Wisconsin Legislature: 28,3057

28,3046 Section 3046. 560.184 (title) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (title).

28,3047 Section 3047. 560.184 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (1), and 36.61 (1) (ac), (ag), (bp) and (d), as renumbered, are amended to read:

36.61 (1) (ac) "Clinic hours" has the meaning given in s. 560.183 36.60 (1) (ac).

(ag) "Dental health shortage area" has the meaning given in s. 560.183 36.60 (1) (ad).

(bp) "Health professional shortage area" has the meaning given in s. 560.183 36.60 (1) (aj).

(d) "Primary care shortage area" has the meaning given in s. 560.183 36.60 (1) (cm).

28,3048 Section 3048. 560.184 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (2) and amended to read:

36.61 (2) Eligibility. The department board may repay, on behalf of a health care provider, up to $25,000 in educational loans obtained by the health care provider from a public or private lending institution for education related to the health care provider's field of practice, as determined by the department board with the advice of the council.

28,3049 Section 3049. 560.184 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (3) and amended to read:

36.61 (3) Agreement. (a) The department board shall enter into a written agreement with the health care provider. In the agreement, the health care provider shall agree to practice at least 32 clinic hours per week for 3 years in one or more eligible practice areas in this state, except that a health care provider in the expanded loan assistance program under sub. (8) who is not a dental hygienist may only agree to practice at a public or private nonprofit entity in a health professional shortage area.

(b) The agreement shall specify that the responsibility of the department board to make the payments under the agreement is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under s. 20.143 20.285 (1) (jc), (jL) and (kr) (ks).

28,3050 Section 3050. 560.184 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (4), and 36.61 (4) (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:

36.61 (4) Loan repayment. (intro.) Principal and interest due on loans, exclusive of any penalties, may be repaid by the department board at the following rate:

28,3051 Section 3051. 560.184 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (5), and 36.61 (5) (a) and (b) (intro.) and 6., as renumbered, are amended to read:

36.61 (5) (a) The obligation of the department board to make payments under an agreement entered into under sub. (3) is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under s. 20.143 20.285 (1) (jc), (jL) and (kr) (ks).

(b) (intro.) If the cost of repaying the loans of all eligible applicants, when added to the cost of loan repayments scheduled under existing agreements, exceeds the total amount in the appropriations under s. 20.143 20.285 (1) (jc), (jL) and (kr) (ks), the department board shall establish priorities among the eligible applicants based upon the following considerations:

6. Other considerations that the department board may specify by rule.

28,3052 Section 3052. 560.184 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (6) and amended to read:

36.61 (6) Local participation. The department board shall encourage contributions to the program under this section by counties, cities, villages and towns. Funds received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.143 (1) (jL) 20.285 (1) (jc).

28,3053 Section 3053. 560.184 (6m) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (6m), and 36.61 (6m) (a) (intro.) and (b), as renumbered, are amended to read:

36.61 (6m) (a) (intro.) The department board shall, by rule, establish penalties to be assessed by the department board against health care providers who breach an agreement entered into under sub. (3) (a). The rules shall do all of the following:

(b) Any penalties assessed and collected under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.143 20.285 (1) (jc).

28,3054 Section 3054. 560.184 (7) (intro.), (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the statutes are renumbered 36.61 (7) (intro.), (a), (b), (c) and (d), and 36.61 (7) (intro.), (a) and (b), as renumbered, are amended to read:

36.61 (7) Administrative contract Administration. (intro.) From the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (kr), the department shall contract with the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for administrative services from the office of rural health of the department of professional and community development of the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Under the contract, the office of rural health The board shall do all of the following:

(a) Advise the department and council on the identification of Identify communities with an extremely high need for health care, including dental health care.

(b) Assist the department to publicize Publicize the program under this section to health care providers and eligible communities.

28,3055 Section 3055. 560.184 (7) (e) of the statutes is repealed.

28,3056 Section 3056. 560.184 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 36.61 (8), and 36.61 (8) (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:

36.61 (8) Expanded loan assistance program. (intro.) The department board may agree to repay loans as provided under this section on behalf of a health care provider under an expanded health care provider loan assistance program that is funded through federal funds in addition to state matching funds. To be eligible for loan repayment under the expanded health care provider loan assistance program, a health care provider must fulfill all of the requirements for loan repayment under this section, as well as all of the following:

28,3057 Section 3057. 560.185 (intro.), (1) and (1m) of the statutes are renumbered 36.62 (intro.), (1) and (2) and amended to read:

36.62 Rural health development council. (intro.) The rural health development council created under s. 15.157 (8) 15.917 (1) shall do all of the following:

(1) Advise the department board on matters related to the physician and dentist loan assistance program under s. 560.183 36.60 and the health care provider loan assistance program under s. 560.184 36.61.

(2) Advise the department board on the amount, up to $25,000, to be repaid on behalf of each health care provider who participates in the health care provider loan assistance program under s. 560.184 36.61.

28,3058 Section 3058. 560.185 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

28,3059 Section 3059. 560.185 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

28,3060 Section 3060. 560.185 (4) of the statutes is repealed.

28,3070 Section 3070. 560.2055 of the statutes is created to read:

560.2055 Jobs tax credit. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., "business" means any organization or enterprise operated for profit, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, business trust, joint venture, syndicate, corporation, limited liability company, or association.

2. "Business" does not include a store or shop in which retail sales is the principal business.

(b) "Eligible employee" means a person employed in a full-time job by a person certified under sub. (2).

(c) "Full-time job" means a regular, nonseasonal full-time position in which an individual, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year, including paid leave and holidays, and for which the individual receives pay that is equal to at least 150 percent of the federal minimum wage and benefits that are not required by federal or state law. "Full-time job" does not include initial training before an employment position begins.

(d) "Tax benefits" means the jobs tax credit under ss. 71.07 (3q), 71.28 (3q), and 71.47 (3q).

(2) Certification. The department may certify a person to receive tax benefits under this section if all of the following apply:

(a) The person is operating or intends to operate a business in this state.

(b) The person applies under this section and enters into a contract with the department.

(3) Eligibility for tax benefits. A person certified under sub. (2) may receive tax benefits under this section if, in each year for which the person claims tax benefits under this section, the person increases net employment in the person's business and one of the following apply:

(a) In a tier I county or municipality, an eligible employee for whom the person claims a tax credit will earn at least $20,000 but not more than $100,000 in wages from the person in the year for which the credit is claimed.

(b) In a tier II county or municipality, an eligible employee for whom the person claims a tax credit will earn at least $30,000 but not more than $100,000 in wages from the person in the year for which the credit is claimed.

(c) In a tier I county or municipality or a tier II county or municipality, the person improves the job-related skills of any eligible employee, trains any eligible employee on the use of job-related new technologies, or provides job-related training to any eligible employee whose employment with the person represents the employee's first full-time job.

(4) Duration, limits, and expiration. (a) The certification of a person under sub. (2) may remain in effect for no more than 10 cumulative years.

(b) 1. The department may award to a person certified under sub. (2) tax benefits for each eligible employee in an amount equal to up to 10 percent of the wages paid by the person to that employee if that employee earned wages in the year for which the tax benefit is claimed equal to one of the following:

a. In a tier I county or municipality, at least $20,000 but not more than $100,000.

b. In a tier II county or municipality, at least $30,000 but not more than $100,000.

2. The department may award to a person certified under sub. (2) tax benefits in an amount to be determined by the department by rule for costs incurred by the person to undertake the training activities described in sub. (3) (c).

(5) Duties of the department. (a) The department of commerce shall notify the department of revenue when the department of commerce certifies a person to receive tax benefits.

(b) The department of commerce shall notify the department of revenue within 30 days of revoking a certification made under sub. (2).

(c) The department may require a person to repay any tax benefits the person claims for a year in which the person failed to maintain employment required by an agreement under sub. (2) (b).

(d) The department shall determine the maximum amount of the tax credits under ss. 71.07 (3q), 71.28 (3q), and 71.47 (3q) that a certified business may claim and shall notify the department of revenue of this amount.

(e) The department shall annually verify the information submitted to the department by the person claiming tax benefits under ss. 71.07 (3q), 71.28 (3q), and 71.47 (3q).

(f) The department shall promulgate rules for the implementation and operation of this section, including rules relating to the following:

1. The definitions of a tier I county or municipality and a tier II county or municipality. The department may consider all of the following information when establishing the definitions required under this subdivision:

a. Unemployment rate.

b. Percentage of families with incomes below the poverty line established under 42 USC 9902 (2).

c. Median family income.

d. Median per capita income.

e. Other significant or irregular indicators of economic distress, such as a natural disaster or mass layoff.

2. A schedule of additional tax benefits for which a person who is certified under sub. (2) and who incurs costs related to job training under sub. (3) (c) may be eligible.

3. Conditions for the revocation of a certification under par. (b).

4. Conditions for the repayment of tax benefits under par. (c).

28,3070m Section 3070m. 560.206 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

560.206 (5) (a) The department shall annually submit to the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance a report that includes all of the following:

1. The number of entities receiving tax credits under ss. 71.07 (5f) and (5h), 71.28 (5f) and (5h), and 71.47 (5f) and (5h) in the preceding year.

2. The total amount of production expenditures, as defined in ss. 71.07 (5f) (a) 3., for which tax credits were claimed in the preceding year and the county and city or village in which the production expenditures were made.

3. The number of individuals employed on each of the productions in the preceding year.

(b) The department shall gather the information required to produce the report described in par. (a) using financial tracking forms and permits that are consistent with industry standards.

28,3073 Section 3073. 560.208 of the statutes is created to read:

560.208 Qualified new business ventures. (1) The department shall implement a program to certify qualified new business ventures for purposes of s. 71.05 (24). A business desiring certification shall submit an application to the department in each taxable year for which the business desires certification. Subject to sub. (2), a business may be certified under this subsection, and may maintain such certification, only if the business is engaged in one of the following:

(a) Developing a new product or business process.

(b) Manufacturing, agriculture, or processing or assembling products and conducting research and development.

(2) The department may not certify a business under sub. (1) if the business is engaged in real estate development, insurance, banking, lending, lobbying, political consultation, professional services provided by attorneys, accountants, business consultants, physicians, or health care consultants, wholesale or retail sales, leisure, hospitality, transportation, or construction.

(3) (a) The department shall maintain a list of businesses certified under sub. (1) and shall permit public access to the lists through the department's Internet Web site.

(b) The department of commerce shall notify the department of revenue of every certification issued under sub. (1) and the date on which a certification under sub. (1) is revoked or expires.

28,3074m Section 3074m. 560.255 of the statutes is created to read:

560.255 Grants to Wisconsin Angel Network. Annually, from the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (bk), the department shall make a grant to the Wisconsin Angel Network of $60,000. The department shall enter into an agreement with the Wisconsin Angel Network that specifies the uses for the grant proceeds and reporting and auditing requirements. The department shall promulgate rules necessary to administer this section.

28,3075 Section 3075. 560.277 of the statutes is created to read:

560.277 Wisconsin venture fund. (1) Definition. In this section, "eligible institution" means a research institution or nonprofit organization involved in economic development.

(2) Capital connections grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (bk), the department may award a grant to an eligible institution to fund a project that does any of the following: