SB487: Bill Text

LRB-4728/1

ISR:jlg:km

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Senate BILL 487

March 21, 2000 - Introduced by Senators Moore and Grobschmidt, cosponsored by Representatives Plouff and Schooff. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB487,1,4 An Act to amend 49.147 (5m) (a) (intro.), 49.147 (5m) (a) 4., 49.148 (1) (b) 3. and 49.148 (1) (c); and to create 49.147 (5m) (bg) of the statutes; relating to: participation of certain Wisconsin works participants in a technical college education program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, a participant in the Wisconsin works (W-2) program who is participating in a community service job or transitional placement may participate in a technical college education program as part of the community service job or transitional placement if certain requirements are met. These requirements are that a W-2 agency, after consulting with a community steering committee and a technical college district board, determines that the technical college education program is likely to lead to employment and the participant is a full-time student in the technical college education program, maintains a 2.0 grade point average and works or is employed in a community service job or transitional placement for 25 hours per week.

This bill permits a participant in a community service job or transitional placement to elect to participate in a technical college education program. This bill continues to require that a participant be employed or work in a community service job or transitional placement but eliminates the requirement that the participant work or be employed in the community service job or the transitional placement for 25 hours per week. Finally, under this bill a W-2 agency may not require a participant who is participating in a technical college education program to be employed or to engage in work or other activities for more than 25 hours per week.

For further information see the state and local 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:

SB487, s. 1 Section 1. 49.147 (5m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as created by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB487,2,6 49.147 (5m) (a) (intro.) To the extent permitted under 42 USC 607, and except as provided in par. (bL), a participant under sub. (4) (b) or (5) may elect to participate in a self-initiated technical college education program as part of a community service job placement or transitional placement if all of the following requirements are met:

SB487, s. 2 Section 2. 49.147 (5m) (a) 4. of the statutes, as created by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB487,2,11 49.147 (5m) (a) 4. The participant is employed or engages in work under a community service job or transitional placement for 25 hours per week in addition to participation under this subsection.

SB487, s. 3 Section 3. 49.147 (5m) (bg) of the statutes is created to read:

SB487,2,16 49.147 (5m) (bg) No Wisconsin works agency may require a participant under this subsection to be employed or to engage in work or other activities under sub. (4) or (5) for more than 25 hours per week in addition to participation under this subsection.

SB487, s. 4 Section 4. 49.148 (1) (b) 3. of the statutes, as created by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB487,3,5 49.148 (1) (b) 3. For a participant in a community service job who participates in self-initiated technical college education under s. 49.147 (5m), a monthly grant of $673, paid by the Wisconsin works agency. For every hour that the participant misses work or other required activities without good cause, the grant amount shall be reduced by $5.15. Good cause shall be determined by the financial and employment planner in accordance with rules promulgated by the department. Good cause shall include required court appearances for a victim of domestic abuse.

SB487, s. 5 Section 5. 49.148 (1) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, is amended to read:

SB487,3,16 49.148 (1) (c) Transitional placements. For a participant in a transitional placement under s. 49.147 (5) or in a transitional placement and in self-initiated technical college education under s. 49.147 (5m), a grant of $628, paid monthly by the Wisconsin works agency. For every hour that the participant fails to participate in any required activity without good cause, including any activity under s. 49.147 (5) (b) 1. a. to e., the grant amount shall be reduced by $5.15. Good cause shall be determined by the financial and employment planner in accordance with rules promulgated by the department. Good cause shall include required court appearances for a victim of domestic abuse.

SB487,3,17 (End)