October 14, 2011 - Introduced by Senators C. Larson, Carpenter, S. Coggs,
Erpenbach, Hansen, Holperin, Risser
and Wirch, cosponsored by
Representatives Mason, Grigsby, Pocan, Zamarripa, Roys, Clark, Milroy,
Bewley, Turner, Steinbrink, Toles, Vruwink, Zepnick, E. Coggs, Fields,
Ringhand, Berceau, Hebl, Young, Kessler, Hulsey, Jorgensen
and C. Taylor.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Higher Education.
SB236,1,6 1An Act to amend 38.28 (1m) (a) 1., 71.06 (1p) (e), 71.06 (2) (g) 5., 71.06 (2) (h)
25., 71.06 (2e) (b) and 71.09 (11) (f); and to create 20.292 (1) (cr), 38.31, 71.06 (1p)
3(f), 71.06 (2) (g) 6. and 71.06 (2) (h) 6. of the statutes; relating to: grants to
4technical college districts to reduce unemployment; creating a new individual
5income tax upper bracket; providing an exemption from emergency rule
6procedures; granting rule-making authority; and making appropriations.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill directs the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board to
award grants to technical college districts for programs that assist in reducing
unemployment. To be eligible for a grant, a technical college district must meet
certain eligibility criteria relating to the unemployment rate of areas within the
district or recent increases in the unemployment rate of areas within the district.
Grants are available for three specified purposes:
1. To recruit, enroll, instruct, provide support services to, and pay the tuition
and fees of dislocated workers who enroll in the district. A dislocated worker is a
person who has been laid off or terminated from employment and meets certain
additional criteria; a person who was self-employed but is currently unemployed as
a result of economic conditions or natural disasters; or a displaced homemaker.
2. To recruit, enroll, instruct, and provide support services to adults who enroll
in the district in a program leading to a certificate of general educational
development (commonly referred to as a GED) or a high school equivalency diploma.

3. To expand existing capacity or create capacity in district programs for which
there are student waiting lists or that address projected workforce needs in the
district.
The bill authorizes the WTCS Board to modify the grant eligibility criteria and
the purposes for which grants may be awarded in order to ensure the eligibility of
district boards for grants awarded by the federal government for programs that
improve completion rates and train workers for skilled occupations.
The bill directs the WTCS Board to give preference in awarding grants to
programs that serve persons who reside in areas with the highest unemployment
rates. The board must also submit annual reports to the governor and to the
legislature regarding the programs that have been awarded grants.
Under current law, there are five income tax brackets for single individuals,
certain fiduciaries, heads of households, and married persons. The brackets are
indexed for inflation. The rate of taxation under current law for the lowest bracket
for single individuals, certain fiduciaries, heads of households, and married persons
is 4.6 percent of taxable income; the rate for the second bracket is 6.15 percent; the
rate for the third bracket is 6.5 percent; the rate for the fourth bracket is 6.75 percent;
and the rate for the highest bracket, which was created in the 2009-11 biennial
budget act, 2009 Wisconsin Act 28, is 7.75 percent.
For taxable year 2011, the highest bracket applies to taxable income exceeding
$224,210 for single individuals, certain fiduciaries, and heads of households. For
married persons, the highest current bracket applies to taxable income exceeding
$298,940 for joint filers and $149,470 for separate filers.
For taxable year 2012 and thereafter, this bill creates a sixth bracket with a
taxation rate of 8.75 percent. For single individuals, certain fiduciaries, and heads
of households, this bracket applies to taxable income exceeding $1,000,000. For
married persons, this bracket applies to taxable income exceeding $1,000,000 for
joint filers and $500,000 for separate filers. This bracket is indexed for inflation.
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:
SB236, s. 1 1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
SB236, s. 2 1Section 2. 20.292 (1) (cr) of the statutes is created to read:
SB236,3,32 20.292 (1) (cr) Grants to reduce unemployment. The amounts in the schedule
3for grants to technical college districts to reduce unemployment under s. 38.31.
SB236, s. 3 4Section 3. 38.28 (1m) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,3,135 38.28 (1m) (a) 1. "District aidable cost" means the annual cost of operating a
6technical college district, including debt service charges for district bonds and
7promissory notes for building programs or capital equipment, but excluding all
8expenditures relating to auxiliary enterprises and community service programs, all
9expenditures funded by or reimbursed with federal revenues, all receipts under sub.
10(6) and ss. 38.12 (9), 38.14 (3) and (9), 118.15 (2) (a), and 118.55 (7r), all receipts from
11grants awarded under ss. 38.04 (8), (20), (28), and (31), 38.14 (11), 38.26, 38.27, 38.31,
1238.33, and 38.38, all fees collected under s. 38.24, and driver education and chauffeur
13training aids.
SB236, s. 4 14Section 4. 38.31 of the statutes is created to read:
SB236,3,15 1538.31 Grants to reduce unemployment. (1) Definitions. In this section:
SB236,3,1616 (a) "Dislocated worker" has the meaning given in 29 USC 2801 (9).
SB236,3,1917 (b) "Micropolitan statistical area" means a geographic area defined by the
18federal office of management and budget for use by federal agencies in collecting,
19tabulating, and publishing federal statistics.
SB236,4,2
1(2) Eligibility criteria. (a) Subject to par. (b) and sub. (6), a district board is
2eligible for a grant under this section if it meets one or more of the following criteria:
SB236,4,53 1. The district includes a county, city, or micropolitan statistical area with an
4unemployment rate of at least 6 percent in 2 or more months during the 12 months
5preceding the date of the grant application
SB236,4,96 2. The district includes a county, city, or micropolitan statistical area with an
7average unemployment rate equal to at least 120 percent of the statewide average
8unemployment rate during the 12 months preceding the date of the grant
9application.
SB236,4,1210 3. The district includes a county, city, or micropolitan statistical area with an
11unemployment rate that has increased by at least 2 percent during the 12 months
12preceding the date of the grant application.
SB236,4,1513 (b) The board may not award a grant to a district board under this section
14unless the district board demonstrates how the grant will serve the area or areas that
15established the eligibility of the district board for a grant under par. (a).
SB236,4,17 16(3) Grants. Subject to sub. (6), the board shall award grants to eligible district
17boards for the following purposes:
SB236,4,2118 (a) To recruit, enroll, instruct, provide support services to, and pay the tuition
19and fees of dislocated workers who enroll in the district in an associate degree
20program, collegiate transfer program, vocational diploma program, or
21vocational-adult program.
SB236,4,2422 (b) To recruit, enroll, instruct, and provide support services to adults who enroll
23in the district in a program leading to a certificate of general educational
24development or a high school equivalency diploma.
SB236,5,3
1(c) To expand existing capacity or create capacity in district board programs for
2which there are student waiting lists or that address projected workforce needs in
3the district.
SB236,5,6 4(4) Preference. The board shall give preference in awarding grants under this
5section to district boards serving persons residing in areas with the highest
6unemployment rates.
SB236,5,10 7(5) Limitation on use of funds. A district board may not use a grant awarded
8under this section to pay any portion of tuition that would otherwise be paid for by
9a tuition remission, tuition waiver, tuition reimbursement, or any other financial aid
10program of this state, another state, or the federal government.
SB236,5,15 11(6) Compliance with federal law. The board may modify the eligibility criteria
12under sub. (2) and the purposes for which grants may be awarded under sub. (3) in
13order to ensure the eligibility of district boards for grants awarded by the federal
14government for programs that improve completion rates and train workers for
15skilled occupations.
SB236,5,18 16(7) Report. (a) By January 15, 2013, and annually thereafter, the board shall
17submit a report to the governor and to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2). The report
18shall include all of the following:
SB236,5,2019 1. The district boards awarded grants under this section and how they used the
20funds.
SB236,5,2121 2. The rates of unemployment in the areas in which the grants were disbursed.
SB236,6,222 3. The number of people who were assisted with each grant awarded, the
23technical college programs in which they enrolled, the number of people who
24completed such programs, the number of people who found employment in the
25district and elsewhere upon completing such programs and their annual salaries,

1and the tax revenue generated as a result, as estimated by the department of
2revenue.
SB236,6,43 (b) Beginning with the report submitted in 2014, the board shall include
4longitudinal data.
SB236,6,6 5(8) Rules. The board shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this
6section.
SB236, s. 5 7Section 5. 71.06 (1p) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,6,98 71.06 (1p) (e) On all taxable income exceeding $225,000 but not exceeding
9$1,000,000
, 7.75 percent.
SB236, s. 6 10Section 6. 71.06 (1p) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB236,6,1111 71.06 (1p) (f) On all taxable income exceeding $1,000,000, 8.75 percent.
SB236, s. 7 12Section 7. 71.06 (2) (g) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,6,1413 71.06 (2) (g) 5. On all taxable income exceeding $300,000 but not exceeding
14$1,000,000
, 7.75 percent.
SB236, s. 8 15Section 8. 71.06 (2) (g) 6. of the statutes is created to read:
SB236,6,1616 71.06 (2) (g) 6. On all taxable income exceeding $1,000,000, 8.75 percent.
SB236, s. 9 17Section 9. 71.06 (2) (h) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,6,1918 71.06 (2) (h) 5. On all taxable income exceeding $150,000 but not exceeding
19$500,000
, 7.75 percent.
SB236, s. 10 20Section 10. 71.06 (2) (h) 6. of the statutes is created to read:
SB236,6,2121 71.06 (2) (h) 6. On all taxable income exceeding $500,000, 8.75 percent.
SB236, s. 11 22Section 11. 71.06 (2e) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,7,1423 71.06 (2e) (b) For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009, the
24maximum dollar amount in each tax bracket, and the corresponding minimum dollar
25amount in the next bracket, under subs. (1p) (d) and (e) and (2) (g) 4. and 5. and (h)

14. and 5., and the dollar amount in the top bracket under subs. (1p) (e) (f) and (2) (g)
25. 6. and (h) 5. 6., shall be increased each year by a percentage equal to the percentage
3change between the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city
4average, for the month of August of the previous year and the U.S. consumer price
5index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, for the month of August 2008, as
6determined by the federal department of labor, except that for taxable years
7beginning after December 31, 2011, the adjustment may occur only if the resulting
8amount is greater than the corresponding amount that was calculated for the
9previous year. Each amount that is revised under this paragraph shall be rounded
10to the nearest multiple of $10 if the revised amount is not a multiple of $10 or, if the
11revised amount is a multiple of $5, such an amount shall be increased to the next
12higher multiple of $10. The department of revenue shall annually adjust the changes
13in dollar amounts required under this paragraph and incorporate the changes into
14the income tax forms and instructions.
SB236, s. 12 15Section 12. 71.09 (11) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB236,7,1916 71.09 (11) (f) The taxpayer has underpaid the taxpayer's estimated taxes due
17to the change in brackets under s. 71.06 (1p) (e) or (f) and (2) (g) 5. or 6. and (h) 5. or
186.
This paragraph applies only in the first taxable year to which these bracket
19changes apply.
SB236, s. 9146 20Section 9146. Nonstatutory provisions; Technical College System.
SB236,8,521 (1) Rules. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the
22technical college system board shall promulgate rules required under section 38.31
23(8) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the period before the effective date of the
24permanent rules promulgated under that section, but not to exceed the period
25authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding

1section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the technical college system
2board is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this
3subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace,
4health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of an emergency for
5a rule promulgated under this subsection.
SB236, s. 9246 6Section 9246. Fiscal changes; Technical college system.
SB236,8,117 (1) State aid. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the
8appropriation to the technical college system under section 20.292 (1) (d) of the
9statutes, as affected by the acts of 2011, the dollar amount is increased by
10$34,200,000 for the second fiscal year of the fiscal biennium in which this subsection
11takes effect for the purposes for which the appropriation is made.
SB236, s. 9343 12Section 9343. Initial applicability; Revenue.
SB236,8,1513 (1) Individual income tax brackets. The treatment of sections 71.06 (1p) (e)
14and (f) and (2) (g) 5. and 6. and (h) 5. and 6. and 71.09 (11) (f) of the statutes first
15applies to taxable years beginning on January 1, 2012.
SB236,8,1616 (End)
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