Amendment AA6-ASA2-AB50

AB50-ASA2-AA6,123 Section 123. 20.445 (1) (er) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,55,16 20.445 (1) (er) On-the-job learning grant program. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for on-the-job learning grants under s. 106.136.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,124 Section 124. 106.135 of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,55,19 106.135 Youth-to-registered apprenticeship grant program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,55,20 (a) “Apprenticeship program” has the meaning given in s. 106.001 (4).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,55,21 (b) “Youth apprenticeship program” means the program under s. 106.13 (1).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,3 (2) Grant program. (a) The department shall develop and administer a program to award grants from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (em) to youth apprenticeship consortia to provide incentives to individuals to transition from participating in the youth apprenticeship program to participating in an apprenticeship program. The department may not award more than $350,000 in grants under this subsection in any fiscal year.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,6 (b) Youth apprenticeship consortia that may receive a grant under this section shall be partnerships between one or more school districts or between one or more school districts and at least one of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,7 1. A community-based organization.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,8 2. A cooperative educational service agency.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,9 3. Employers.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,10 4. Colleges in the technical college system.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,11 5. Labor unions.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,12 6. Chambers of commerce.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,13 7. Local workforce development boards.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,14 8. Other public agencies.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,15 9. Other contributing individuals.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,16 (3) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,125 Section 125. 106.136 of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,19 106.136 On-the-job learning grant program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,20 (a) “Apprentice” has the meaning given in s. 106.001 (1).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,21 (b) “Apprenticeship program” has the meaning given in s. 106.001 (4).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,56,23 (2) Program. (a) The department shall develop and administer a program to award grants from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (er) to the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,4 1. New and small employers for costs associated with apprenticeship programs. To be eligible to receive a grant, an employer must either never have had an apprenticeship program or not have had an apprenticeship program in the particular trade, craft, or business for which it seeks the grant in the 5 years preceding the date of application for the grant.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,5 2. Healthcare employers for costs associated with on-the-job learning.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,7 (b) Employers may use the grants under this section to reimburse themselves for costs related to apprentices, including wages, instruction, and mentoring.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,8 (c) Grants under par. (a) 2. shall be provided under a pilot program.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,10 (3) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section, which shall include procedures and criteria for awarding grants under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,9250 Section 9250. Fiscal changes; Workforce Development.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,57,20 (1) Registered apprenticeship program; position authorization. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $60,800 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department of workforce development by 1.0 GPR position to support the infrastructure of the registered apprenticeship program under subch. I of ch. 106. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $80,900 for the position authorized under this subsection.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,58,2 (2) Registered apprenticeship program; supplies and services. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $21,100 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $384,900 for supplies and services for support of the infrastructure of the registered apprenticeship program under subch. I of ch. 106.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,58,12 (3) Registered apprenticeship program in artificial intelligence; position authorization. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $238,900 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department of workforce development by 5.5 GPR positions to expand the registered apprenticeship program in the field of artificial intelligence under subch. I of ch. 106. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $318,500 for the positions authorized under this subsection.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,58,19 (4) Registered apprenticeship in artificial intelligence support; supplies and services. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $165,500 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $130,000 for supplies and services to support the registered apprenticeship program in the field of artificial intelligence under subch. I of ch. 106.”.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,58,20 11. At the appropriate places, insert all of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,58,21 “Section 126. 20.445 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,2 20.445 (1) (b) Workforce training; programs, grants, services, and contracts. The As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the workforce training programs, grants, and services under s. 106.27 (1), (1g), (1j), (1r), and (1u) and for the costs associated with contracts entered into under s. 47.07.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,127 Section 127. 106.023 of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,10 106.023 Teacher apprenticeships. (1) In consultation with the department of public instruction, the department shall prescribe the conditions under which a person may serve a teacher apprenticeship, as to higher education attendance requirements, level of supervision of an apprentice, and the credit for school attendance in serving the apprenticeship. The department shall also prescribe the criteria an individual must satisfy to demonstrate that the individual has successfully completed an apprenticeship under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,12 (2) Every person commencing a teacher apprenticeship shall enter into an apprentice contract under s. 106.01.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,128 Section 128. 106.27 (1) (h) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,15 106.27 (1) (h) Grants for education and training in the use of artificial intelligence.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,9150 Section 9150. Nonstatutory provisions; Workforce Development.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,17 (1) Wisconsin Fast Forward allocations.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,59,23 (a) Green jobs training. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b), in fiscal year 2025-26, the department of workforce development shall allocate $2,000,000 for grants under s. 106.27 (1) to public or private organizations for the development and implementation of green jobs training programs in this state. In this paragraph, “green jobs” means jobs that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,3 (b) Teacher apprentice incentives. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b), in each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the department of workforce development shall allocate $1,000,000 to provide grants under s. 106.27 (1) to support costs of sponsoring teacher apprentices under subch. I of ch. 106.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,7 (c) Artificial intelligence. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b), in each year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the department of workforce development shall allocate $200,000 for grants under s. 106.27 (1) to help school districts to prepare students for a future that includes artificial intelligence.”.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,8 12. At the appropriate places, insert all of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,9 “Section 129. 20.445 (1) (ga) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,13 20.445 (1) (ga) Auxiliary services. All moneys received from fees collected under ss. 102.16 (2m) (d), 103.005 (15), 103.91 (3), 103.92 (1) (a), and 106.09 (7) for the delivery of services under ss. 102.16 (2m) (f), 103.005 (15), and 106.09 and ch. 108 and for administrative services under ss. 103.905 to 103.97.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,130 Section 130. 103.90 (3) (b) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,60,16 103.90 (3) (b) 3. Any bed and breakfast establishment, hotel, or tourist rooming house that is required to be licensed under s. 97.605.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,9250 Section 9250. Fiscal changes; Workforce Development.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,2 (1) Migrant seasonal farm worker program; staff. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $64,000 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR position for the purpose of the migrant seasonal farm worker program under ss. 103.90 to 103.97. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $78,200 to provide funding for the position authorized under this subsection.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,9 (2) Migrant seasonal farm worker program; supplies and services. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $779,500 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $33,100 for supplies and services for an online platform to be used by the migrant seasonal farm worker program under ss. 103.90 to 103.97 to process applications and certifications for migrant labor camp and housing operators.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,15 (3) Migrant seasonal farm worker program; administrative services. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445 (1) (ga), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $35,000 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $35,000 for administrative services related to the migrant seasonal farm worker program under ss. 103.90 to 103.97.”.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,16 13. At the appropriate places, insert all of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,17 “Section 131. 103.08 of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,18 103.08 Paid family and medical leave. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,61,21 (a) “Application year” means the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the first calendar week for which leave benefits are claimed by an employee under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,5 (b) “Average weekly earnings” means one-thirteenth of the wages paid to an employee during the last completed calendar quarter prior to the employee’s date of eligibility for leave benefits under this section and includes all sick, holiday, vacation, and termination pay that is paid directly by an employer to an employee at the employee’s usual rate of pay during his or her last completed calendar quarter as a result of employment for an employer and any total or partial disability payments under ch. 102 or a federal law that provides for payments on account of a work-related injury or illness.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,9 (d) “Employee” has the meaning given in s. 103.10 (b), except that it does not include employees whose compensation is established under s. 20.923 (2) or (3) or 230.12 (9m) or employees of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,13 (e) “Employer” has the meaning given in s. 103.10 (1) (c), except that it does not include any entity whose employees’ compensation is established under s. 20.923 (2) or (3) or 230.12 (9m) or the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,15 (f) “Family leave” means leave from employment taken for any of the reasons under s. 103.10 (3) (b) 1. to 7.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,17 (g) “Insurer” means a company that issues an insurance policy to an employer to provide leave benefits under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,18 (h) “Leave benefits” means benefits provided under sub. (2).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,62,20 (i) “Medical leave” means leave from employment taken for any of the reasons under s. 103.10 (4).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,2 (2) Paid benefit requirement. Each employer shall provide paid leave benefits to their employees for up to 8 weeks of family and medical leave in the amount specified in sub. (3). Employees shall be paid leave benefits for consecutive family and medical leave or intermittent family leave and medical leave at the employee’s sole discretion.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,4 (3) Benefit amount. The amount of leave benefits for a week for which those benefits are payable is as follows:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,8 (a) For the amount of the employee's average weekly earnings that are not more than 50 percent of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the employee’s application year, 90 percent of that individual's average weekly earnings.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,11 (b) For the amount of the employee’s average weekly earnings that are more than 50 percent of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the employee’s application year, 50 percent of that employee’s average weekly earnings.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,13 (4) Insurance. (a) An employer may contract with an insurance company to provide coverage for the leave benefits required under sub. (2).

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,16 (b) Employers may not deduct any fees from employee compensation for the cost of insurance coverage or otherwise charge employees for the cost of insurance coverage under this subsection.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,18 (c) Insurance policies for leave benefits shall allow for employees to seek arbitration following a denial of leave benefits by the insurer.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,63,21 (5) Federal tax treatment of benefits. With respect to the federal income taxation of family or medical leave insurance benefits, an employer shall do all of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,64,3 (a) At the time an individual files a claim for leave benefits, advise the individual that those benefits may be subject to federal income taxation, that requirements exist under federal law pertaining to estimated tax payments, and that the individual may elect to have federal income taxes withheld from the individual’s benefit payments and may change that election not more than one time in an application year.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,64,9 (b) Allow the individual to elect to have federal income tax deducted and withheld from the individual’s benefit payments, allow the individual to change that election not more than one time in an application year, and deduct and withhold that tax in accordance with the individual’s election as provided under 26 USC 3402. If the employer has contracted with an insurer, the employer shall direct the insurer to follow the provisions of this paragraph.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,64,21 (6) Denial of benefits; appeals. An employer or an insurer that provides benefits under a policy under sub. (4) shall provide an employee with the reason for a denial for a claim for leave benefits whether in whole or in part, with information for the employee to file an appeal with the department. An employee whose claim for leave benefits under this section has been denied in whole or in part by their employer or their employer’s insurer may file a complaint with the department after receiving a final denial from their employer or their employer’s insurer. The department shall process the complaint in the same manner as complaints filed under s. 103.10 (12) (b) are processed. If the department finds that the employer or insurer should have paid leave benefits, the department may order the employer or insurer to provide the benefits owed and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), pay reasonable actual attorney fees to the employee.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,64,23 (7) Prohibited acts. (a) No person may interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,4 (b) No person may discharge or otherwise discriminate against any person for exercising any right provided under this section, opposing a practice prohibited under this section, filing a complaint or attempting to enforce any right provided under this section, or testifying or assisting in any action or proceeding to enforce any right provided under this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,8 (c) No collective bargaining agreement or employer policy may diminish or abridge an employee’s rights under this section. Any agreement purporting to waive or modify an employee’s rights under this section is void as against public policy and unenforceable.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,13 (8) Notice posted. Each employer shall post, on its website and in one or more conspicuous places where notices to employees are customarily posted, a notice in a form approved by the department setting forth employees’ rights under this section. Any employer that violates this subsection shall forfeit not more than $100 for each violation.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,14 (9) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,132 Section 132. 103.10 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 103.10 (1) (a) and amended to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,18 103.10 (1) (a) “Child” means a natural, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, or a legal ward to whom any of the following applies:.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,133 Section 133. 103.10 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is repealed.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,134 Section 134. 103.10 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB50-ASA2-AA6,135 Section 135. 103.10 (1) (ap) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,65,22 103.10 (1) (ap) “Covered active duty” means any of the following:

AB50-ASA2-AA6,66,2 1. For a member of a regular component of the U.S. armed forces, duty during the deployment of the member with the U.S. armed forces to a foreign country.