtail union rights, and a special conference committee of state lawmakers approved that bill a short time later.
The move set up a vote in the Senate, which voted mere moments later.
Protesters gathered at the Capitol as the committee convened, yelling “shame” at lawmakers.
The Assembly will be in special session at 11 a.m. on Thursday to take up the conference committee bill, which includes taking away most collective bargaining rights from most state employees.
There has been some significant changes to the repair bill provisions on medical assistance. First, DHS no longer has any new rulemaking authority. It would still be able to change current Medicaid provisions through regular rule changes, and perhaps the current emergency rule making process. Furthermore, instead of new rules being referred to the Joint Finance Committee for approval, they would have to go through the regular legislative process of rule review.
Second, the bill provides that the medical assistance changes will sunset, or end, on 2015. This would include any rules made by DHS, any amendments to the state medical assistance plan, and any waiver agreements that DHS might enter into as a result of the bill’s provisions. Also, if medical assistance eligibilty for non-disabled, non-pregnant adults is reduced to only those individuals who have a family income of less than 133 percent of the state poverty level, this restriction would be lifted in 2015 as well (unless further changes to statutes are made).
A summary of the bill done by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau can be found here.
