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Winnebago committee backs state disaster individual-assistance bills
Summary
Members supported legislation to create state-managed individual assistance for disaster recovery when federal declarations do not apply, and approved a motion to support the bills after a presenter outlined program goals and administration by Wisconsin Emergency Management.
The committee voted to support a package of disaster assistance bills described in materials as AB580, AB581 and companion Senate bills SB557 and SB558, which would create an individual assistance program administered by Wisconsin Emergency Management to help residents after disasters that do not meet federal thresholds.
A presenter described the proposal as a program that would fill gaps left when Wisconsin incidents do not rise to the level of a presidential declaration; the program would provide state-managed assistance for residents for recovery needs when federal programs are not triggered. The presenter said the bills have support in the Assembly and were expected to move to the Senate in the coming weeks.
Committee members had no substantive amendments and accepted the motion to support the legislation; the motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: Wisconsin lacks a routine state-run individual assistance program like those in some states to help households after smaller or non-federally declared disasters; the bills aim to create state funding and an administrative structure for that gap.
Next steps: the county will transmit its support to the legislature and follow bill progress in the Assembly and Senate.
