AB550: Bill Text

Current law provides that the Department of Workforce Development may award technical education equipment grants to school districts for the acquisition of equipment that is used in advanced manufacturing fields in the workplace. As a condition of receiving a grant, a school district must provide a match equal to 200 percent of the grant amount awarded. Grants are limited to no more than $50,000 per grant. This bill does all of the following:

1. Allows grant moneys to also be used for the enhancement or improvement of a technical education facility and for the acquisition of equipment that is used in construction fields in the workplace.

2. Allows grants to be awarded to consortia consisting of multiple school districts.

3. Raises the maximum grant award amount from $50,000 to $100,000.

4. Requires DWD to award at least one-third of the grant moneys to applicants that are either school districts that are eligible for sparsity aid or consortia that include at least one such school district.

5. Reduces the amount of matching funds required to 100 percent of the grant amount if all of the matching funds are from private sources.

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

AB550,,4 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB550,1 Section 1. 20.445 (1) (cg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,6 20.445 (1) (cg) Technical education equipment and facility enhancement grants. The amounts in the schedule for the technical education equipment and facility enhancement grants under s. 106.275.

AB550,2 Section 2. 106.275 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,8 106.275 (title) Technical education equipment and facility enhancement grants.

AB550,3 Section 3. 106.275 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,10 106.275 (1) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cg), the department may shall, subject to par. (am), award technical education and facility enhancement equipment grants under this section. The department shall award grants in the amount of not more than $50,000 $100,000 to school districts applicants whose grant applications are approved under sub. (2) (b).

AB550,4 Section 4. 106.275 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

AB550,,12 106.275 (1) (am) The department shall award grant moneys under par. (a) so that not less than one-third of grant moneys awarded in a fiscal biennium are provided to applicants that are either school districts that are eligible for sparsity aid under s. 115.436 or consortia that include at least one school district that is so eligible.

AB550,5 Section 5. 106.275 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,14 106.275 (1) (b) A school district An applicant that is awarded a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys awarded for the enhancement or improvement of a technical education facility or for the acquisition of equipment that is used in advanced manufacturing or construction fields in the workplace, together with any software necessary for the operation of that equipment and any instructional material necessary to train pupils in the operation of that equipment.

AB550,6 Section 6. 106.275 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 106.275 (1) (c) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB550,,16 106.275 (1) (c) (intro.) As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, a school district grant recipient shall provide matching funds equal to 200 percent of the grant amount awarded. The match, which may be in the form of money, or the monetary value of equipment,. The matching funds must be in an amount equal to the following:

AB550,,17 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if the match is contributed from private sources, the 100 percent of the grant amount awarded.

AB550,,18 2. If any of the match is contributed from school district, or both funds, 200 percent of the grant amount awarded.

AB550,7 Section 7. 106.275 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,20 106.275 (2) Grant application process. (a) A school district or a consortium consisting of multiple school districts that wishes to receive a grant under this section shall apply for the grant in accordance with procedures and requirements established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1. A grant application shall describe the purpose and need for the grant, the projected outcomes that the school district is seeking sought to achieve be achieved as a result of receiving the grant, the amount and source of the matching funds required under sub. (1) (c), and any other information that the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1.

AB550,,21 (b) The department shall review and evaluate a grant application submitted under par. (a) in accordance with procedures and criteria established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 2. After completing that review and evaluation, the department shall notify the school district applicant of the department’s decision on the grant application.

AB550,8 Section 8. 106.275 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB550,,23 106.275 (3) Reporting requirements. Each school district that receives A recipient of a grant under this section shall file a report with the department by September 1 of each of the first 3 fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the grant was received. The report shall describe how the grant moneys were expended, describe the outcomes achieved as a result of receiving the grant, share the best practices employed by the school district regarding the training of pupils in the use of the any equipment acquired with the grant moneys, include a plan for sustainability of that any such training, and provide such other information as the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 3.

AB550,9 Section 9. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB550,,25 (1) Technical education equipment and facility enhancement grants. Using the procedure under s. 227.24, the department of workforce development shall promulgate rules under s. 106.275 (4) necessary to implement the changes made by this act. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this subsection remain in effect for 2 years, or until the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

AB550,,26 (end)