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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 687

Long-term care districts and care management organizations. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 2, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 1, 2016

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 18, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 215

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 2, 2016: “Published 3-2-2016”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill allows the Department of Health Services to contract with a county or long-term care district to operate a care management organization outside the geographic area of that county or long-term care district and specifies a different disposition of property and assets upon dissolution of a long-term care district. The bill also allows a long-term care district or a governmental entity that has a contract to operate a care management organization to create a nonstock, nonprofit corporation or a service insurance corporation and to assign certain contracts, permits, and certifications to the corporation with approval of DHS and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.

Currently, a care management organization, under a contract with DHS, enrolls individuals in the Family Care program and administers the Family Care benefit, which provides financial assistance for long-term care to a frail elder or a person with a physical or developmental disability. DHS may contract with a county, a long-term care district, a governing body of a tribe or band or the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, a joint association of those entities, or a private organization to be a care management organization. A county, tribe or band, or a combination of counties or tribes or bands may create a long-term care district, which is a special purpose district that is a local unit of government. Currently, the jurisdiction of a long-term care district is the geographic area of the county or counties that created the district or the geographic area of the reservation of, or land held in trust for, any tribe or band that created the district. This bill allows DHS to contract with a county or long-term care district to operate a care management organization outside the geographic area of that county or long-term care district. The bill specifies that DHS may award contracts to one or more certified entities to operate a care management organization within a county or geographic area. If DHS awards a contract to a long-term care district to operate a care management organization outside the geographic area of the counties that created the long-term care district, the bill allows any county that is newly served by that care management organization to join the existing long-term care district under certain circumstances at the discretion of the long-term care district's board. The bill also specifies that upon dissolution of a long-term care district the property and the assets of the corporation transfer to DHS instead of the entity that created the long-term care district.

Read the full summary

The bill also allows a long-term care district or a governmental entity that has a contract to operate a care management organization to create a nonstock, nonprofit corporation or a service insurance corporation. Before creating the corporation that provides the Family Care benefit, the long-term care district or governmental entity must submit the proposed articles of incorporation to DHS for review and approval.

With approval of DHS and OCI, the long-term care district or governmental entity may then assign to the corporation the district's assets and liabilities, a contract with DHS to operate a care management organization, a permit issued by OCI to operate as a care management organization, or a care management organization certification by DHS. DHS must then notify enrollees of the transfer of the contract to the corporation and inform enrollees of their rights and responsibilities in accordance with any federal requirements.

The 2015-17 budget act specifies that the Family Care program will be expanded statewide and requires DHS to request a waiver to make certain changes to the long-term care program, including the creation of integrated health agencies.

DHS must include in its waiver request provisions to allow a long-term care district to operate an integrated health agency, including operating an integrated health agency outside its geographic area.

Who's behind it

8 senators are its ⁠. 7 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

15 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 23 names

Authors (8)

Signed on in support (15)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 6 votes on this bill.

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote on an amendment

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote to recommend it

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 19 to 13 · Feb 16, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 32 to 0 · Feb 16, 2016 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote on an amendment

Passed, 61 to 34 · Feb 18, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 61, Noes 34”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 2, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 2, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 215.

  3. Feb 25, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 18, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Feb 16, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 16, 2016

    The Senate passed it, 32 to 0.

  8. Feb 16, 2016

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 11, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 16 to 0.

  10. Feb 11, 2016

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  11. Feb 11, 2016

    “Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  12. Feb 10, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  13. Feb 10, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Feb 3, 2016

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  15. Feb 1, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

  16. Feb 1, 2016

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 1, 2016 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Marklein, Cowles, Lasee, Lassa, Petrowski, Roth, Vukmir and Olsen; cosponsored by Representatives Krug, Novak, Bernier, Edming, Knodl, Mursau, A. Ott, Petryk, Quinn, Rohrkaste, Tauchen, Tittl, Tranel, VanderMeer and Knudson

  2. Feb 1, 2016 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  3. Feb 3, 2016 · Senate

    Withdrawn from committee on Health and Human Services and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)

  4. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Marklein

  5. Feb 10, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  6. Feb 10, 2016 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  7. Feb 10, 2016 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  8. Feb 10, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  9. Feb 11, 2016 · Senate

    Report introduction of Senate Amendment 2 by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  10. Feb 11, 2016 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  11. Feb 11, 2016 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  12. Feb 11, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  13. Feb 15, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  14. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 offered by Senators Bewley, Ringhand, L. Taylor, Carpenter, Hansen, Shilling, Erpenbach, Miller and Vinehout

  15. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  16. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  17. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 3 laid on table, Ayes 19, Noes 13

  18. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0

  21. Feb 16, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  23. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  24. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 2:46 PM on 2-18-2016 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 29

  25. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  26. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Meyers

  27. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 61, Noes 34

  28. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  29. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  30. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  31. Feb 18, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  32. Feb 19, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  33. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  34. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016

  35. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-1-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 215

  36. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Published 3-2-2016

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary