Senate Bill 1011 aims to expand income eligibility for the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program, which is part of the Wisconsin Works (W-2) initiative administered by the Department of Children and Families. The bill proposes to change the income eligibility threshold from 200 percent of the poverty line to 85 percent of the state median income. Additionally, it allows individuals already receiving a subsidy to maintain their eligibility until their family income exceeds 100 percent of the state median income, while eliminating the previous sliding scale increase in copayment minimums based on income increases.

The bill also includes several amendments to existing statutes, specifically renumbering and amending provisions related to income calculations for eligibility. It repeals a specific provision regarding copayment increases and appropriates $1,250,000 in general program revenue to support the implementation of these changes. Overall, the legislation seeks to make child care subsidies more accessible to low-income families in Wisconsin by adjusting the income criteria and ensuring continued support for those transitioning out of eligibility.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 49.155(1m)(c)1.(intro.), 49.155, 49.155(1m)(c)1d.b, 49.155(1m)(c)1h, 49.155(1m)(c)1m, 49.155(1m)(c)2, 49.155(1m)(c)3