AB56: Bill Text

AB56,135,2 (2) Initiatives. The office shall work on initiatives that have the following goals:

AB56,135,4 (a) Promoting the development and use of clean and renewable energy across this state.

AB56,135,7 (b) Advancing innovative sustainability solutions in ways that improve this state's economy and environment, including energy initiatives that reduce carbon emissions, accelerate economic growth, and lower customer energy costs.

AB56,135,10 (c) Diversifying the resources used to reliably meet the energy needs of consumers in this state and generate family-supporting jobs through the expansion of this state's clean energy economy.

AB56,135,11 (3) Other duties. The office shall do all of the following:

AB56,135,14 (b) Provide advice and support to state agencies in developing or retrofitting sustainable infrastructure to reduce energy use and lessen negative impacts on this state's air and water quality.

AB56,135,17 (c) Study and report on the status of existing clean and renewable energy efforts by the state, including economic development initiatives, and develop future energy policy opportunities for consideration by the governor and state agencies.

AB56,135,20 (d) Serve as a single point of contact to assist businesses, local units of government, and nongovernmental organizations that are pursuing clean energy opportunities.

AB56,135,22 (e) Identify and share information about clean energy funding opportunities for private, and state and local governmental entities.

AB56,135,24 (f) Perform duties necessary to maintain federal energy funding and any designations required for such funding.

AB56,136,3 (i) Take other steps necessary to facilitate the implementation of the initiatives and goals specified in sub. (2) and to identify and address barriers to the implementation of those initiatives.

AB56,136,6 (4) Clean energy grants. The office shall establish a program for making grants from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (4) (q) to fund research in support of clean energy production.

AB56,136,11 (5) Technical assistance. (a) The office may provide technical assistance to units of government other than the state to assist in the planning and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable resources and may charge for those services. The office may request technical and staff assistance from other state agencies in providing technical assistance to those units of government.

AB56,136,15 (b) The office may require a public utility to provide energy billing and use data regarding public schools, if the office determines that the data is necessary to provide technical assistance under par. (a) in public schools, including those with the highest energy costs.

AB56,136,17 (c) The office shall consult with the public service commission in implementing this subsection.

AB56,78 Section 78. 16.956 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,136,21 16.956 (2) Authority. Beginning on July 1, 2006, and ending on June 30, 2020, the The department may award a grant to an eligible applicant for the purchase and field testing of one or more idling reduction units as provided in subs. (3) and (4).

AB56,79 Section 79. 16.956 (4) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,137,2 16.956 (4) (cm) Subject to par. (d), the department may make grants under this section from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2020, of 50 percent of the eligible costs for an idling reduction unit installed on a truck tractor, unless the department has previously awarded a grant under this section for an idling reduction unit installed on the truck tractor.

AB56,80 Section 80. 16.956 (6) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,81 Section 81. 16.969 (title) of the statutes is renumbered 196.492 (title).

AB56,82 Section 82. 16.969 (1) (intro.) and (b) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 196.492 (1) and amended to read:

AB56,137,9 196.492 (1) In this section: (b) “High-voltage, “high-voltage transmission line" means a high-voltage transmission line, as defined in s. 196.491 (1) (f), that is designed for operation at a nominal voltage of 345 kilovolts or more.

AB56,83 Section 83. 16.969 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,84 Section 84. 16.969 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 196.492 (2), and 196.492 (2) (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:

AB56,137,16 196.492 (2) (intro.) The department commission shall promulgate rules that require a person who is issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) for a high-voltage transmission line to pay the department commission the following fees:

AB56,85 Section 85. 16.969 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 196.492 (3), and 196.492 (3) (a) and (b) 1. and 2., as renumbered, are amended to read:

AB56,137,23 196.492 (3) (a) The department commission shall distribute the fees that are paid by a person under the rules promulgated under sub. (2) (a) to each town, village and city that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such town, village and city.

AB56,138,2 (b) 1. The department commission shall pay 50 percent of the fee to each county that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such county.

AB56,138,6 2. The department commission shall pay 50 percent of the fee to each town, village and city that is identified by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) in proportion to the amount of investment that is allocated by the commission under s. 196.491 (3) (gm) to each such town, village and city.

AB56,86 Section 86 . 16.969 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 196.492 (4).

AB56,87 Section 87 . 16.99 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,138,10 16.99 (3r) “Rural territory” means any territory, population, and housing units located outside urbanized areas or urban clusters.

AB56,88 Section 88. 16.99 (6) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,89 Section 89 . 16.9945 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,139,2 16.9945 (1) Competitive grants. (intro.) In fiscal years 2017-18 and, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21, the department may annually award grants on a competitive basis to eligible school districts and to eligible public libraries for the purpose of improving information technology infrastructure. For purposes of awarding grants under this section, “improving information technology infrastructure” includes purchasing and installing on a bus a portable device that creates an area of wireless Internet coverage and purchasing for individuals to temporarily borrow from a school or for patrons to check out from a public library a portable device that creates an area of wireless Internet coverage. In awarding grants to eligible school districts under this section, the department shall give priority to applications for school districts in which the percentage of pupils who satisfy the income eligibility criteria under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1) for a free or reduced-price lunch is greater than in other applicant school districts. The department shall require an applicant for a grant under this section to provide all of the following:

AB56,90 Section 90 . 16.9945 (2) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 16.9945 (2) and amended to read:

AB56,139,8 16.9945 (2) A school district is eligible for a grant under this section in fiscal year 2017-18 if the school district's membership in the previous most recent school year for which finalized school year data is available divided by the school district's area in square miles is 16 or less.

AB56,91 Section 91 . 16.9945 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,92 Section 92. 16.9945 (2m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,93 Section 93. 16.9945 (2m) (a) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 16.99 (3c).

AB56,94 Section 94. 16.9945 (2m) (a) 2. of the statutes is renumbered 16.99 (5g).

AB56,95 Section 95. 16.9945 (2m) (a) 3. of the statutes is renumbered 16.99 (5r).

AB56,96 Section 96. 16.9945 (2m) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 16.9945 (2m) (b) and amended to read:

AB56,139,22 16.9945 (2m) (b) A public library, including the branch of a public library a library branch, is eligible for a grant under this section in fiscal year 2017-18 or in fiscal year 2018-19 or in both fiscal years if the population of the municipality within which the library or branch of the library library branch is located, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is 20,000 or less and if the public library or branch library branch is located in one of the following areas of the state: a rural territory.

AB56,97 Section 97 . 16.9945 (2m) (b) 1. to 3. of the statutes are repealed.

AB56,98 Section 98 . 16.9945 (2m) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,140,3 16.9945 (2m) (c) A consortium of public libraries is eligible for a grant under this section and a public library system is eligible for a grant under this section if all of the following apply:

AB56,140,4 1. Either of the following applies:

AB56,140,6 a. The consortium consists of 3 or more eligible public libraries or library branches.

AB56,140,8 b. The public library system contains 3 or more eligible public libraries or library branches.

AB56,140,10 2. The consortium or public library system applies for a grant under this section.

AB56,99 Section 99. 16.9945 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,140,13 16.9945 (3) (a) If the membership of the eligible school district, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is fewer than 750 pupils, $30,000.

AB56,100 Section 100. 16.9945 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,140,17 16.9945 (3) (b) If the membership of the eligible school district, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is 750 pupils to 1,500 pupils, $40 multiplied by the school district's membership.

AB56,101 Section 101. 16.9945 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,140,20 16.9945 (3) (c) If the membership of the eligible school district, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is more than 1,500 pupils, $60,000.

AB56,102 Section 102. 16.9945 (3m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,140,24 16.9945 (3m) (a) If the population of the municipality within which the eligible public library or branch library branch is located, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is 2,000 or less, $5,000.

AB56,103 Section 103. 16.9945 (3m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,141,3 16.9945 (3m) (b) If the population of the municipality within which the eligible public library or branch library branch is located, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is at least 2,001 but less than 5,000, $7,500.

AB56,104 Section 104. 16.9945 (3m) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,141,7 16.9945 (3m) (c) If the population of the municipality within which the eligible public library or branch library branch is located, as determined in the first year of the fiscal biennium, is at least 5,000 but less than 20,001, $10,000.

AB56,105 Section 105. 16.9945 (4) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB56,141,10 16.9945 (4) Funding limitation. The department may not award grants under this section that total more than $3,000,000 in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 fiscal year.

AB56,106 Section 106 . 16.9945 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,141,13 16.9945 (5) Sunset. The department may not award grants under this section after July 1, 2019 June 30, 2021.

AB56,107 Section 107 . 16.996 of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,108 Section 108. 16.997 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,141,18 16.997 (1) Except as provided in s. 196.218 (4t), the department shall promulgate rules establishing an educational telecommunications access program to provide educational agencies with access to data lines and video links.

AB56,109 Section 109. 16.997 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,141,21 16.997 (2) (a) Allow an educational agency to make a request to the department for access to data lines and video links.

AB56,110 Section 110. 16.997 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,142,4 16.997 (2) (b) Establish eligibility requirements for an educational agency to participate in the program established under sub. (1) and to receive additional telecommunications access under s. 16.998, including a requirement that a charter school sponsor use data lines and video links to benefit pupils attending the charter school and a requirement that Internet access to material that is harmful to children, as defined in s. 948.11 (1) (b), is blocked on the computers of juvenile correctional facilities that are served by data links and video links subsidized under this section.

AB56,111 Section 111. 16.997 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,142,9 16.997 (2) (c) Establish specifications for data lines and video links for which access is provided to an educational agency under the program established under sub. (1) or for which additional access is provided to an educational agency under s. 16.998.

AB56,112 Section 112. 16.997 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,142,15 16.997 (2) (d) Require an educational agency to pay the department not more than $250 per month for each data line or video link that is provided to the educational agency under the program established under sub. (1), except that the charge may not exceed $100 per month for each data line or video link that relies on a transport medium that operates at a speed of 1.544 megabits 1 gigabyte per second.

AB56,113 Section 113. 16.997 (2) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,142,20 16.997 (2) (f) Ensure that juvenile correctional facilities that receive access under this section to data lines and video links or that receive additional access under s. 16.998 to data lines, video links, and bandwidth use those data lines and video links and that bandwidth only for educational purposes.

AB56,114 Section 114. 16.997 (2c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,143,2 16.997 (2c) The department shall develop criteria to use to evaluate whether to provide more than one data line and video link to an educational agency. The department shall include in the criteria an educational agency's current bandwidth, equipment, and readiness, and the available providers and any other economic development in the geographic area that the educational agency serves.

AB56,115 Section 115. 16.997 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,143,6 16.997 (3) The department shall prepare an annual report on the status of providing data lines and video links that are requested under sub. (2) (a) and the impact on the universal service fund of any payment under contracts under s. 16.974.

AB56,116 Section 116 . 16.997 (7) of the statutes is repealed.