AB785: Bill Text

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 785

January 4, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Billings, Anderson, Neubauer, Brostoff, Cabrera, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Hebl, Hong, B. Meyers, Milroy, Ohnstad, Pope, S. Rodriguez, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spreitzer, Stubbs, Subeck and Vining, cosponsored by Senators Smith, Roys, Erpenbach, L. Taylor, Larson and Carpenter. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB785,1,3 An Act to create 20.235 (1) (dm) and 39.467 of the statutes; relating to: climate change scholarships, funding for special education aid, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a climate change scholarship program to be administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board. The program provides scholarships to students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education and who are engaged in studies directly related to programs preparing the students for careers in occupational areas addressing or responding to climate change. A student may not receive more than $5,000 in scholarships under this program in each academic year.

The bill also provides additional funding for special education aid the Department of Public Instruction pays to school districts, independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB785,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB785,2 Section 2 . 20.235 (1) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB785,2,3 20.235 (1) (dm) Climate change scholarship program. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the climate change scholarship program under s. 39.467.

AB785,3 Section 3. 39.467 of the statutes is created to read:

AB785,2,9 39.467 Climate change scholarship program. (1) In this section, “institution of higher education” means an institution or college campus within the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college within the technical college system, a tribally controlled college, or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this state.

AB785,2,15 (2) The board shall create and administer a program awarding scholarships to resident students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education and who are engaged in studies directly related to programs preparing the students for careers in occupational areas addressing or responding to climate change. A student may not receive more than $5,000 in scholarships under this program in each academic year.

AB785,2,18 (3) In each academic year, the board shall ensure that of the scholarships awarded from the program under sub. (2), one-half are awarded on the basis of merit and one-half are awarded on the basis of financial need.

AB785,3,5 (4) The board may not award a scholarship from the program under sub. (2) to a student whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the student provides to the board a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).

AB785,3,7 (5) Costs associated with the program established under sub. (2) shall be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (dm).

AB785,4 Section 4 . Fiscal changes.

AB785,3,13 (1) Special education aid. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (2) (b), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is increased by $2,750,000 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased by $2,750,000, to increase funding for aids for special education under s. 115.88.

AB785,3,14 (End)