(4p) Whole grade sharing agreement; aid. By February 1, 2019, the department of public instruction shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance that includes all of the following:
(a) The number of school boards that applied for aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.
(b) The number of school boards approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year.
(c) For each school board approved to receive aid under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes for the 2018-19 school year, all of the following:
1. The name of the school board.
2. The number of grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.
3. The specific grade levels that are subject to the whole grade sharing agreement.
4. As of January 1, 2019, how much of the aid the school board is entitled to receive under section 118.50 (5m) of the statutes during the 2018-19 school year has been encumbered and how much has been expended.
(4w) Reorganization of a low performing school district; study.
(a) Definition. In this subsection, “eligible school district” means a school district that satisfied all of the following in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years:
1. The school district was assigned to the lowest performance category on the accountability reports published under section 115.385 (1) of the statutes.
2. The school district received intradistrict transfer aid under section 121.85 (6) (a) of the statutes.
(b) Contract. The department of public instruction shall contract with an entity to study the effect of reorganizing an eligible school district to create one or more new school districts that consists of one or more villages located within the eligible school district and to report the results of the study to the department of public instruction by no later than 120 days after the contract is awarded to the entity. The contract shall require the entity to evaluate at least all of the following:
1. The estimated general and categorical school aid that the eligible school district and new school district or districts would be eligible to receive following the reorganization.
2. The impact the reorganization would have on the amount of property taxes paid by residents of the eligible school district and the new school district or districts.
3. An inventory of school buildings located in the eligible school district.
4. The assets and liabilities of the eligible school district.
(c) Request for proposal. By no later than 30 days after the effective date of this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall issue a request for proposals for the study and report under paragraph (b).
(d) Distribution of the report. The department of public instruction shall distribute the report submitted to the department under paragraph (b) to the village board of each village located in an eligible school district and to the school board of an eligible school district.
(5p) Teacher licensure; rules.
(a) The department of public instruction shall promulgate rules to revise chapter PI 34 of the administrative code. In promulgating rules under this paragraph, the department of public instruction shall simplify the teacher licensure system, to the extent practicable, by doing at least all of the following:
1. Simplifying the grade levels that a licensee is authorized to teach under his or her license.
2. Creating broad field subject licenses.
3. Allowing school boards to increase the number of teachers in a school district by offering internships and residency opportunities.
4. Creating a permit that authorizes an individual who is enrolled in a teacher preparatory program to teach in public schools as part of an internship, residency program, or other equivalent training program.
5. Simplifying licensure reciprocity for individuals who hold a license in another state.
6. Expanding pathways for individuals who hold a license issued by the department to obtain additional licenses to fill positions in geographic areas and subject areas that are in need of educational personnel.
(b) The department of public instruction may not promulgate rules required under paragraph (a) in a manner that decreases the quality standards for obtaining a license to teach from the department.
(c) The department of public instruction shall submit in proposed form the rules required under paragraph (a) to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than January 1, 2018.
59,9136
Section 9136.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Lands, Board of Commissioners of.
59,9137
Section 9137.
Nonstatutory provisions; Public Service Commission.
59,9138
Section 9138.
Nonstatutory provisions; Revenue.
(1) Forestation state tax. For the property tax assessments as of January 1, 2017, the department of revenue shall prescribe a form for the property tax bills prepared under section 74.09 of the statutes that indicates that the state no longer imposes the forestation state tax. The form shall also indicate the amount of the forestation state tax that the taxpayer paid in the previous year.
(1f) Sales and use tax audits; statistical sampling. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the department of revenue shall promulgate the rules required under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 77.59 (2g) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to extension under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
59,9139
Section 9139.
Nonstatutory provisions; Safety and Professional Services.
(12) Professional assistance procedures; emergency rules. The department may use the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes to promulgate rules under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes for the period before the effective date of the permanent rule promulgated under section 440.03 (1c) of the statutes but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statutes, subject to one extension of 60 days under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. If the department uses this procedure to promulgate these rules, the department shall promulgate the rules no later than the 60th day after the effective date of this subsection. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
(17w) Occupational license study.
(a) Definitions. In this subsection:
1. “Department” means the department of safety and professional services.
2. “Occupational license” means any of the following:
a. A license, permit, certification, registration, or other approval granted under section 167.10 (6m) or chapters 101, 145, or 440 to 480 of the statutes.
b. A license, permit, certification, registration, or other approval not included under subdivision 2. a. if granted to a person by this state in order that the person may engage in a profession, occupation, or trade in this state or in order that the person may use one or more titles in association with his or her profession, occupation, or trade.
(b) Report. No later than December 31, 2018, the department shall submit a report to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under section 13.172 (2) of the statutes. The report shall include the department's recommendations for the elimination of occupational licenses based on all of the following:
1. The department's evaluation of whether the unregulated practice of the profession, occupation, or trade can clearly harm or endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the public, and whether the potential for the harm is recognizable and not remote or speculative.
2. The department's evaluation of whether the public reasonably benefits from the occupational license requirement.
3. The department's evaluation of whether the public can be effectively protected by any means other than requiring an occupational license.
4. The department's analysis of whether licensure requirements for the regulated profession, occupation, or trade exist in other states.
5. The department's estimate of the number of individuals or entities that are affected by the occupational license requirement.
6. The department's estimate of the total financial burden imposed on individuals or entities as a result of the occupational licensure requirement, including education or training costs, examination fees, private credential fees, occupational license fees imposed by the state, and other costs individuals or entities incur in order to obtain the required occupational license.
7. Any statement or analysis provided by the agency or board administering the occupational license.
8. The department's evaluation of the tangible or intangible barriers people may face in obtaining an occupational license.
59,9140
Section 9140.
Nonstatutory provisions; Secretary of State.
59,9141
Section 9141.
Nonstatutory provisions; State Fair Park Board.
59,9142
Section 9142.
Nonstatutory provisions; Supreme Court
(5f) Decisions of labor and industry review commission. The chief justice of the supreme court is requested to do all of the following:
(a) Conduct a survey of decisions and orders of the labor and industry review commission under chapters 102 and 108 and sections 106.52 (4), 106.56 (4), and 111.39 of the statutes, citing the statutes interpreted by the commission and whether the decisions and orders were the subjects of actions for judicial review filed in circuit court.
(b) Submit a report of the survey's findings to the governor and to the joint committee on finance by July 1, 2018.
59,9143
Section 9143.
Nonstatutory provisions; Technical College System.
59,9144
Section 9144.
Nonstatutory provisions; Tourism.
(1) Financial management position transfer.
(a)
Employee transfer. On the effective date of this paragraph, 1.0 FTE position and the incumbent employee holding the position in the department of tourism who performs duties relating to financial management, as determined by the secretary of administration, is transferred to the department of administration.
(b) Employee status. The employee transferred under paragraph (a) has all the rights and the same status under chapter 230 of the statutes in the department of administration that he or she enjoyed in the department of tourism immediately before the transfer. Notwithstanding section 230.28 (4) of the statutes, no employee so transferred who has attained permanent status in class is required to serve a probationary period.
(2t) Marketing campaign for the city of Pittsville. From the appropriation under section 20.380 (1) (b) of the statutes, in fiscal year 2017-18, the department of tourism shall award a grant of $7,500 to the city of Pittsville for, as determined by the city, signage and a landmark to market the city of Pittsville as the geographical center of Wisconsin.
(3t) Improvement of property used for ski jumping competitions.
(a) From the appropriation under section 20.380 (1) (b) of the statutes, in fiscal year 2017-18, the department of tourism shall award a grant of $75,000 to Vernon County for the purpose of improving structures and other property in Vernon County that are used to facilitate a national or international ski jumping competition.
(b) Vernon County shall distribute all of the grant moneys under paragraph (a) within 2 years after its receipt of the grant moneys.
(c) Each person receiving a distribution of grant moneys from Vernon County under paragraph (b) shall contribute to the improvements specified under paragraph (a) an amount from nonstate revenue sources that is equal to at least 33 percent of the amount of the distribution the person receives.
59,9145
Section 9145.
Nonstatutory provisions; Transportation.
(1f) Transportation engineering and construction study. The department of transportation
in consultation with the transportation projects commission shall enter into an agreement with an independent engineering firm that has not previously conducted business with the state for the preparation, and delivery to the department
and commission , of a report by no later than January 1, 2019, that does all of the following:
(a) Reviews the standards of all other states related to transportation engineering and highway construction and recommends any best practices.
(b) Analyzes the process the department of transportation uses for determining project priority and assesses whether the process uses reasonable financing and completion time assumptions.
(c) Evaluates the allocation of funds to the state highway rehabilitation, major highway development, and southeast Wisconsin freeway megaprojects programs.
(1t) Elimination of positions.
(a) The department of transportation shall eliminate 100 SEG positions in fiscal year 2017-18 and 100 SEG positions in fiscal year 2018-19.
(b) The department of transportation shall eliminate private management consultant positions in the local assistance program as necessary to accomplish the lapses required under Section 9245 (2t) of this act.
(c) No later than January 1, 2019, the department of transportation shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance identifying the positions eliminated under paragraphs (a) and (b) and the appropriation accounts to be reduced.
(2f) Transportation projects commission funding. Not later than March 1, 2018, the transportation projects commission shall submit a request to the joint committee on finance for not more than an additional 4.0 GPR-funded positions. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the commission within 14 working days after the submittal that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the request, the commission may expend the funds. If, within 14 working days after the submittal, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the commission that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the request, the commission may expend the funds only as approved by the committee.
(2i) Construction work on sth 23. If the cost of a construction contract related to a project enumerated under section 84.013 (3) (ra) of the statutes is lower than the cost projected by the department of transportation for that project, the department shall reserve the first $19,400,000 of all such contract savings from all sources, including state and federal moneys and the proceeds of bonds, for construction work on STH 23 in the 2017-19 biennium. If the department of transportation does not expend these moneys by January 1, 2019, the department may expend the moneys on other major highway projects.
(2j) Rehabilitation work on sth 23. The department of transportation shall conduct rehabilitation work on STH 23 in Sheboygan County and Fond du Lac County in the 2017-19 biennium.
(3i) Airport improvement project funding.
(a) Notwithstanding section 114.34 of the statutes, in fiscal year 2017-18, from the appropriation under section 20.395 (2) (dq) of the statutes, the department of transportation shall award a grant of $4,000,000 to the city of Wisconsin Rapids for improvements to the Alexander Field airport.
(b) Notwithstanding section 114.34 of the statutes, in fiscal year 2017-18, from the appropriation under section 20.395 (2) (dq) of the statutes, the department of transportation shall award a grant of $1,700,000 to the Appleton International Airport for design services and construction related to making improvements necessary for the airport to be an airport rescue and firefighting facility.
(4c) Peshtigo Fire Museum directional signs. Notwithstanding any eligibility criteria or other criteria or specification under section 86.196 of the statutes, in fiscal year 2017-18, the department of transportation shall erect 2 tourist-oriented directional signs, one for each direction of travel, along USH 41 in Marinette County for the Peshtigo Fire Museum in the town of Peshtigo. The department may not charge a fee exceeding $1,000 related to signs erected under this subsection, which fee shall be paid by the historical society from the appropriation account under section 20.245 (1) (a) of the statutes.
(4d) Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding harbor assistance grant. In the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriations under sections 20.395 (2) (cq) and 20.866 (2) (uv) of the statutes, notwithstanding the eligibility criteria under section 85.095 of the statutes, the department of transportation shall award a grant under section 85.095 (2) (a) of the statutes to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for dredging and dockwall construction. The amount of the grant awarded under this subsection shall be $3,200,000 or the total cost of the project, whichever is less.
(4w)
Study of consolidation of segregated funds in local program .
(a) The department of transportation shall study the effects of consolidating state moneys in the surface transportation program and replacing these funds with federal moneys from the state highway program
and shall report its findings to the joint committee on finance no later than May 1, 2018 .
(b) The department of transportation may
submit a request to make transfers of state and federal moneys between the
surface transportation program and state highway program to the joint committee on finance under section 13.10 of the statutes .
A request made under this paragraph shall include an estimate of the potential savings or costs to local governments and the state that could be associated with the request.
(5f) Disaster damage aid payment. Notwithstanding section 86.34 (1m) and (2) of the statutes, in the 2017-18 fiscal year, from the appropriation under section 20.395 (1) (fs) of the statutes, the department of transportation shall make an aid payment of $64,000 to the town of Lafayette in Chippewa County.
(6b) Tolling implementation study.
