AB629: Bill Text

LRB-3790/1

MJL:cjs:jf

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Assembly BILL 629

December 30, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Brandemuehl, Olsen, Kestell, Nass, Musser, Ainsworth, Plale, Wood, Albers, Spillner, Sykora, M. Lehman, Freese, Stone and Gronemus, cosponsored by Senators Grobschmidt, Breske, Rosenzweig, Wirch, Baumgart and Schultz. Referred to Committee on Colleges and Universities.

AB629,1,4 An Act to create 20.235 (1) (cx) and 39.398 of the statutes; relating to: creating a loan program for teachers and orientation and mobility instructors of visually impaired pupils, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a loan program, to be administered by the higher educational aids board (HEAB), to defray the educational costs of Wisconsin residents who are enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program that prepares them to be licensed as teachers or as orientation and mobility instructors of visually impaired pupils. The maximum loan that a person may receive during any fiscal year may not exceed $10,000. After a loan recipient has completed his or her degree program, HEAB must forgive 25% of the loan's principal and interest for the first fiscal year, 25% of the loan's principal and interest for the second fiscal year and 50% of the loan's principal and interest for the third fiscal year that the loan recipient is licensed and employed full-time by a school district, the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired or a cooperative educational service agency as a teacher of the visually impaired or an orientation and mobility instructor of the visually impaired.

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:

AB629, s. 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

AB629, s. 2 Section 2. 20.235 (1) (cx) of the statutes is created to read:

AB629,2,7 20.235 (1) (cx) Loan program for teachers and orientation and mobility instructors of visually impaired pupils. The amounts in the schedule for the teachers and orientation and mobility instructors of visually impaired pupils loan program under s. 39.398.

AB629, s. 3 Section 3. 39.398 of the statutes is created to read:

AB629,3,3 39.398 Teachers and orientation and mobility instructors of visually impaired pupils loan program. (1) (a) The board shall establish a loan program to defray the cost of tuition, fees and expenses for residents of this state enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program that prepares persons to be licensed as teachers of visually impaired pupils or as orientation and mobility instructors, as defined by the board by rule, at an accredited institution of higher education in this state or in a physically adjacent state, as defined in s. 175.46 (1) (d). To the extent possible, the board shall give preference, to persons who are likely to return to this state to work with visually impaired persons.

AB629,3,7 (b) The board shall make loans under this section from the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (cx). The maximum amount of a loan for a person during any fiscal year is $10,000. The maximum amount that a person may receive under this section is $40,000.

AB629,3,15 (2) (a) After the recipient of a loan under sub. (1) has completed the degree program described in sub. (1), the board shall forgive 25% of the loan's principal and interest for the first fiscal year, 25% of the loan's principal and interest for the 2nd fiscal year and 50% of the loan's principal and interest for the 3rd fiscal year that the recipient is licensed and employed full-time as a teacher of visually impaired pupils or as an orientation and mobility instructor by a school district, the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired or a cooperative educational service agency. The board may forgive loans on a prorated basis for persons employed less than full-time.

AB629,3,16 (b) The board shall promulgate rules to administer this section.

AB629,3,17 (End)