DOA:......Kirschbaum, BB0565 - UW Nonstat Provisions; grant
For 2025-2027 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
EDUCATION
Higher education
UW System funding allocations and grant
Under current law, most GPR appropriated to the UW System is appropriated through a single general program operations appropriation, a biennial appropriation sometimes referred to as the UW block grant appropriation. In the 2023-25 fiscal biennium, more than a billion dollars was appropriated through this appropriation in each year of the fiscal biennium.
This bill requires the UW System to allocate from this appropriation specified amounts for particular purposes in the 2025-27 fiscal biennium. The total amount of these required allocations is approximately $8.6 million in fiscal year 2025-26 and approximately $7.5 million in fiscal year 2026-27, and the purposes include the following: increasing assistance to students who are veterans and military personnel; extending eligibility for the Health Care Provider Loan Assistance Program to new categories of health care providers; establishing or continuing foster youth programming for eligible students; funding UW–Madison’s UniverCity Alliance program; supporting journalism programs and fellowships; and funding education, training, research, and technical assistance to support small businesses, economic development, and entrepreneurial activity.
The bill also requires the UW System to award a grant from this appropriation, in the amount of $450,000 in each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, to the Institute for Healthy Aging to support programs in fall prevention and recovery training.
For further information see the state 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 9147. Nonstatutory provisions; University of Wisconsin System.
(1) Funding allocations for certain programs and initiatives.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Board” means the Board of Regents of the system.
2. “System” means the University of Wisconsin System.
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the board shall allocate at least the following amounts for the following purposes:
1. In fiscal year 2025-26, $1,209,500, and in fiscal year 2026-27, $1,612,500, to increase assistance to veterans and military personnel enrolled in the system and to their families.
2. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, $1,001,500, for the program under s. 36.61, including any extension of program eligibility to additional health care providers, as defined in s. 36.61 (1) (b).
3. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, $500,000, to establish or continue foster youth programming for eligible students enrolled in the system.
4. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, $300,000, for the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s UniverCity Alliance program that leverages the university’s academic and research resources to address challenges faced by urban areas.
5. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, $1,000,000, to support journalism programs and fellowships for students and graduates of journalism programs at system institutions.
6. In each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, $250,000, for the system to provide education, training, research, and technical assistance to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, economic development practitioners, and communities in the development of entrepreneurial activity in rural Wisconsin.
(2) Grant to the Institute for Healthy Aging.
(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System shall award a grant of $450,000 in each fiscal year of the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to the Institute for Healthy Aging to support programs in fall prevention and recovery training.
(end)
