Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates an Agricultural Education and Workforce Development
Council. The council consists of legislators, members from several state agencies and
educational institutions, and members representing businesses related to
agriculture, natural resources, and related areas such as food processing. The
secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection appoints the members
representing businesses. The bill requires the council to advise state agencies on
matters related to agricultural education and workforce development in order to
increase the hiring and retention of well-qualified employees in industries related
to agriculture, food, and natural resources. The bill appropriates state funds for the
council, but the council may not expend state funding in any fiscal year in an amount
greater than the amount of private contributions that it receives in that fiscal year.
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:
AB83, s. 1
1Section 1. 15.09 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB83,2,122 15.09 (6) Reimbursement for expenses. Members of a council shall not be
3compensated for their services, but, except as otherwise provided in this subsection,
4members of councils created by statute shall be reimbursed for their actual and
5necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, such reimbursement
6in the case of an elective or appointive officer or employee of this state who represents
7an agency as a member of a council to be paid by the agency which pays his or her
8salary. Members of the loan originator council under s. 15.187 (1) may not be
9reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of
10their duties. Members of the agricultural education and workforce development
11council may not be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in
12the performance of their duties.
AB83, s. 2 13Section 2. 15.137 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
AB83,2,1714 15.137 (2) Agricultural education and workforce development council. (a)
15There is created in the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection an
16agricultural education and workforce development council consisting of the
17following members:
AB83,2,1918 1. The secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or his or her
19designee.
AB83,2,2020 2. The state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee.
AB83,2,2121 3. The secretary of workforce development or his or her designee.
AB83,2,2222 3m. The secretary of commerce or his or her designee.
AB83,2,2323 4. The secretary of natural resources or his or her designee.
AB83,2,2424 5. The president of the University of Wisconsin System or his or her designee.
AB83,2,2525 6. The director of the technical college system or his or her designee.
AB83,3,1
17. The chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
AB83,3,92 8. A member chosen by the dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
3of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the dean of the School of Veterinary
4Medicine of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the dean of the College of
5Business, Industry, Life Science, and Agriculture of the University of
6Wisconsin-Platteville, the dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and
7Environmental Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the dean of
8the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to
9represent the colleges and school.
AB83,3,1210 9. The chairpersons of one senate standing committee and one assembly
11standing committee concerned with education, appointed as are members of
12standing committees.
AB83,3,1513 10. The chairpersons of one senate standing committee and one assembly
14standing committee concerned with agriculture, appointed as are members of
15standing committees.
AB83,3,1616 11. A representative of the Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators.
AB83,3,1717 12. Two representatives of general agriculture.
AB83,3,1818 13. Two representatives of agribusiness.
AB83,3,1919 14. A representative of environmental stewardship interests.
AB83,3,2020 15. A representative of businesses related to natural resources.
AB83,3,2121 16. A representative of businesses related to plant agriculture.
AB83,3,2322 17. A representative of landscaping, golf course, greenhouse, floral, and related
23businesses.
AB83,3,2424 18. A representative of food product and food processing businesses.
AB83,3,2525 19. A representative of businesses related to animal agriculture.
AB83,4,1
120. A representative of businesses related to renewable energy.
AB83,4,22 21. A representative of agricultural communication interests.
AB83,4,43 22. A representative of businesses providing engineering, mechanical,
4electronic, and power services relating to agriculture.
AB83,4,55 23. A representative of the board of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.
AB83,4,106 (b) A person who is authorized under par. (a) 1. to 6. to appoint a designee may
7only appoint a designee who is an employee or appointive officer of the person's
8department or educational institution and who has sufficient authority to deploy
9department or system resources and directly influence department or educational
10institution decision making.
AB83,4,1311 (c) The secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall appoint
12members of the council under par. (a) 11. to 23. to serve for 3-year terms. A member
13under par. (a) 11. to 23. may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms on the council.
AB83,4,1514 (d) The council shall meet at least once each year and may meet at other times
15on the call of at least 6 of its members.
AB83, s. 3 16Section 3. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
17the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB83, s. 4 18Section 4. 20.115 (8) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB83,5,3
120.115 (8) (b) Agricultural education and workforce development council. The
2amounts in the schedule for the activities of the agricultural education and workforce
3development council, subject to s. 93.33 (6).
AB83, s. 5 4Section 5. 20.115 (8) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB83,5,65 20.115 (8) (g) Gifts and grants. All Except as provided in par. (ge), all moneys
6received from gifts and grants to carry out the purposes for which made.
AB83, s. 6 7Section 6. 20.115 (8) (ge) of the statutes is created to read:
AB83,5,118 20.115 (8) (ge) Agricultural education and workforce development council, gifts
9and grants.
All moneys received as gifts and grants for the activities of the
10agricultural education and workforce development council to carry out the activities
11of the council.
AB83, s. 7 12Section 7. 93.33 of the statutes is created to read:
AB83,5,15 1393.33 Agricultural education and workforce development council. (1)
14Definition. In this section, "council" means the agricultural education and
15workforce development council.
AB83,5,16 16(2) Functions. (a) The council shall seek to do all of the following:
AB83,5,1817 1. Increase the hiring and retention of well-qualified employees in industries
18related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.
AB83,5,2119 2. Promote the coordination of educational systems and curricula to develop,
20train, and retrain employees for current and future careers related to agriculture,
21food, and natural resources.
AB83,5,2322 3. Develop support for employment in fields related to agriculture, food, and
23natural resources.
AB83,5,2524 4. Recommend policies and other changes to improve the efficiency of the
25development and provision of agricultural education.
AB83,6,3
1(b) The council shall seek to accomplish the purposes under par. (a) by advising
2state agencies on matters related to agricultural education and workforce
3development, including all of the following:
AB83,6,44 1. The coordination of programs.
AB83,6,55 2. The exchange of information related to educational needs.
AB83,6,66 3. The monitoring and evaluation of programs.
AB83,6,97 (c) The council shall identify criteria for evaluating the success of its activities,
8shall evaluate the success of its activities using those criteria, and shall annually
9report the results of the evaluation in the report under sub. (5).
AB83,6,12 10(3) Committees. (a) The council shall create an executive committee to provide
11guidance to the council and to staff that support the functions of the council. The
12executive committee shall meet between meetings of the council.
AB83,6,2013 (b) The council may create other committees to assist in its work. The
14committee members may include members of the council, employees of the agencies
15and educational institutions with members on the council, employees of other state
16agencies, representatives of organizations, and others. The council shall consider
17the need for committees on the subjects within the scope of its functions under sub.
18(2) and other subjects determined to be appropriate by the council. A committee shall
19annually provide a written summary of its meetings and activities to the executive
20committee for review and inclusion in the report under sub. (5).
AB83,7,5 21(4) Assistance. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection,
22the department of public instruction, the department of workforce development, the
23department of natural resources, the technical college system, the College of
24Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the School
25of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the College of

1Business, Industry, Life Science, and Agriculture of the University of
2Wisconsin-Platteville, the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental
3Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the College of Natural
4Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point may assist the council in
5performing its functions.
AB83,7,8 6(4m) Meetings. The council shall meet at least annually and may meet at other
7times on the call of at least 6 members or on the call of the executive committee.
8Section 15.09 (3) does not apply to the council.
AB83,7,20 9(5) Annual report. In September of each year, the council shall submit a report
10to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature as determined by the
11speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate, under s. 13.172 (3), the
12governor, the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the state
13superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of workforce development, the
14secretary of natural resources, the secretary of commerce, the president of the
15University of Wisconsin System, the director of the technical college system, the
16chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the chancellor of the
17University of Wisconsin-Madison, the chancellor of the University of
18Wisconsin-Platteville, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls,
19and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The council shall
20include all of the following in the report:
AB83,7,2221 (a) A summary of the activities of the council during the fiscal year ending on
22the preceding June 30.
AB83,7,2323 (b) An assessment of agricultural education programs.
AB83,7,2424 (c) A list of current and anticipated problems related to agricultural education.
AB83,8,2
1(d) Recommendations of the council, including any recommendations related
2to the structure of the council or the termination of the council.
AB83,8,43 (e) Dissents of any council member related to the activities and
4recommendations of the council.
AB83,8,7 5(6) Funding. In any fiscal year, the department may not encumber from the
6appropriation under s. 20.115 (8) (b) an amount that exceeds the amount of private
7contributions received for the purposes of the council in that fiscal year.
AB83, s. 8 8Section 8. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB83,8,189 (1) Initial terms. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified in section
1015.137 (2) (c) of the statutes, as created by this act, the secretary of agriculture, trade
11and consumer protection shall appoint 5 of the initial members of the agricultural
12education and workforce development council under section 15.137 (2) (a) 11. to 23.
13of the statutes, as created by this act, for terms ending on July 1, 2009, 5 of the initial
14members of the agricultural education and workforce development council under
15section 15.137 (2) (a) 11. to 23. of the statutes, as created by this act, for terms ending
16on July 1, 2010, and 5 of the initial members of the agricultural education and
17workforce development council under section 15.137 (2) (a) 11. to 23. of the statutes,
18as created by this act, for terms ending on July 1, 2011.
AB83,8,1919 (2) Position authorization.
AB83,8,2420 (a) The authorized FTE positions for the department of agriculture, trade and
21consumer protection are increased by 0.5 GPR position to be funded from the
22appropriation under section 20.115 (8) (b) of the statutes, as created by this act, for
23an executive director for the agricultural education and workforce development
24council.
AB83,9,5
1(b) The authorized FTE positions for the department of agriculture, trade and
2consumer protection are increased by 0.5 PR position to be funded from the
3appropriation under section 20.115 (8) (ge) of the statutes, as created by this act, for
4an executive director for the agricultural education and workforce development
5council.
AB83, s. 9 6Section 9. Effective date.
AB83,9,87 (1) This act takes effect on July 1, 2007, or the day after publication of the
82007-09 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
AB83,9,99 (End)
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