October 30, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Stafsholt and Nass, cosponsored by Representatives Michalski, Dittrich, Edming, Green, Maxey, Murphy, Nedweski, O’Connor, Penterman, Petryk and Mursau. Referred to Committee on Economic Development and Technical Colleges.
SB581,,22An Act to repeal 20.292 (1) (fh); to amend 38.28 (1m) (a) 1.; and to create 20.292 (1) (fg), 20.292 (1) (fh) and 38.35 of the statutes; relating to: grants related to technical college manufacturing and truck driving programs and making an appropriation. SB581,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill requires the Technical College System Board to award grants in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium to technical colleges to support the recruitment and retention of instructors in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and truck driving programs. The bill requires the TCS Board to award grants to pay hiring bonuses to such instructors. A grant of up to $5,000 per instructor may fund a hiring bonus if 1) the instructor is hired into a position that is at least half-time to teach courses in manufacturing or advanced manufacturing or preparatory to issuance or upgrade of a commercial driver license; 2) the technical college provides at least an equal amount of matching funding for the bonus; and 3) the instructor agrees in writing to continue employment with the technical college for at least three years in a similar capacity. With exceptions, an instructor who fails to maintain employment for the three-year period must repay the bonus on a pro rata basis according to the actual duration of employment. If an instructor who received a hiring bonus remains employed with the technical college in a similar capacity five years later, the technical college must pay the instructor, from its own funds, a retention bonus of $5,000. A technical college that receives a grant award must report certain information related to the results of its instructor bonuses.
The bill also requires the TCS Board to award one-time grants of up to $1,000,000 to technical colleges to purchase manufacturing or advanced manufacturing equipment or to enhance facilities for advanced manufacturing instruction. A grant may be awarded only if the technical college provides at least an equal amount of matching funding. A technical college awarded a grant must submit a report that includes information related to the grant and use of the grant proceeds.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
SB581,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SB581,15Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: SB581,26Section 2. 20.292 (1) (fg) of the statutes is created to read: SB581,,7720.292 (1) (fg) Instructor recruitment and retention grants. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants to technical college district boards under s. 38.35. No moneys may be encumbered or expended under this paragraph after June 30, 2025. SB581,38Section 3. 20.292 (1) (fh) of the statutes is created to read: SB581,,9920.292 (1) (fh) Manufacturing capital improvement grants. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants to technical college district boards under 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 8 (1). SB581,410Section 4. 20.292 (1) (fh) of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed. SB581,511Section 5. 38.28 (1m) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read: SB581,,121238.28 (1m) (a) 1. “District aidable cost” means the annual cost of operating a technical college district, including debt service charges for district bonds and promissory notes for building programs or capital equipment, but excluding all expenditures relating to auxiliary enterprises and community service programs, all expenditures funded by or reimbursed with federal revenues, all receipts under ss. 38.12 (9) and (14), 38.14 (3) and (9), and 118.15 (2) (a), all receipts from grants awarded under ss. 38.04 (8), (28), and (31), 38.14 (11), 38.26, 38.27, 38.31, 38.33, 38.35, 38.38, and 38.42 and 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 8 (1), all fees collected under s. 38.24, and driver education and chauffeur training aids. SB581,613Section 6. 38.28 (1m) (a) 1. of the statutes, as affected by 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read: SB581,,141438.28 (1m) (a) 1. “District aidable cost” means the annual cost of operating a technical college district, including debt service charges for district bonds and promissory notes for building programs or capital equipment, but excluding all expenditures relating to auxiliary enterprises and community service programs, all expenditures funded by or reimbursed with federal revenues, all receipts under ss. 38.12 (9) and (14), 38.14 (3) and (9), and 118.15 (2) (a), all receipts from grants awarded under ss. 38.04 (8), (28), and (31), 38.14 (11), 38.26, 38.27, 38.31, 38.33, 38.35, 38.38, and 38.42 and 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), section 8 (1), all fees collected under s. 38.24, and driver education and chauffeur training aids. SB581,715Section 7. 38.35 of the statutes is created to read: SB581,,161638.35 Instructor recruitment and retention grants. (1) To support technical colleges in the recruitment and retention of instructors in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and commercial driver license programs, the board shall award grants to district boards in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium to pay instructor bonuses as provided in sub. (2). SB581,,1717(2) (a) The board may award grants to district boards to pay newly-hired instructors a hiring bonus in the 2023-25 fiscal biennium. The amount of the board’s grant to a district board to fund the hiring bonus may not exceed $5,000 per instructor. The district board may use the grant funds to pay a hiring bonus to an instructor only if all of the following apply: SB581,,18181. The instructor is hired into a position that is at least a 0.5 full-time equivalent position. SB581,,19192. The instructor’s work responsibilities require the instructor to devote an amount of time at least equal to a 0.5 full-time equivalent position teaching courses in manufacturing or advanced manufacturing or preparatory to issuance or upgrade of a commercial driver license. SB581,,20203. The district board provides matching funding for the bonus in an amount equal to or greater than the grant amount.