AB844: Bill Text

LRB-4046/1

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2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 844

February 21, 2008 - Introduced by Representatives Jeskewitz, Grigsby, Sinicki, Hahn, A. Williams, Hintz, Musser, Sheridan and Zepnick, cosponsored by Senators Plale, Sullivan, Kanavas and Darling. Referred to Committee on Labor and Industry.

AB844,1,5 An Act to renumber 49.147 (5m) (a) 1., 49.147 (5m) (a) 2. and 49.147 (5m) (a) 3.; to renumber and amend 49.147 (5m) (a) (intro.) and 49.147 (5m) (a) 4.; to amend 49.147 (5m) (bL); and to create 49.147 (5m) (am) (intro.) and 49.147 (5m) (ar) of the statutes; relating to: technical college attendance under Wisconsin Works.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Among the types of assistance that the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program under current law provides are work experience and benefits for low-income custodial parents who are at least 18 years old. W-2 has three categories of employment positions: 1) trial jobs, under which an individual receives at least minimum wage from an employer and the W-2 agency pays a wage subsidy of up to $300 per month to the employer; 2) community service jobs, under which an individual works in a project that serves a useful public purpose or that will generate revenue to wholly or partially offset the project's cost and receives a monthly grant of up to $673 from the W-2 agency; and 3) transitional placements, under which an individual participates in work activities in a community rehabilitation program, a job similar to a community service job, or volunteer activities and receives a monthly grant of up to $628 from the W-2 agency.

Under current law, an individual in a community service job placement or a transitional placement may participate in a technical college education program as part of that placement. The criteria are that: 1) the W-2 agency determines that the program is likely to lead to employment; 2) the participant maintains full-time status in the program and regularly attends classes; 3) the participant maintains a grade point average of at least 2.0; and 4) the participant is employed or engages in work in the community service job placement or transitional placement for 25 hours per week in addition to attendance at the technical college education program. Participation in a technical college education program is limited to program completion or two years, whichever occurs first.

This bill provides an additional technical college education program for individuals in community service job or transitional placements. For the new program under the bill, a participant must satisfy the same attendance and grade point average requirements that are required for the technical college education program in current law. In addition, the W-2 agency must have approved the technical college education program, the participant must have been accepted into the program, and an employer that has been approved by the W-2 agency must have agreed to employ the participant upon successful completion of the program. A participant in the new technical college education program may not be required to work in addition to attendance at the program, and participation in the new technical college education program is limited to program completion or 12 months, whichever occurs first. Any participant may participate in only one of the two technical college education programs.

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:

AB844, s. 1 Section 1. 49.147 (5m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 49.147 (5m) (a) and amended to read:

AB844,2,7 49.147 (5m) (a) To the extent permitted under 42 USC 607, and except as provided in par. (bL), a participant under sub. (4) (b) or (5) may participate in a technical college education program under par. (am) or (ar) as part of a community service job placement or transitional placement if all of the following requirements are met:.

AB844, s. 2 Section 2. 49.147 (5m) (a) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 49.147 (5m) (am) 1.

AB844, s. 3 Section 3. 49.147 (5m) (a) 2. of the statutes is renumbered 49.147 (5m) (am) 2.

AB844, s. 4 Section 4. 49.147 (5m) (a) 3. of the statutes is renumbered 49.147 (5m) (am) 3.

AB844, s. 5 Section 5. 49.147 (5m) (a) 4. of the statutes is renumbered 49.147 (5m) (am) 4. and amended to read:

AB844,3,9 49.147 (5m) (am) 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 paragraph.

AB844, s. 6 Section 6. 49.147 (5m) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

AB844,3,13 49.147 (5m) (am) (intro.) A participant under sub. (4) or (5) may participate in a technical college education program under this paragraph if all of the following apply:

AB844, s. 7 Section 7. 49.147 (5m) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:

AB844,3,17 49.147 (5m) (ar) A participant under sub. (4) or (5) may participate in a technical college education program under this paragraph if all of the following apply:

AB844,3,20 1. The technical college education program has been approved by the Wisconsin Works agency and the participant has been accepted into the technical college education program.

AB844,3,23 2. An employer that has been approved by the Wisconsin Works agency has agreed to employ the participant upon successful completion of the technical college education program.

AB844,4,3 3. The participant maintains full-time status in the technical college education program, as determined by the technical college that the participant attends, and regularly attends all classes.

AB844,4,5 4. The participant maintains a grade point average of at least 2.0, or the equivalent as determined by the technical college.

AB844,4,7 5. The participant is not required to engage in work under a community service job or transitional placement in addition to participation under this paragraph.

AB844, s. 8 Section 8. 49.147 (5m) (bL) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB844,4,13 49.147 (5m) (bL) A participant may participate under this subsection par. (am) or (ar) for the duration of the technical college education program, except that the a participant may not participate under this subsection par. (am) for more than 2 years or under par. (ar) for more than 12 months. A participant may participate in only one of the technical college programs under this subsection.

AB844,4,14 (End)