Mitigating the benefit drop-off in Wisconsin Shares. (FE)

What it would have done

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

This bill allows an individual who receives a child care subsidy through the Wisconsin Shares program to continue to be eligible to receive a partial subsidy if that individual's family gross income increases to above 200 percent of the poverty line for a family the size of the individual's family.

Wisconsin Shares is a part of the Wisconsin Works program under current law, which provides work experience and benefits for low-income custodial parents who are at least 18 years old. Under Wisconsin Shares, an individual who is the parent of a child under the age of 13 or, if the child is disabled, under the age of 19, who needs child care services to participate in various educational or work activities, and who satisfies other eligibility criteria, may receive a child care subsidy for child care services. Under current law, one of the eligibility criteria for receiving a child care subsidy under Wisconsin Shares is having a family gross income at or below 185 percent of the poverty line. If an individual is already receiving a child care subsidy under Wisconsin Shares and his or her family's gross income increases above 185 percent of the poverty line, under current law the individual remains eligible for the child care subsidy until his or her family's gross income exceeds 200 percent of the poverty line. Under this bill, the individual remains eligible to receive a child care subsidy under Wisconsin Shares if his or her family's gross income exceeds 200 percent of the poverty line, but the individual's copayment increases by $1 for every $3 by which the family's gross income exceeds 200 percent of the poverty line.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its authors⁠. 5 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

21 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

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

• Fiscal Estimate From DCF