WAMM 2024 Priorities 

List of WAMM State Priorities: 

• Increase the capital and operation assistance program funding for specialized transportation (85.21, 85.215, 85.22, WETAP) to assist with operations, replacement or acquisition of new transit vehicles and expand mobility management services needed to meet our community needs. Incorporate annual inflationary increases for specialized transportation to ensure programs and providers can maintain existing system levels.  

• Creation of a state-level statutory Transportation Coordination Council charged with coordination of transportation resources, expanding access, and maximizing the use of needed resources.  

• Pass legislation to modify state law to prohibit an insurer from increasing the rating, or denying, nonrenewing, or cancelling an insured solely for acting as a volunteer driver or for reimbursement of actual expenses, including mileage reimbursement. 

• Develop statutory authority allowing local units of government the ability to raise revenue for transportation service needs. We are interested in working with Wisconsin Legislature on developing Regional Transit Authority legislation.  

• Specialized Transportation Assistance Pilot Program (Senate Bill 856) brings forth special transportation issues. We support every effort to make improvements and dedicate our organization to help find solid solutions. The bill requires DHS to establish a specialized transportation assistance program, which would allow ADRCs to coordinate or contract with a mobility management organization to coordinate the provision of specialized transportation assistance services for individuals in need of those services.   

• Increase Medicaid transportation rates, which are established by state administrative rule and statue, to retain and attract providers to ensure our older adults residing in nursing homes have the transportation they need to live a quality life. 

• Equivalent background checks, training and insurance coverage required for all individuals and company drivers of passengers driven by paid drivers.  

List of WAMM Federal Priorities: 

• Increase the Federal Transit Administration Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities Section 5310 funding and Formula Grants for Rural Areas Section 5311 funding. These funding sources help fund the acquisition of buses and vans and other capital assets, supports mobility management and travel training programs, and helps expand the accessibility of transportation services.  

• Modify Federal law to align the charitable driving reimbursement rate to the standard Federal IRS mileage rate for business and medical/moving. Currently, Federal law allows for reimbursement of volunteers on a nontaxable basis up to the charitable mileage rate of $0.14 per mile. Unlike the business and medical/moving rate, which are regulated by the IRS and adjusted to account for the increasing cost of operating a vehicle, the charitable rate can only be adjusted through the legislative process. WAMM supports the Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act S. 3020/H.R. 3032 - This legislation seeks to increase the charitable mileage rate for nonprofit volunteer drivers delivering people or products on behalf of nonprofits from the current rate of 14 cents per mile to the standard business rate, currently 67 cents per mile.    

• Adapt the formula for Made in America clause. Proper vehicles are either not available in the US at all or the percentage of vehicles is too low.  

 Click here for a pdf of WAMM's 2024 legislative and advocacy priorities.