An Act to create 16.24 of the statutes; Relating to: withholding state payments to the federal government if federal aid to the state is withheld under certain circumstances. (FE)
Summary
SB353 would create a new section of Wisconsin statutes directing the secretary of administration to respond when federal aid previously authorized by Congress is withheld from the state because of a presidential executive order or because federal officials act in contravention of a court order. In that situation, the secretary must estimate the amount of aid the state is losing and, within 60 days, submit a report to the governor and legislature describing the loss and identifying all payments Wisconsin is scheduled to make to the federal government over the next 12 months.
The bill then requires the secretary to withhold payment of certain state funds owed to the federal government, up to the amount of the lost federal aid, and later release those withheld payments once the state receives the withheld federal aid. In effect, the bill creates a temporary offset mechanism intended to preserve state resources when federal funding is frozen under the specified circumstances.
Impact
The bill would add s. 16.24 to the Wisconsin statutes and give the secretary of administration a new duty to calculate, report, and potentially withhold state payments to the federal government. It would affect state fiscal administration and the timing of payments the state owes federally, but only in the narrow circumstance where federal aid is withheld under a presidential executive order or in violation of a court order. The bill does not change eligibility for federal programs directly; instead, it creates a state-level financial response mechanism tied to federal funding disputes.
Sentiment
The available context shows the bill was introduced with a substantial number of Democratic senators and representatives as cosponsors, suggesting support among its authors and allied members. However, there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or opposition in the materials supplied. The bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating it did not advance to enactment despite its sponsorship.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the bill’s proposal to withhold payments owed to the federal government as leverage in response to frozen federal aid. Supporters would view it as a practical safeguard to protect Wisconsin from losing resources due to federal action, while critics could see it as an aggressive fiscal or intergovernmental tactic that may create legal, administrative, or budgetary complications. Because no hearing transcript is available, the specific objections or defenses are not documented in the provided record.
Crossfiled
An Act to create 16.24 of the statutes; Relating to: withholding state payments to the federal government if federal aid to the state is withheld under certain circumstances. (FE)