AB399: Bill Text

LRB-2928/2

FFK:wlj&med:rs

2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE

2011 Assembly BILL 399

December 1, 2011 - Introduced by Representatives Barca, Doyle, Molepske Jr, Seidel, Zepnick, Berceau, Roys, Milroy, Pasch, C. Taylor, Steinbrink, Clark, Pope-Roberts, Jorgensen, Toles and Fields, cosponsored by Senators Lassa, Shilling, Wirch, Taylor, S. Coggs and Hansen. Referred to Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business.

AB399,1,2 An Act to create 238.137 of the statutes; relating to: entrepreneurial assistance grants and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill authorizes the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to award a grant of up to $3,000 to a new business for the business's expenses related to hiring, as a paid intern, a student enrolled at an institution of higher education who studies business, engineering, information technology, or a similar field. Under the bill, a new business is a business organized in this state on a date that is not more than 60 months before the date that the business applies for a grant authorized under the bill. Additionally, if WEDC awards a grant to three or more businesses to fund internships for students enrolled at a single institution of higher education and the institution of higher education develops a program to support internships funded by these grants, WEDC may award a grant of up to $25,000 to the institution of higher education. Finally, this bill requires WEDC to allocate at least $45,000 in each fiscal year to fund grants authorized under the bill and to submit a report on the effectiveness of those grants to the legislature no later than February 1, 2015.

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

AB399, s. 1 Section 1. 238.137 of the statutes is created to read:

AB399,2,1 238.137 Entrepreneurial assistance grants. (1) In this section:

AB399,2,4 (a) "Institution of higher education" means an institution within the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college, or a private, nonprofit institution of higher education located in this state.

AB399,2,7 (b) "New business" means a business organized in this state on a date not more than 60 months before the date on which the business applies for a grant under this section.

AB399,2,14 (2) The corporation may award a grant of up to $3,000 to a new business for the business's expenses in hiring a student who is enrolled in an institution of higher education as a paid intern for the business to assist in conducting research, marketing, business plan development, or other functions relating to the creation of a new business. Grants under this subsection may be used only for the recipient's expenses in hiring students in the fields of business, engineering, or information technology or in a similar field, as determined by the corporation.

AB399,2,23 (3) If the corporation awards grants under sub. (2) to 3 or more businesses to fund internships for students enrolled in a single institution of higher education and the institution of higher education develops a program to facilitate internships funded with grants under sub. (2), the corporation may award a grant of up to $25,000 to the institution of higher education for costs associated with hiring interns under sub. (2), including faculty or staff time and curriculum development. If the corporation lacks sufficient funds to award grants to all qualified applicants, the department shall allocate available funds to applicants who have the greatest potential to create jobs in this state.

AB399,3,3 (4) From the appropriations under s. 20.192 (1) (k) and (r), the corporation shall allocate at least $45,000 in each fiscal year to provide the grants specified in subs. (2) and (3).

AB399,3,5 (5) The corporation shall actively pursue gifts and grants from private sources for funding grants under this section.

AB399,3,8 (6) Not later than February 1, 2015, the corporation shall submit to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report evaluating the effectiveness of grants under this section.

AB399,3,9 (End)