49.131 Electronic transfer of benefits.

(1) The department shall request any necessary authorization from the appropriate federal agency to deliver benefits that are administered by the department to recipients of benefits by an electronic benefit transfer system.

(2) Subject to receiving any necessary approval from the appropriate federal agency under sub. (1), and subject to sub. (3m), the department may implement a program to deliver by an electronic benefit transfer system any benefit that is administered by the department.

(3m) Prior to implementing, and receiving funding for implementing, any program to deliver by electronic means Wisconsin Works benefits or child care subsidies under s. 49.155, the department shall submit a plan for implementation to the joint committee on finance. Any plan submitted by the department shall include specific information on the vendor selected, the total start-up and ongoing costs, and how issues of fraud and program integrity will be addressed. If the department submits a plan and the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the department within 14 working days after the date that the department submits the plan that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the plan, the plan may be implemented and the department shall receive the necessary funding. If, within 14 working days after the date that the department submits a plan, the cochairpersons notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the plan, the plan may be implemented, and funding received, only upon approval of the committee.

History: 2001 a. 16 ss. 1656ug, 1656uh, 1656uv, 1656uw; 2013 a. 20.