SB39: Bill Text

LRB-1543/1

CTS:jld:jf

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Senate BILL 39

March 17, 2011 - Introduced by Senators Lassa, Hansen, Holperin, Vinehout and Taylor, cosponsored by Representatives Bernard Schaber, Molepske Jr, Mason, Berceau, Sinicki and Shilling. Referred to Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB39,1,3 An Act to create 238.137 of the statutes; relating to: grants to regional economic development entities by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to award annual grants to seven specified regional economic development entities and to additional regional economic development entities that meet specified requirements.

Under the bill, the amount of each grant is $100,000 plus an additional sum equal to the population of the counties that make up the territory covered by the regional economic development entity multiplied by 20 cents, except that the additional sum may not exceed the amount of funds raised by the entity from sources other than the corporation or the state.

A regional economic development entity not specified in the bill is eligible for a grant if its territory covers counties not covered by the specified entities, if it demonstrates multicounty partnerships, if it demonstrates that it serves a defined regional economy, if it has developed long-term and short-term strategic plans based on the characteristics of the regional economy that it serves, and if its governing board includes business representatives.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB39, s. 1 Section 1. 238.137 of the statutes is created to read:

SB39,2,3 238.137 Grants to regional economic development entities. (1) In this section, "regional economic development entity" means all of the following:

SB39,2,4 (a) Centergy, Inc.

SB39,2,5 (b) Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation, Inc.

SB39,2,6 (c) Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development Partnership.

SB39,2,7 (d) Momentum West, Inc.

SB39,2,8 (e) New North, Inc.

SB39,2,9 (f) Thrive, Inc.

SB39,2,10 (g) 7 Rivers Alliance, Inc.

SB39,2,12 (h) A multicounty economic development entity to which all of the following apply:

SB39,2,14 1. The entity is an economic development organization whose territory covers counties not covered by the entities identified in pars. (a) to (g).

SB39,2,15 2. The entity demonstrates multicounty partnerships.

SB39,2,16 3. The entity demonstrates that it serves a defined regional economy.

SB39,2,18 4. The entity has developed long-term and short-term strategic plans based on the characteristics of the regional economy that it serves.

SB39,2,19 3. The entity's governing board includes business representatives.

SB39,3,2 (2) Subject to sub. (3), the corporation shall award annual grants to a regional economic development entity. The amount of each grant shall be $100,000, plus an additional sum equal to the population, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. bureau of the census, of the counties that make up the territory covered by the regional economic development entity multiplied by 20 cents, except that the additional sum may not exceed the amount of funds raised by the entity from sources other than the corporation or the state.

SB39,3,4 (3) A regional economic development entity shall submit an application for a grant under this section that includes all of the following:

SB39,3,5 (a) A detailed plan of action that includes intended outcomes and metrics.

SB39,3,8 (b) A formal budget detailing the financial elements of entity's plan of action and describing any additional funding for the plan of action, including funding from sources other than the corporation or the state.

SB39,3,10 (c) A description of individuals and organizations that will implement the plan of action.

SB39,3,11 (End)