AB295: Bill Text

LRB-3043/1

MED:cdc

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 295

May 25, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Moses, Allen, Brandtjen, Green, Hurd, Kitchens, Magnafici, Murphy, Mursau, Rettinger, Schraa, Tranel and Wichgers, cosponsored by Senator Jacque. Referred to Committee on Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities.

AB295,1,4 An Act to amend 16.705 (1b) (f), 106.13 (2r), 106.13 (3m) (d), 106.273 (3) (a) 1m. (intro.), 106.273 (3) (a) 2m. and 106.273 (3) (am); and to create 106.13 (6) of the statutes; relating to: the youth apprenticeship program and career and technical education grants.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes changes to certain workforce development programs administered by the Department of Workforce Development.

Youth apprenticeship

Under current law, DWD administers a youth apprenticeship program. Under that program, DWD is required to approve and maintain a list of occupational areas, commonly referred to as “career clusters,” including, at a minimum, 16 specific career clusters. DWD is required to develop curricula for the approved career clusters. This bill does the following:

1. Requires DWD to enter into contracts to facilitate the development of curricula for approved career clusters.

2. Requires DWD, in developing curricula for approved career clusters, to have at least one occupational pathway for each approved career cluster.

Local youth apprenticeship grants

Under current law, DWD administers a local youth apprenticeship grant program. The program awards grants to local partnerships that consist of one or more school districts, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, and other persons for the implementation and coordination of local youth apprenticeship programs.

Under current law, the maximum amount of a grant awarded to a local partnership under the local youth apprenticeship grant program is up to $1,100 per youth apprentice. This bill requires the grants to be $1,700 per youth apprentice.

Career and technical education incentive grants and completion awards

Current law requires DWD to approve industry-recognized certification programs designed to 1) mitigate workforce shortages and 2) prepare individuals for occupations as fire fighters, emergency medical responders, or emergency medical services practitioners. Current law requires DWD to award incentive grants to school districts with industry-recognized certification programs equal to $1,000 for each student in the school district who obtains a high school diploma and successfully completes an approved program.

This bill increases the amount of incentive grants to $2,000 for each student in the school district who obtains a high school diploma and successfully completes an approved program.

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

AB295,1 Section 1. 16.705 (1b) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,2,4 16.705 (1b) (f) The department of workforce development for the Project SEARCH program under s. 47.07 or for youth apprenticeship activities under s. 106.13 (6).

AB295,2 Section 2. 106.13 (2r) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,2,9 106.13 (2r) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the department shall develop curricula for youth apprenticeship programs for occupational areas approved under sub. (2m), with at least one occupational pathway for each approved occupational area.

AB295,3 Section 3. 106.13 (3m) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,3,4 106.13 (3m) (d) The amount of a grant awarded under par. (b) may not exceed $900 per youth apprentice. Beginning on July 10, 2021, the amount of a grant awarded under par. (b) cannot be greater than $1,100. Beginning on the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], the amount of a grant awarded under par. (b) shall be $1,700 per youth apprentice. A local partnership that is awarded a grant under par. (b) shall provide matching funds equal to 50 percent of the grant amount awarded.

AB295,4 Section 4. 106.13 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

AB295,3,8 106.13 (6) The department shall enter into contracts to facilitate the development of curricula for youth apprenticeship programs for occupational areas approved under sub. (2m)

AB295,5 Section 5. 106.273 (3) (a) 1m. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,3,14 106.273 (3) (a) 1m. (intro.) An incentive grant to a school district that has an industry-recognized certification program approved by the department under sub. (2) (a). Subject to pars. (am) and (b), the amount of the incentive grant under this subdivision is equal to $1,000 $2,000 for each student in the school district to whom all of the following apply:

AB295,6 Section 6. 106.273 (3) (a) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,3,21 106.273 (3) (a) 2m. An incentive grant to a school district that has an industry-recognized certification program approved by the department under sub. (2) (b). Subject to par. (b), for each such program the school district has, the amount of the incentive grant under this subdivision is equal to $1,000 $2,000 for each student in the school district who successfully completed the program in a school year in which the program was approved by the department under sub. (2) (b).

AB295,7 Section 7. 106.273 (3) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB295,4,2 106.273 (3) (am) The department may not make a per student an award of $1,000 to a school district under par. (a) 1m. if the industry-recognized certification program completed by the student as a condition of the award under par. (a) 1m. b. is an information technology instructional program developed under s. 115.455.

AB295,8 Section 8. Effective date.

AB295,4,5 (1) This act takes effect on July 1, 2023, or on the day after publication, whichever is later.

AB295,4,6 (End)