DOA:......Trickle, BB0507 - Grants for local projects; interest earnings of the local government fund
For 2025-2027 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
STATE GOVERNMENT
General state government
Administration of grants for local projects
Current law requires the Building Commission to establish and operate a grant program to assist nonstate organizations to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose. Before approving each grant, the Building Commission must determine that the organization carrying out the project has secured additional funding for the project from nonstate revenue sources in an amount that is equal to at least 50 percent of the total cost of the project.
This bill transfers the grant program to DOA. However, the Building Commission retains its role in approving each grant, making the statewide public purpose determination, and making the determination concerning the amount of nonstate funds the prospective grantee has raised for a project.
The bill further authorizes additional grants under the program to cities, villages, towns, counties, and tribal governments for construction projects having a statewide public purpose if the grant is approved by the Building Commission. Under the bill, these grants are funded from the interest earnings of the local government segregated fund.
Finally, the bill specifically authorizes the following grants under the program, which are subject to Building Commission approval and the other requirements and limitations under the program:
1. A grant of up to $4,000,000 to assist the New Community Shelter, Inc., in the construction of a permanent supportive housing facility in Brown County.
2. A grant of up to $6,000,000 to assist the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Inc., and Community Smiles Dental in carrying out renovation of the historic Wisconsin Avenue School in the city of Milwaukee for use as a health and wellness center.
3. A grant of up to $15,000,000 to assist the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc., in constructing a new facility to expand food processing, storage, and distribution.
4. A grant of up to $860,000 to assist the Colfax Railroad Museum, Inc., in constructing and renovating museum facilities in the village of Colfax to protect and display historical railroad artifacts.
5. A grant of up to $3,000,000 to assist the city of Green Bay in the construction and development of a public market.
6. A grant of up to $4,250,000 to assist the city of Glendale in the construction of a new library that will serve the communities of Bayside, Fox Point, Glendale, and River Hills, as well as all of Milwaukee County through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System.
7. A grant of up to $2,000,000 to a nonstate organization or a city, village, town, or county for the purchase, construction, or renovation of a child care center in the southwest region of the state.
8. A grant of up to $2,500,000 to assist Wellpoint Care Network, Inc., in renovating an existing facility in the city of Milwaukee to establish a child care center.
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:
Section 1. 13.48 (20v) of the statutes is renumbered 16.095, and 16.095 (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5), as renumbered, are amended to read:
16.095 (1) The building commission department shall establish and operate a grant program under this subsection section to assist nonstate organizations and cities, villages, towns, counties, and tribal governments to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose, as determined by the building commission or as specified in subs. (6) to (14).
(2) From the appropriation under s. 20.867 (3) (x) 20.505 (1) (aw), the building commission department may award a grant to any nonstate organization for a construction project that satisfies par. (a) having a statewide public purpose, as determined by the building commission under sub. (1) or as specified in sub. (7) (a), (8) (a), (9) (a), (10) (a), (11) (a), or (14) (a), if the grant is approved by the building commission.
(3) Before approving each grant under sub. (2) or (6), the building commission shall determine that the nonstate organization or city, village, town, county, or tribal government carrying out the project has secured additional funding for the project from nonstate revenue sources in an amount that is equal to at least half of the total cost of the project.
(4) If the building commission department awards a grant under par. (b) sub. (2), and if, for any reason, the space that is constructed or otherwise improved with funds from the grant is not used for one or more public purposes determined by the building commission under par. (a) sub. (1), or for the grants described in subs. (6) to (14), the public purposes specified in those subsections, the state shall retain an ownership interest in the constructed or otherwise improved space equal to the amount of the state’s grant.
(5) The building commission department is prohibited from awarding a grant under par. (b) sub. (2) or (6) unless the department of administration has reviewed and approved plans for the construction project associated with the grant. Notwithstanding ss. 16.85 (1) and 16.855 (1m), the department of administration is prohibited from supervising any services or work or letting any contract for the project. Section 16.87 does not apply to the project.
Section 2. 16.095 (6) to (14) of the statutes are created to read:
16.095 (6) (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing assistance to local governments to construct facilities that provide public services to help citizens of the state is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to provide the department with the authority to award grants to any city, village, town, county, or tribal government for construction projects of public buildings.
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (r), the department may award grants to cities, villages, towns, counties, and tribal governments to assist with construction projects, as specified in par. (a), or as specified in sub. (11) (a), (12) (a), or (13) (a), if the grant is approved by the building commission.
(7) (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing assistance to local communities to provide facilities and services to help citizens of the state overcome life circumstances and to improve the ability of local communities to address homelessness is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the New Community Shelter, Inc., in the construction of a permanent supportive housing facility in Brown County.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) of up to $4,000,000 to assist the New Community Shelter, Inc., in the construction of a facility, as described in par. (a).
(8) (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing out-of-school care that inspires local youth to be contributing, productive, and responsible members of their communities through intentional programming that supports positive character development and unique opportunities to grow as individuals, while addressing a shortage of dental care, mental health services, and preventative health services for youth of underserved populations is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Inc., and Community Smiles Dental in carrying out renovation of the historic Wisconsin Avenue School in the city of Milwaukee for use as a health and wellness center.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) of up to $6,000,000 to assist the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Inc., and Community Smiles Dental in the renovation of the Wisconsin Avenue School, as described in par. (a).
(9) (a) The legislature finds and determines that assisting local communities to provide facilities and services to help citizens of the state overcome life circumstances and to improve the ability of local communities to address food insecurity and enhance equitable access to nutritious food is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc., in constructing a new facility to expand food processing, storage, and distribution.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) of up to $15,000,000 to assist the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc., in the construction of a facility, described in par. (a)
(10) (a) The legislature finds and determines that preserving Wisconsin’s transportation heritage, expanding historical educational programs, and enhancing the state's tourism, thereby strengthening local economies is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the Colfax Railroad Museum, Inc., in constructing and renovating museum facilities in the village of Colfax to protect and display historical railroad artifacts.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) of up to $860,000 to assist the Colfax Railroad Museum, Inc., in the construction and renovation of museum facilities, as described in par. (a).
(11) (a) The legislature finds and determines that enhancing tourism to the state, thereby strengthening local economies is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the city of Green Bay in the construction and development of a public market.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (6) of up to $3,000,000 to assist the city of Green Bay in the construction and development of a public market, as described in par. (a).
(12) (a) The legislature finds that increasing access to learning materials in communities across the state will enhance and enrich the state's workforce, thereby strengthening the state's economy and increasing the resilience of the state's citizens. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to assist the city of Glendale in the construction of a new library that will serve the communities of Bayside, Fox Point, Glendale, and River Hills, as well as all of Milwaukee County through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (6) of up to $4,250,000 to assist the city of Glendale in the construction of a new public library, as described in par. (a).
(13) (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing child care and out-of-school care that addresses provider shortages or assists meeting the demand for child care services in rural or remote areas in this state, thereby equipping the state's workforce to fully engage in the state's economy, is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to provide $2,000,000 to a nonstate organization or a city, village, town, county, or tribal government in this state for the purchase, construction, or renovation of a child care center in the southwest region of the state.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) or (6) of up to $2,000,000 to assist in the construction, development, or renovation of a child care center, as described in par. (a).
(14) (a) The legislature finds and determines that providing early child education and care that addresses provider shortages or assists meeting the demand for early child education services in areas of need equips the state's workforce to fully engage in the state's economy and is a statewide responsibility of statewide dimension. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy of this state, to provide $2,500,000 to Wellpoint Care Network, Inc., to assist in renovating an existing facility in the city of Milwaukee to establish a child care center.
(b) The building commission may approve and the department may award a grant under sub. (2) of up to $2,500,000 to Wellpoint Care Network, Inc., to assist in the renovation of a facility, as described in par. (a).
Section 3. 20.505 (1) (aw) of the statutes is created to read:
20.505 (1) (aw) Grants for local projects. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for grants awarded under s. 16.095 to assist nonstate organizations to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose.
****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
Section 4. 20.505 (1) (r) of the statutes is created to read:
20.505 (1) (r) Local construction project grants. From the local government fund, as a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for grants awarded under s. 16.095 (6) to assist cities, villages, towns, counties, and tribal governments to carry out construction projects having a statewide public purpose.
****Note: This Section involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
Section 5. 25.491 (13) of the statutes is created to read:
25.491 (13) There is established in the local government fund a separate account that is designated the “local construction project grants account" to make the payments under s. 16.095 (6). All interest earnings of the local government fund shall be credited to this account.
(end)
