Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB172 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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1		-	Date of enactment: March 27, 2024
2		-	2023 Senate Bill 172 Date of publication*: March 28, 2024
3		-	2023 WISCONSIN ACT 233
4		-	AN ACT to create 301.098 of the statutes; relating to: establishing and operating community reentry centers.
5		-	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
6		-	senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
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	3	+	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
	4	+	2023 SENATE BILL 172
	5	+	April 3, 2023 - Introduced by JOINT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Referred to Committee
	6	+	on Judiciary and Public Safety.
	7	+	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
	8	+	AN ACT to create 20.410 (1) (df) and 301.098 of the statutes; relating to:
	9	+	establishing and operating community reentry centers and making an
	10	+	appropriation.
	11	+	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
	12	+	This bill is explained in the NOTES provided by the Joint Legislative Council in
	13	+	the bill.
	14	+	For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
	15	+	an appendix to this bill.
	16	+	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
	17	+	enact as follows:
	18	+	JOINT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PREFATORY NOTE: This bill was prepared for the
	19	+	Legislative Council Study Committee on Increasing Offender Employment
	20	+	Opportunities. The bill requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) to contract with
	21	+	at least one nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, or public agency to establish a
	22	+	community reentry center. A community reentry center is a community site offering
	23	+	individuals who are being released from a state correctional institution initial points of
	24	+	contact for each of the following: health services, identification services, financial
	25	+	services, housing services, employment services, education services, and supervision
	26	+	services. The bill creates an appropriation for community reentry centers, but does not
	27	+	appropriate any funds.
	28	+	To be eligible for a DOC contract, a nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, or
	29	+	public agency must operate the community reentry center in a location easily accessible
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	35	+	by public transportation and by the population it serves, and provide initial points of
	36	+	contact for all the services listed above. DOC must also, when awarding contracts,
	37	+	prioritize organizations, entities, and public agencies that: (1) collaborate with
	38	+	organizations providing services at the center, justice-involved individuals, criminal
	39	+	justice coordinating councils, technical colleges, and workforce investment boards, as
	40	+	evidenced by letters of support; and (2) propose to operate a center in counties with the
	41	+	highest numbers of individuals being released from incarceration to those counties.
	42	+	The organization, entity, or public agency contracting with DOC must oversee,
	43	+	coordinate, and develop memoranda of understanding with other organizations to
	44	+	provide services housed at the center. The organization, entity, or public agency must also
	45	+	develop multidisciplinary teams with the other organizations offering services at the
	46	+	center to review the needs and assessments of individuals receiving services there. DOC
	47	+	staff must be present on-site to provide case management to individuals served at the
	48	+	center, pursuant to an agreement between DOC and the organization, entity, or public
	49	+	agency.
	50	+	The bill also requires DOC to create a comprehensive report examining the
	51	+	outcomes of services provided at each center. DOC must submit the first report by 2027,
	52	+	and must submit a report every two years thereafter. Under its contract with DOC, the
	53	+	organization, entity, or public agency operating a center must track and compile data for
	54	+	services provided at the center, including the number and type of services provided and
	55	+	reported outcomes.
	56	+	SECTION 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
	57	+	the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
	58	+	2023-24 2024-25
	59	+	20.410 Corrections, department of
	60	+	(1) ADULT CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
	61	+	(df)Community reentry centers GPR A -0- -0-
	62	+	SECTION 2. 20.410 (1) (df) of the statutes is created to read:
	63	+	20.410 (1) (df) Community reentry centers. The amounts in the schedule to
	64	+	establish and operate community reentry centers under s. 301.098.
7	65		SECTION 3. 301.098 of the statutes is created to read:
8		-	301.098 Community reentry centers. (1) In this
9		-	section:
10		-	(a) “Community reentry center” means a community
11		-	site that offers initial points of contact for all of the fol-
12		-	lowing services to an individual at the time of his or her
13		-	release from a state correctional institution upon comple-
14		-	tion of his or her sentence or to parole or extended super-
15		-	vision: health, identification, financial, housing, employ-
16		-	ment, education, and supervision.
17		-	(b) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization
18		-	described in section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code
19		-	that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501
20		-	(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
21		-	(c) “Public agency” has the meaning given in s.
22		-	106.13 (3m) (a) 2.
23		-	(2) The department shall contract with at least one
24		-	nonprofit organization, for−profit entity, or public
25		-	agency to establish a community reentry center and shall
26		-	consider contracting to establish a community reentry
27		-	center in each region of the state. The contracted non-
28		-	profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
29		-	shall oversee, coordinate, and develop memoranda of
30		-	understanding with other organizations to provide ser-
31		-	vices that will be housed at the community reentry center.
32		-	(3) (a) To receive a contract under sub. (2), a non-
33		-	profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
34		-	shall operate a community reentry center in a location
35		-	that is easily accessible by the population served and
36		-	accessible by public transportation, if available. Organi-
37		-	zations that provide services housed at the community
38		-	reentry center shall, at a minimum, be able to assess and
39		-	assist individuals after release from incarceration to com-
40		-	munity supervision by providing all of the following ser-
41		-	vices:
42		-	1. Health: assistance in identifying and accessing
43		-	appropriate health care services and mental health ser-
44		-	vices based on the individual’s needs.
45		-	2. Identification: assistance in obtaining identifica-
46		-	tion documents such as the individual’s birth certificate,
47		-	social security card, state identification card, or driver’s
48		-	license, if eligible, including any necessary forms and
49		-	instructions.
50		-	3. Financial: assistance in creating a bank account,
51		-	including obtaining a debit card at the time of the individ-
52		-	ual’s initial contact with the community reentry center.
53		-	4. Housing: assistance in obtaining access to emer-
54		-	gency housing options for homeless individuals and con-
55		-	tacting landlords that rent to formerly incarcerated indi-
56		-	viduals.
57		-	5. Employment: assistance in creating a resume,
58		-	electronically submitting the resume where needed, and
59		-	* Section 991.11, WISCONSIN STATUTES: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor’s
60		-	partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.” − 2 −2023 Wisconsin Act 233 2023 Senate Bill 172
61		-	contacting relevant employment agencies to secure
	66	+	301.098 Community reentry centers. (1) In this section:
	67	+	(a) “Community reentry center” means a community site that offers initial
	68	+	points of contact for all of the following services to an individual at the time of his or
	69	+	her release from a state correctional institution upon completion of his or her
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	85	+	SECTION 3
	86	+	SENATE BILL 172
	87	+	sentence or to parole or extended supervision: health, identification, financial,
	88	+	housing, employment, education, and supervision.
	89	+	(b) “Nonprofit organization" means an organization described in section 501 (c)
	90	+	of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from federal income tax under section
	91	+	501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
	92	+	(c) “Public agency” has the meaning given in s. 106.13 (3m) (a) 2.
	93	+	(2) The department shall contract with at least one nonprofit organization,
	94	+	for-profit entity, or public agency to establish a community reentry center and shall
	95	+	consider contracting to establish a community reentry center in each region of the
	96	+	state. The contracted nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, or public agency shall
	97	+	oversee, coordinate, and develop memoranda of understanding with other
	98	+	organizations to provide services that will be housed at the community reentry
	99	+	center.
	100	+	(3) (a) To receive a contract under sub. (2), a nonprofit organization, for-profit
	101	+	entity, or public agency shall operate a community reentry center in a location that
	102	+	is easily accessible by the population served and accessible by public transportation,
	103	+	if available. Organizations that provide services housed at the community reentry
	104	+	center shall, at a minimum, be able to assess and assist individuals after release from
	105	+	incarceration to community supervision by providing all of the following services:
	106	+	1. Health: assistance in identifying and accessing appropriate health care
	107	+	services and mental health services based on the individual's needs.
	108	+	2. Identification: assistance in obtaining identification documents such as the
	109	+	individual's birth certificate, social security card, state identification card, or driver's
	110	+	license, if eligible, including any necessary forms and instructions.
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	136	+	SECTION 3 SENATE BILL 172
	137	+	3. Financial: assistance in creating a bank account, including obtaining a debit
	138	+	card at the time of the individual's initial contact with the community reentry center.
	139	+	4. Housing: assistance in obtaining access to emergency housing options for
	140	+	homeless individuals and contacting landlords that rent to formerly incarcerated
	141	+	individuals.
	142	+	5. Employment: assistance in creating a resume, electronically submitting the
	143	+	resume where needed, and contacting relevant employment agencies to secure
62	144		employment.
63		-	6. Education: assistance in identifying whether and
64		-	how to proceed with the next level of education or voca-
65		-	tional training the individual may want or need.
66		-	7. Supervision: a secured office space for department
67		-	supervision agents to meet with individuals on commu-
68		-	nity supervision.
69		-	(b) A nonprofit organization, for−profit entity, or
70		-	public agency contracted with under sub. (2) shall
71		-	develop multidisciplinary support teams with participat-
72		-	ing organizations that provide services under par. (a) at
73		-	the community reentry center to review the needs and
74		-	assessments of participating individuals.
75		-	(c) In awarding contracts under sub. (2), the depart-
76		-	ment shall prioritize contracts with nonprofit organiza-
77		-	tions, for−profit entities, or public agencies that do any of
78		-	the following:
79		-	1. Collaborate with organizations that provide ser-
80		-	vices that will be housed at the community reentry center,
81		-	justice−involved individuals, criminal justice coordinat-
82		-	ing councils, technical colleges, and workforce invest-
83		-	ment boards, as evidenced by letters of support.
84		-	2. Propose to operate a community reentry center in
85		-	counties with the highest numbers of individuals being
86		-	released from incarceration to those counties.
87		-	(4) The department and the nonprofit organization,
88		-	for−profit entity, or public agency contracted with under
89		-	sub. (2) shall determine, by agreement, when department
90		-	staff will be present on site, and the department shall pro-
91		-	vide department staff pursuant to the agreement to pro-
92		-	vide case management to eligible individuals at a com-
93		-	munity reentry center operated under sub. (3).
94		-	(5) (a) A contract between the department and a non-
95		-	profit organization, for−profit entity, or public agency
96		-	under sub. (2) shall require that the nonprofit organiza-
97		-	tion, for−profit entity, or public agency define data col-
98		-	lection requirements and track and compile data for all
99		-	organizations that provide services housed at the commu-
100		-	nity reentry center. The data shall include, at a minimum,
101		-	all of the following:
102		-	1. The number of individuals that participate in ser-
103		-	vices provided at the community reentry center.
104		-	2. Basic demographic information for the individuals
105		-	served by the organizations.
106		-	3. The number and type of services that were pro-
107		-	vided to individuals by the organizations.
108		-	4. A description and number of services provided at
109		-	and reported outcomes for the community reentry center.
110		-	(b) By January 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter, the
111		-	department shall submit to the governor and to the chief
112		-	clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to
113		-	the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3)
114		-	a comprehensive report that examines the outcomes of
115		-	the services provided at each community reentry center
116		-	operated under sub. (3).
	145	+	6. Education: assistance in identifying whether and how to proceed with the
	146	+	next level of education or vocational training the individual may want or need.
	147	+	7. Supervision: a secured office space for department supervision agents to
	148	+	meet with individuals on community supervision.
	149	+	(b) A nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, or public agency contracted with
	150	+	under sub. (2) shall develop multidisciplinary support teams with participating
	151	+	organizations that provide services under par. (a) at the community reentry center
	152	+	to review the needs and assessments of participating individuals.
	153	+	(c) In awarding contracts under sub. (2), the department shall prioritize
	154	+	contracts with nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, or public agencies that do
	155	+	any of the following:
	156	+	1. Collaborate with organizations that provide services that will be housed at
	157	+	the community reentry center, justice-involved individuals, criminal justice
	158	+	coordinating councils, technical colleges, and workforce investment boards, as
	159	+	evidenced by letters of support.
	160	+	2. Propose to operate a community reentry center in counties with the highest
	161	+	numbers of individuals being released from incarceration to those counties.
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	191	+	(4) The department and the nonprofit organization, for-profit entity, or public
	192	+	agency contracted with under sub. (2) shall determine, by agreement, when
	193	+	department staff will be present on site, and the department shall provide
	194	+	department staff pursuant to the agreement to provide case management to eligible
	195	+	individuals at a community reentry center operated under sub. (3).
	196	+	(5) (a) A contract between the department and a nonprofit organization,
	197	+	for-profit entity, or public agency under sub. (2) shall require that the nonprofit
	198	+	organization, for-profit entity, or public agency define data collection requirements
	199	+	and track and compile data for all organizations that provide services housed at the
	200	+	community reentry center. The data shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
	201	+	1. The number of individuals that participate in services provided at the
	202	+	community reentry center.
	203	+	2. Basic demographic information for the individuals served by the
	204	+	organizations.
	205	+	3. The number and type of services that were provided to individuals by the
	206	+	organizations.
	207	+	4. A description and number of services provided at and reported outcomes for
	208	+	the community reentry center.
	209	+	(b) By January 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter, the department shall submit
	210	+	to the governor and to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution
	211	+	to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) a comprehensive report
	212	+	that examines the outcomes of the services provided at each community reentry
	213	+	center operated under sub. (3).
	214	+	SECTION 4.0Effective date.
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	240	+	SECTION 4 SENATE BILL 172
	241	+	(1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after
	242	+	publication of the 2023 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
	243	+	(END)
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