SB409: Bill Text

LRB-4060/1

ARG:cdc

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 409

September 16, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Olsen, Bernier and Feyen, cosponsored by Representatives Kitchens, Allen, Duchow, Macco, Krug, Kulp, Spiros, Tusler and Dittrich. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB409,1,3 An Act to create 20.255 (2) (bt) and 115.448 of the statutes; relating to: grants for feasibility studies of school district consolidation or whole grade sharing and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to award grants of up to $10,000 each to consortia of school districts to be used for a professional financial analysis of how school district consolidation or entering into a whole grade sharing agreement would affect the school districts.

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:

SB409,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB409,2 Section 2. 20.255 (2) (bt) of the statutes is created to read:

SB409,2,4 20.255 (2) (bt) Grants for feasibility studies of consolidation or whole grade sharing. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the grant program under s. 115.448.

SB409,3 Section 3. 115.448 of the statutes is created to read:

SB409,2,8 115.448 Grants for feasibility studies of consolidation or whole grade sharing. (1) In this section, “eligible applicant” means an applicant for a grant under this section that is a consortium of 2 or more school boards.

SB409,2,12 (2) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bt), the department shall award grants to eligible applicants to fund feasibility studies of school district consolidation or whole grade sharing agreements under s. 118.50. The department may not award a grant to an eligible applicant in an amount exceeding $10,000.

SB409,2,16 (b) An eligible applicant receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys for a professional financial analysis of how school district consolidation or entering into a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50 would affect the school districts associated with the eligible applicant.

SB409,2,17 (End)