Worker Connection program
The bill requires the Department of Workforce Development to administer a
created worker connection program to help prospective employee participants
prepare for and enter quality jobs in targeted employment sectors identified by DWD
as having high opportunities for career growth.
Pandemic recovery grants
The bill requires DWD to establish and operate a program to provide grants to
local workforce development boards to fund pandemic recovery efforts to emphasize
training, skill development, and economic recovery for individuals and businesses.

The grants may be used for virtual and in-person job training, employment
navigators or coaches, skill assessment, transportation, soft skill development,
career or talent search services, and other programs to return employees to the labor
market.
Pandemic workforce training program grants
The bill creates a pandemic workforce training program to be administered by
DWD. Under the program, DWD is required to award grants to public and private
organizations for the development and implementation of pandemic workforce
training programs. The grants may be used for virtual and in-person job training,
employment navigators or coaches, skill assessment, transportation, soft skill
development, career or talent search services, and other programs to return
employees to the labor market. The bill also permits DWD to require a public or
private organization, as a condition of receiving a grant, to provide matching funds
at a percentage to be determined by DWD.
Modification to employment transit assistance program
Under current law, DWD is required to administer an employment transit
assistance program to address the deficiency in access to employment locations for
workers and persons seeking employment. Current law limits funding under the
program to projects in outlying suburban and sparsely populated and developed
areas that are not adequately served by a mass transit system. The bill removes
those geographic restrictions.
Project SEARCH program
Under current law, DWD is authorized to enter into contracts to provide
employment skills services to individuals with developmental disabilities under the
Project SEARCH program. The program is currently operated by the Cincinnati
Children's Hospital and DWD administers the program for residents of this state.
The bill changes the source of funding for the program to a dedicated appropriation
in DWD. The bill also specifically authorizes DWD to engage in a number of activities
related to the Project SEARCH program.
Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs
This bill increases funding for the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional
Jobs programs by $7,800,000 in the 2021-23 fiscal biennium. The Transform
Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs are wage subsidy programs for
individuals who meet certain financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria. The
programs are operated by the Department of Children and Families and are
primarily funded through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
block grant.
Green jobs training program grants
The bill creates a green jobs training program to be administered by DWD.
Under the program, DWD is required to award grants to public and private
organizations for the development and implementation of green jobs training
programs. The bill defines green jobs as jobs that produce goods or provide services
that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources. The bill also permits

DWD to require a public or private organization, as a condition of receiving a grant,
to provide matching funds at a percentage to be determined by DWD.
The bill also provides additional funding for the University of Wisconsin
System under its general program operations appropriation and for special
education aid for school districts, independent charter schools, cooperative
educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards
for purposes of maintaining compliance with maintenance of effort requirements of
the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act and the federal American Rescue Plan
Act.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB937-ASA1,1 1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF
AB937-ASA1,2 3Section 2. 20.445 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,4,24 20.445 (1) (b) Workforce training; programs, grants, and services , and
5contracts
. The amounts in the schedule for the workforce training programs, grants,

1and services under s. 106.27 (1), (1g), (1j), (1r), and (1u) and for the costs associated
2with contracts entered into under s. 47.07
.
AB937-ASA1,3 3Section 3. 20.445 (1) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,4,114 20.445 (1) (bm) Workforce training; administration. Biennially, the amounts
5in the schedule for the administration of the local youth apprenticeship grant
6program under s. 106.13 (3m), the youth summer jobs program under s. 106.18, the
7employment transit assistance grant program under s. 106.26, the workforce
8training program programs under s. 106.27, the teacher development program
9grants under s. 106.272, the career and technical education incentive grant program
10under s. 106.273, the technical education equipment grant program under s.
11106.275, and the apprentice programs under subch. I of ch. 106.
AB937-ASA1,4 12Section 4. 20.445 (1) (bp) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,4,1513 20.445 (1) (bp) Green jobs training program; grants. As a continuing
14appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for green jobs training program grants
15under s. 106.27 (1p).
AB937-ASA1,5 16Section 5. 20.445 (1) (bq) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,4,1917 20.445 (1) (bq) Pandemic workforce training program; grants. As a continuing
18appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for pandemic workforce training
19program grants under s. 106.27 (1q).
AB937-ASA1,6 20Section 6. 20.445 (1) (bw) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,4,2221 20.445 (1) (bw) Pandemic recovery grants. As a continuing appropriation, the
22amounts in the schedule for pandemic recovery grants under s. 106.29.
AB937-ASA1,7 23Section 7. 20.445 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,5,3
120.445 (1) (cm) Worker connection program. As a continuing appropriation, the
2amounts in the schedule for worker connection program administration, grants, and
3contracts under s. 106.274.
AB937-ASA1,8 4Section 8. 20.445 (5) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,5,95 20.445 (5) (b) Project SEARCH. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts
6in the schedule for the administration and general operations related to the project
7SEARCH program under s. 47.07, including field services to clients, administrative
8services, the purchase of goods and services, and vocational rehabilitation services
9for persons with disabilities.
AB937-ASA1,9 10Section 9. 47.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,5,1311 47.07 (1) The department shall allocate for each fiscal year at least $250,000
12from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b) (5) (b) for contracts and activities
13entered into under this section.
AB937-ASA1,10 14Section 10. 47.07 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,5,1915 47.07 (3) The department may facilitate Project SEARCH opportunities for
16young adults with disabilities, administer operations, contracts, and services related
17to the Project SEARCH program, provide training related to the Project SEARCH
18program, maintain existing Project SEARCH program sites, and manage the timing
19for expanding the number of available Project SEARCH program sites.
AB937-ASA1,11 20Section 11. 49.175 (1) (k) of the statutes, as affected by 2021 Wisconsin Act 58,
21is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,5,2522 49.175 (1) (k) Transform Milwaukee and Transitional Jobs programs. For
23contract costs under the Transform Milwaukee Jobs program and the Transitional
24Jobs program under s. 49.163, $9,500,000 in each fiscal year $12,100,000 in fiscal
25year 2021-22 and $14,700,000 in fiscal year 2022-23
.
AB937-ASA1,12
1Section 12. 106.26 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,6,72 106.26 (1) Findings and purpose. The legislature finds that, for many workers
3and persons seeking employment in outlying suburban and sparsely populated and
4developed areas
, conventional, fixed-route mass transit systems do not provide
5adequate transportation service. The purpose of the employment transit assistance
6program under this section is to correct this deficiency in access to employment
7locations and to stimulate the development of innovative transit service methods.
AB937-ASA1,13 8Section 13. 106.26 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,6,139 106.26 (2) (d) “Project" means a project designed to improve access to jobs,
10including part-time jobs and Wisconsin works employment positions, as defined in
11s. 49.141 (1) (r), located in outlying suburban and sparsely populated and developed
12areas that are not adequately served by a mass transit system
and to develop
13innovative transit service methods.
AB937-ASA1,14 14Section 14. 106.27 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,6,1715 106.27 (1p) Green jobs training program. (a) In this subsection, “green jobs”
16means jobs that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or
17conserve natural resources.
AB937-ASA1,6,2218 (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bp), the department shall award
19grants to public or private organizations for the development and implementation
20of green jobs training programs. As a condition of receiving a grant under this
21subsection, the department may require a public or private organization to provide
22matching funds at a percentage to be determined by the department.
AB937-ASA1,15 23Section 15. 106.27 (1q) of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,7,824 106.27 (1q) Pandemic workforce training program. From the appropriation
25under s. 20.445 (1) (bq), the department shall award grants to public or private

1organizations for the development and implementation of pandemic workforce
2training programs that emphasize training, skill development, and economic
3recovery for individuals and businesses. The grants may be used for virtual and
4in-person job training, employment navigators or coaches, skill assessment,
5transportation, soft skill development, career or talent search services, and other
6programs to return employees to the labor market. As a condition of receiving a grant
7under this subsection, the department may require a public or private organization
8to provide matching funds at a percentage to be determined by the department.
AB937-ASA1,16 9Section 16. 106.27 (2g) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,7,1210 106.27 (2g) (a) 1. Promulgate rules prescribing procedures and criteria for
11awarding grants under sub subs. (1), (1p), and (1q) and the information with respect
12to those grants that must be contained in the reports required under subd. 3.
AB937-ASA1,17 13Section 17. 106.27 (2g) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,7,1714 106.27 (2g) (a) 2. Receive and review applications for grants under subs. (1),
15(1g), and (1j) (am), (1p), and (1q) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the
16information that must be contained in an application for a grant under sub. (1), (1g),
17or (1j) (am), (1p) or (1q).
AB937-ASA1,18 18Section 18. 106.27 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB937-ASA1,8,1619 106.27 (3) Annual report. Annually, by December 31, the department shall
20submit a report to the governor and the cochairpersons of the joint committee on
21finance providing an account of the department's activities and expenditures under
22this section during the preceding fiscal year and detailing the amounts allocated to
23and expended for each of the programs, grants, and services specified in s. 20.445 (1)
24(b) and, (bm), (bp), and (bq) for that fiscal year. The report shall include information
25on the number of unemployed and underemployed workers and incumbent

1employees who participate in training programs under sub. (1) or, (1j), (1p), or (1q);
2the number of unemployed workers who obtain gainful employment, underemployed
3workers who obtain new employment, and incumbent employees who receive
4increased compensation after participating in such a training program; and the
5wages earned by those workers and employees both before and after participating
6in such a training program. The report shall also include information on the extent
7to which waiting lists for enrollment in courses and programs provided by technical
8colleges in high-demand fields are reduced as a result of grants under sub. (1g) (a),
9on the number of students who participate in certification or training programs
10under sub. (1) (a) or (e) or (1g) (b), on the building modifications funded under sub.
11(1) (f) and the effect of those building modifications on the school districts' technical
12education programs, and on the number of persons with disabilities who participate
13in employment enhancement activities under sub. (1g) (c). In addition, the report
14shall provide information on the number of student interns who are placed with
15employers as a result of the coordination activities conducted under sub. (1r) or the
16grants awarded under sub. (1) (d).
AB937-ASA1,19 17Section 19. 106.274 of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,8,23 18106.274 Worker connection program. (1) Worker connection program.
19The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), establish and
20administer a worker connection program that helps participants prepare for and
21enter jobs in high-growth employment sectors by pairing participants with
22achievement coaches who guide participants through the workforce system and
23partner with employers in high-growth employment sectors.
AB937-ASA1,8,25 24(2) Implementation. The department shall promulgate rules to administer this
25section.
AB937-ASA1,20
1Section 20. 106.29 of the statutes is created to read:
AB937-ASA1,9,3 2106.29 Pandemic recovery grants. (1) In this section, “pandemic” means
3the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic.
AB937-ASA1,9,11 4(2) The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bw),
5establish and operate a program to provide grants to local workforce development
6boards established under 29 USC 3122 to fund pandemic recovery efforts. The
7grants shall emphasize training, skill development, and economic recovery for
8individuals and businesses. The grants may be used for virtual and in-person job
9training, employment navigators or coaches, skill assessment, transportation, soft
10skill development, career or talent search services, and other programs to return
11employees to the labor market.
AB937-ASA1,21 12Section 21. Fiscal changes.
AB937-ASA1,9,1713 (1) Project search funding modification. In the schedule under s. 20.005
14(3) for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under s. 20.445
15(1) (b), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is decreased by $250,000 and the
16dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is decreased by $250,000 for the purpose for
17which the appropriation is made.
AB937-ASA1,9,2318 (2) Transform Milwaukee and transitional jobs programs. In the schedule
19under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of children and families
20under s. 20.437 (2) (md), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is increased by
21$2,600,000. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the
22department of children and families under s. 20.437 (2) (md), the dollar amount for
23fiscal year 2022-23 is increased by $5,200,000.
AB937-ASA1,9,2524 (3) Special education aid. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the
25appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (2) (b), the

1dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased by $5,045,000 to increase funding
2for aids for special education under s. 115.88.
AB937-ASA1,10,63 (4) UW System; general program operations. In the schedule under s. 20.005
4(3) for the appropriation to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin
5System under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased
6by $1,260,000 for the purpose for which the appropriation is made.
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