What a GREAT! Bill

Of course, it has no chance of passing.

Just had to point this out. SB511 actually does something good – so it wouldn’t pass. And, by the way, I had no idea this was happening, or even who was sponsoring it. This is the legislative analysis.

February 23, 2012 – Introduced by Senators Hansen, King, Holperin, Taylor, Lassa, S. Coggs, T. Cullen and Miller, cosponsored by Representatives Mason, Grigsby, Pasch, Milroy, Richards, Jorgensen, Roys, Pocan, Steinbrink, Berceau, E. Coggs, Molepske Jr, Toles, Sinicki, Bewley, C. Taylor, Fields, Hulsey, Bernard Schaber, Pope-Roberts, Turner, Young, Vruwink and Kessler. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.

1An Act to repeal 20.115 (1) (dy), 20.144 (1) (b), 20.680 (2) (dy), 45.03 (13) (k) 2. 2and 3. and 227.01 (13) (zz); to consolidate, renumber and amend 45.03 (13) 3(k) (intro.) and 1.; to amend 20.485 (2) (b); and to create 20.115 (1) (dy), 20.144 4(1) (b), 20.680 (2) (dy), 45.03 (13) (km) and 227.01 (13) (zz) of the statutes;

relating to: allocation of national mortgage foreclosure settlement proceeds and making appropriations.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Of the moneys received by the state as a result of the national mortgage foreclosure settlement, $25,600,000 will be deposited in the general fund as general purpose revenue (GPR). This bill allocates that GPR as follows:

1. The Department of Children and Families must provide $10,000,000 in additional aid under its emergency assistance to needy persons program to eligible persons who are homeless or facing impending homelessness due to natural disaster
or foreclosure.

2. The Department of Financial Institutions must provide $10,000,000 in grants to assist nonprofit organizations and governmental bodies for the purpose of foreclosure mediation and foreclosure prevention.

3. The Department of Veterans Affairs must provide $3,000,000 in housing vouchers for chronically homeless veterans and in grants to veterans for preventing foreclosures on veterans’ primary residences.

4. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) must provide a grant of $1,600,000 to the Tenant Resource Center (TRC) in Madison to enable the TRC to expand its operations statewide, establish physical offices in the five counties with the highest rates of foreclosure, and provide services related to foreclosure prevention and tenant mediation. DATCP must first approve a plan submitted by the TRC for the use of the funds, and the TRC must submit to DATCP, within six months of using the funds, a report detailing how the funds were used.

5. The director of state courts must provide a grant of $1,000,000 to the Milwaukee Foreclosure Mediation Program (MFMP) for its general operations. The MFMP must enter into an agreement with the director of state courts that specifies the conditions for the use of the funds, and the MFMP must submit to the director of state courts, within six months of using the funds, a report detailing how the funds were used.

Thanks to the Dems for at least trying to do the right thing! Not so much for TRC, but trying to use the money to help people, to, you know, help people.