CapitalSky
2015-16, No. 59
February 29, 2016

In this Issue:


State Explores Self Insurance Option

Governor to Sign TIF Bills into Law

Legislature's Schedule

Recently Introduced Legislation

Hearings on Municipal Bills

League of Wisconsin Municipalities
 
Ph:  (608) 267-2380
       (800) 991-5502

 
State's Group Insurance Board Seeking Proposals on Self Insuring State Health Plan for State and Local Employees
  
  

The state's Group Insurance Board (GIB) voted earlier in February to develop and issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to evaluate the impact of self-insuring the group health insurance program. The state's group health insurance program provides health insurance to state employees and local governments that choose to participate. 56 cities and 108 villages currently participate in the GIB's health insurance program for local governments. 
 
ETF staff hope to distribute the RFP in July, with responses due by September. Then, staff will review the responses and present the results of the RFP in November.

For more information, see the ETF staff memo to the GIB on this issue, here.

Two actuarial firms recently retained by the GIB reached different conclusions about the financial impact of self-insuring, but both concluded that an RFP is the advisable next step to thoughtfully evaluate options for re-structuring the program.
 
We will monitor this issue as it continues to develop and keep you informed as more information becomes available.
Governor Signing TIF Bills and Adverse Possession Measure into Law this Week 
 
Governor Walker plans to sign into law tomorrow the four TIF bills that the League supports: SB 50, SB 51, SB 53 and SB 54.  
 
Governor Walker will also sign into law tomorrow SB 314, prohibiting persons from acquiring title to municipally owned land through adverse possession.  The League worked with Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) and Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) to introduce this legislation. 
Legislature's Schedule 

The Assembly met for the last time this session on February 18.  The Senate plans to meet one more time, on March 15, before adjourning for the session.  The Senate will have potentially 200 Assembly bills on its calendar.  Any bills not passed by both houses after March 15 will be dead for this session and will need to be reintroduced next session.
 
The 2017-2018 legislative session will commence in early January 2017.  
Recently Introduced Legislation

Given that the Legislative session is approaching the end and any bill introduced at this point in time is not going to be enacted, we won't be summarizing newly introduced bills in the remaining Bulletins for this session.
Hearings on Municipal Bills 

No public hearings on municipal bills are scheduled for this week.