December 22, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Dallman, Kurtz, C. Anderson,
Dittrich, Kitchens, Krug, Mursau, Novak, O'Connor, Penterman, Plumer,
Schraa, Stubbs, Swearingen and Jacobson, cosponsored by Senators
Ballweg, Bradley, Carpenter, Feyen, Marklein, Spreitzer and Testin.
Referred to Committee on Tourism.
AB856,1,3
1An Act to create 238.143 of the statutes;
relating to: grants awarded by the
2Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for the purpose of attracting
3opportunities and events to Wisconsin.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to
establish and administer an economic development program for the purpose of
attracting major opportunities and events to Wisconsin. Any city, village, town, or
county, American Indian tribe or band, area visitor and convention bureau, business
improvement district, or private entity is an eligible applicant for a grant under the
bill.
An eligible applicant must expend all grant moneys on a project to attract to
Wisconsin or host in Wisconsin, or both, a major opportunity or event that is open to
the public, whether or not free of charge. Specifically, grant moneys may be used to
undertake a project to do one or more of the following:
1. Bid against other states or jurisdictions outside Wisconsin to attract an
opportunity or event that will draw national exposure and drive economic
development and visitors to Wisconsin.
2. Host an opportunity or event that will attract national exposure and drive
economic development and visitors to Wisconsin that the eligible applicant has
secured through a competitive bid against other states or jurisdictions outside
Wisconsin.
Before WEDC awards each grant under the bill, an eligible applicant must
provide a project cost-benefit analysis to WEDC and must secure from nonstate
sources an amount equal to the amount of the proposed grant. Additionally, the bill
provides that WEDC may consult with the Department of Tourism to implement the
grant program.
Finally, the bill requires WEDC to submit an annual report to the Joint
Committee on Finance that includes a detailed description of each grant awarded
under the bill, including the eligible applicant's cost-benefit analysis concerning the
proposed opportunity or event.
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:
AB856,1
1Section
1. 238.143 of the statutes is created to read:
AB856,2,3
2238.143 Opportunity attraction and promotion. (1) Definition. In this
3section, “eligible applicant” means any of the following in this state:
AB856,2,44
(a) A city, village, town, or county.
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(b) An American Indian tribe or band in this state.
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(c) An area visitor and convention bureau.
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(d) A business improvement district.
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(e) A private entity.
AB856,2,11
9(2) Establishment of program. The corporation shall establish and administer
10the economic development program under this section for the purpose of attracting
11opportunities and events to this state.
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12(3) Grants. (a) The corporation shall award grants to eligible applicants for
13major opportunities and events projects as provided under par. (b). The corporation
14shall prescribe the form of application and the information required to be submitted
15with an application, which shall include an estimate of projected direct and indirect
16economic benefits of the proposed opportunity or event to the state and a related
17cost-benefit analysis concerning the opportunity or event.
AB856,3,5
1(b) An eligible applicant shall expend all grant moneys on a project as specified
2in the application to attract to this state or host in this state, or both, a major
3opportunity or event that is open to the public, whether or not free of charge.
4Specifically, grant moneys may be used to undertake a project to do one or more of
5the following:
AB856,3,86
1. Bid against other states or jurisdictions outside this state to attract an
7opportunity or event that will draw national exposure and drive economic
8development and visitors to this state.
AB856,3,129
2. Host an opportunity or event that will attract national exposure and drive
10economic development and visitors to this state that the eligible applicant has
11secured through a competitive bid against other states or jurisdictions outside this
12state.
AB856,3,1313
(c) Grants awarded under this subsection are not subject to s. 238.03 (3) (a).
AB856,3,16
14(4) Matching requirement. The corporation may not award a grant under sub.
15(3) unless the eligible applicant has secured from nonstate sources an amount equal
16to the amount of the proposed grant.
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17(5) Consultation with department of tourism. The corporation may consult
18with the department of tourism to implement the corporation's duties under this
19section.
AB856,3,23
20(6) Annual report. No later than October 1 of each year, the corporation shall
21submit a report to the joint committee on finance for the previous fiscal year that
22includes a detailed description of each grant awarded under sub. (3), including the
23eligible applicant's analysis concerning the opportunity or event.
