106.277(3)(3) When awarding a grant under this section, the department may not consider the religious affiliation, if any, of the nonprofit organization or whether the organization has received funding from the state in the past.

106.30(1)(1) Definition. In this section, “nurse” means a registered nurse licensed under s. 441.06 or permitted under s. 441.08, a licensed practical nurse licensed or permitted under s. 441.10, an advanced practice nurse prescriber certified under s. 441.16 (2), or a nurse-midwife licensed under s. 441.15.

106.30(2)(2) Survey form. Each odd-numbered year, the department of workforce development shall develop and submit to the department of safety and professional services a survey form to gather data under s. 441.01 (7) (a) 1. to assist the department of workforce development in evaluating the supply of, demand for, and turnover among nurses in this state and in determining whether there are any regional shortages of nurses, shortages of nurses in any specialty areas, or impediments to entering the nursing profession in this state.

106.30(3)(3) Survey results. Beginning in 2011, by September 30 of each odd-numbered year, the department shall compile, process, and evaluate the survey results and submit a report of its findings to the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate under s. 13.172 (3) and to the governor, the secretary of health services, and the nurse resource center described in sub. (5).

106.30(5)(a)(a) From the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (km), the department of workforce development shall award grants equal to the amount appropriated under s. 20.445 (1) (km) minus the amount expended under sub. (4) to a nonprofit statewide nursing center that is comprised of and led by nurses and that has demonstrated coordination with constituent groups within the nursing community, including professional nursing organizations; organizations representing nurse educators, staff nurses, and nurse managers or executives; labor organizations representing nurses; the department of safety and professional services; the department of health services; and legislators who are concerned with issues affecting the nursing profession.

106.30(5)(b)(b) A statewide nursing center that receives a grant under par. (a) shall use the grant moneys to develop strategies to ensure that there is a nursing workforce that is adequate to meet the current and future health care needs of this state. The statewide nursing center may use those moneys to fund activities that are aimed at ensuring such a nursing workforce, including monitoring trends in the applicant pool for nursing education programs; evaluating the effectiveness of nursing education programs in increasing access to those programs and in enhancing career mobility for nurses, especially for populations that are underrepresented in the nursing profession; and facilitating partnerships between the nursing community and other health care providers, the department of safety and professional services, the business community, the legislature, and educators to promote diversity within the nursing profession, enhance career mobility and leadership development for nurses, and achieve consensus regarding policies aimed at ensuring an adequate nursing workforce in this state.

106.36(2)(2) The department shall align its workforce development activities under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 USC 3101 to 3361, with the department of corrections’ initiatives to reintegrate offenders into the community by doing all of the following:

106.36(2)(a)(a) Training staff of the department of corrections in the use of assessment tools to assess the educational and vocational needs and skills of offenders who are incarcerated.

106.36(2)(b)(b) Providing in its guidelines for the development of local plans under 29 USC 3123 a specific requirement that local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 3122 outline in their local plans how they will work with local and statewide offender reentry initiatives supported by the department of corrections.

106.36(2)(c)(c) Appointing a representative of the department of corrections to serve on any subcommittee of the state workforce development board established under 29 USC 3111 that is responsible for the planning and operation of, and other issues relating to, the state workforce development system to ensure that workforce development programs made available through that system provide workforce development activities serving offenders.

106.36(2)(d)(d) Integrating offender reentry initiatives supported by the department of corrections with the job center network under s. 106.14 (1) to ensure that offenders are aware of the comprehensive career planning, job placement, job training, and other resources available to them through the job center network.

106.361(1)(1) The department shall maintain a toll-free telephone number as a hotline to assist employers seeking to employ individuals with a conviction record, as defined in s. 111.32 (3). The department shall make the hotline available during normal work hours, as determined by the department. The department shall designate hotline staff to provide employers with information and assistance relating to available incentives and programs under state and federal law for employing individuals with a conviction record, including individuals on release under s. 302.27, individuals on work release under s. 303.065, and individuals on Huber release under s. 303.08 or 973.09 (4).

106.361(2)(2) The department shall maintain a website that contains information relating to employing individuals with a conviction record, including individuals on release under s. 302.27, individuals on work release under s. 303.065, and individuals on Huber release under s. 303.08 or 973.09 (4).