49.24 Child support incentive payments.

(1) The department shall provide child support incentive payments to counties from one of the following appropriations:

(a) Unless par. (b) applies, from the appropriation under s. 20.437 (2) (bc).

(b) If federal legislation provides for the matching of federal funds for federal child support incentive payments at a rate of 66 percent or more, from the appropriation under s. 20.437 (2) (k) while the federal legislation is in effect. Total payments under this paragraph may not exceed $5,690,000 per year.

(2)

(a) The department shall, in consultation with representatives of counties, promulgate a rule that specifies the formula according to which the payments under sub. (1) and federal child support incentive payments will be distributed to counties. The rule shall provide that the total of state and federal incentive payments per year to a county may not exceed the costs per year of the county's child support program under s. 49.22.

(b) Subject to the incentive payments limit specified in par. (a), the department shall distribute to counties, in accordance with the formula established under par. (a), all of the following:

2. Of the amount of federal child support incentive payments awarded to the state for each federal fiscal year, the amount awarded if that amount is less than $12,340,000, or $12,340,000 plus 30 percent of the amount awarded that exceeds $12,340,000.

3. All federal matching funds associated with the amounts distributed under subd. 2.

(c) The department may retain 70 percent of the amount of federal child support incentive payments awarded to the state for each federal fiscal year that exceeds $12,340,000, to be used to pay the costs of the department's activities under ss. 49.22 and 49.227 and costs related to receiving and disbursing support and support-related payments.

(dm) If the amount of federal child support incentive payments awarded to the state for a federal fiscal year is less than $12,340,000 and the department is providing child support incentive payments to counties for that federal fiscal year under sub. (1) (b), the total of payments distributed to counties under par. (b) and sub. (1) for that federal fiscal year may not exceed $12,340,000.

(3) A county that receives any state child support incentive payment under sub. (1) or any federal child support incentive payment under sub. (2) may use the funds only to pay costs under its child support program under s. 49.22.

History: 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 33; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28.