Creating the water fund for our future and making an appropriation. (FE)

The bill also creates the Joint Committee for the Oversight of the Water Fund for Our Future. Under the bill, the committee receives applications for making expenditures from the fund and makes recommendations to JCF regarding use of the fund.

Under the bill, the committee may also recommend to JCF an amount to transfer to a rapid response account created within the water fund for our future, which may be used by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health Services to respond to natural disasters and public health emergencies.

Funds from the rapid response account may be used for the costs of remediation and to notify, relocate, and assist people affected by the natural disaster or public health emergency.

The bill also allows DNR and the Department of Justice to seek reimbursement from responsible parties for funds expended from the water fund for our future.

In addition, the bill allows any agency to submit a request to JCF for supplemental funds from the water fund for our future. JCF may approve the request after considering any recommendation from the Joint Committee for the Oversight of the Water Fund for Our Future.

Finally, the bill provides additional funding for the University of Wisconsin System under its general program operations appropriation and for special education aid for school districts, independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards for purposes of maintaining compliance with maintenance of effort requirements of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act and the federal American Rescue Plan Act.