AB941: Bill Text

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Assembly BILL 941

February 1, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Pronschinske, Armstrong, Born, Callahan, Dittrich, Edming, James, Kerkman, Kuglitsch, Magnafici, Moses, Oldenburg, Penterman, Petersen, Petryk and Thiesfeldt, cosponsored by Senators Wimberger and Felzkowski. Referred to Special Committee on Trade and Supply Chain.

AB941,1,1 An Act relating to: a commercial driver recruitment program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Transportation to establish three programs directly related to increasing the number of individuals with commercial driver licenses (CDLs). Under the commercial driver scholarship program, DOT provides scholarships to individuals who enroll in driver education courses. Scholarships may not exceed 50 percent of the student's tuition cost for courses that provide instruction in the operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Under the employer training grant program, DOT provides grants to employers of CMV drivers that provide training leading to an employee receiving a CDL. Grants under this program may not exceed, for each employee trained, 50 percent of the costs of training the employee in the operation of CMVs or $3,000, whichever is less. Under the commercial driver recruitment grant program, DOT provides grants to individuals who recently obtained a CDL and maintained employment in a position requiring the operation of CMVs for one year and to the employers of these individuals. Grants under this program are for $500 to each the individual and the employer. DOT may not award scholarships after December 31, 2024, and may not award grants for applications received after December 1, 2024.

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:

AB941,1 Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB941,2,3 (1) (a) In this subsection, “department” means the department of transportation.

AB941,2,5 (b) 1. The department shall establish and administer a commercial driver scholarship program.

AB941,2,11 2. An individual who is enrolled in a driver education course that provides instruction in the operation of commercial motor vehicles at a technical college or a driver school licensed by the department under s. 343.61 may apply for a scholarship under this paragraph. The department shall prescribe the form, nature, and extent of information that shall be contained in applications for scholarships under this paragraph.

AB941,2,16 3. From the amounts allocated under sub. (3) (a), the department may award scholarships to applicants under subd. 2 . The amount of scholarship money awarded to an individual student may not exceed 50 percent of the student's tuition cost for courses that provide instruction in the operation of commercial motor vehicles in which the student is enrolled.

AB941,2,18 4. The department may not award scholarships under this paragraph after December 31, 2024.

AB941,2,20 (c) 1. The department shall establish and administer a commercial driver employer training grant program.

AB941,2,24 2. An employer that satisfies the eligibility requirements under subd. 3. may apply to the department for an employer training grant under this paragraph. The department shall prescribe the form, nature, and extent of information that shall be contained in applications for grants under this paragraph.

AB941,3,2 3. An applicant is eligible for a grant under this paragraph if all of the following are satisfied:

AB941,3,5 a. The employer provides training to an employee in the operation of commercial motor vehicles that satisfies the requirements of 49 CFR 380, subparts F and G.

AB941,3,7 b. The employee who is the subject of the application obtains an initial commercial driver license after the effective date of this subd. 3. b .

AB941,3,10 c. The employee who is the subject of the application has not received a scholarship under par. (b) with regard to the training that is the subject of the application under this paragraph.

AB941,3,11 d. The application is received by the department before December 1, 2024.

AB941,3,16 4. From the amounts allocated under sub. (3 ) (b), the department may award grants to applicants under subd. 2 . The amount of a grant under this paragraph with regard to each employee trained may not exceed 50 percent of the costs of training the employee in the operation of commercial motor vehicles or $3,000, whichever is less.

AB941,3,18 (d) 1. The department shall establish and administer a commercial driver recruitment grant program.

AB941,3,22 2. An individual who satisfies the eligibility requirements under subd. 3 . or the individual's employer may apply to the department for a recruitment grant under this paragraph. The department shall prescribe the form, nature, and extent of information that shall be contained in applications for grants under this paragraph.

AB941,3,24 3. An applicant is eligible for a grant under this paragraph if all of the following are satisfied:

AB941,4,2 a. The individual who is the subject of the grant application obtained an initial commercial driver license after the effective date of this subd. 3. a .

AB941,4,5 b. The individual who is the subject of the grant application has been employed in a position requiring the operation of commercial motor vehicles for not less than one year.

AB941,4,6 c. The application is received by the department before December 1, 2024.

AB941,4,9 4. From the amounts allocated under sub. (3 ) (c), upon receiving an application satisfying the requirements under subd. 3 ., the department shall award the following grants:

AB941,4,10 a. To the individual who is the subject of the application, $500.

AB941,4,16 b. To the employer of the individual who is the subject of the application, $500. If the individual was employed by more than one employer in the prior year, the department shall award the grant under this subd. 4 . b. to the employer for which the individual worked the most hours in the prior year. This subd. 4. b . applies only to employers for which the individual was employed in a position requiring the operation of commercial motor vehicles.

AB941,4,21 (2) No later than March 1, 2025, the department shall prepare a report summarizing the number and amount of scholarships awarded under sub. (1) (b ) and grants awarded under sub. (1) (c) and (d). The department shall submit the report in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3) to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature having jurisdiction over matters relating to transportation.

AB941,4,25 (3) Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s. 16.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate the following amounts:

AB941,5,2 (a) A sum sufficient to the department of transportation for commercial driver scholarships under under sub. (1 ) (b).

AB941,5,4 (b) A sum sufficient to the department of transportation for commercial driver employer training grants under sub. (1 ) (c).

AB941,5,6 (c) A sum sufficient to the department of transportation for commercial driver recruitment grants under under sub. (1 ) (d).

AB941,5,7 (End)