Assembly Bill 1035 aims to expand the Wisconsin deflection initiative, a program designed to support individuals affected by substance use while minimizing their involvement with the criminal justice system. The bill mandates the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide grants to existing deflection initiative sites during the 2025-27 fiscal biennium. These grants can be used for various purposes, including hiring additional staff for care coordination, contracting with vendors for consultations and evaluations, and acquiring necessary technology for deflection care coordination. The bill allocates $507,100 for each fiscal year and authorizes an increase of 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) position within the DOJ to facilitate this expansion.

In terms of fiscal changes, the bill specifies an increase of $400,000 in the appropriations for the DOJ for both fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the expansion of the initiative. Additionally, it includes a further increase of $107,100 for each of those years to fund the newly authorized FTE position. The bill also includes provisions that require the DOJ to submit budget information in a manner that does not reflect the increase in appropriations for the 2027-29 biennial budget, ensuring that the funding adjustments are accounted for appropriately.