SB523: Bill Text

2015 Senate BILL 523

January 7, 2016 - Introduced by Senators Harsdorf, Gudex and Ringhand, cosponsored by Representatives Petryk, Edming, Krug, Born, E. Brooks, Horlacher, T. Larson, Steffen and Tittl. Referred to Committee on Economic Development and Commerce.

SB523,1,4 An Act to amend 20.445 (1) (b) and 20.445 (1) (bm); and to create 106.275 of the statutes; relating to: technical education equipment grants for school districts, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill increases the appropriation to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) for workforce training grants, commonly referred to as "Fast Forward" grants, by $1,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2015-16 and 2016-17 and directs DWD to allocate those moneys for technical education equipment grants to school districts in the amount of not less than $10,000 nor more than $50,000. A school district that is awarded a grant under the bill must use the grant moneys awarded for the acquisition of equipment that is used in advanced manufacturing fields in the workplace. As a condition of receiving a grant under the bill, a school district must provide matching funds equal to 100 percent of the grant amount awarded. The match may be in the form of money contributed from private sources or in-kind services or both.

For further information see the state and local 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:

SB523,1 Section 1. 20.445 (1) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

SB523,2,7 20.445 (1) (b) Workforce training program; grants and services. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for workforce training grants and services under s. 106.27 (1) and (1g) and, for career and technical education incentive grants under s. 106.273, and for technical education equipment grants under s. 106.275.

SB523,2 Section 2. 20.445 (1) (bm) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

SB523,2,14 20.445 (1) (bm) Workforce training program; administration. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the administration of the workforce training program under s. 106.27 and, the career and technical education incentive grant program under s. 106.273, and the technical education equipment grant program under s. 106.275.

SB523,3 Section 3. 106.275 of the statutes is created to read:

SB523,2,21 106.275 Technical education equipment grants. (1) Awarding of grants. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b), the department shall allocate not less than $1,000,000 in each fiscal year for technical education equipment grants to school districts under this section. From that allocation, the department shall award grants in the amount of not less than $10,000 nor more than $50,000 to school districts whose grant applications are approved under sub. (2) (b).

SB523,3,2 (b) A school district that is awarded a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys awarded for the acquisition of equipment that is used in advanced manufacturing fields in the workplace, together with any software necessary for the operation of that equipment and any instructional material necessary to train pupils in the operation of that equipment.

SB523,3,6 (c) As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, a school district shall provide matching funds equal to 100 percent of the grant amount awarded. The match may be in the form of money contributed from private sources or in-kind services or both.

SB523,3,14 (2) Grant application process. (a) A school district that wishes to receive a grant under this section shall apply for the grant in accordance with procedures and requirements established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1. A grant application shall describe the purpose and need for the grant, the projected outcomes that the school district is seeking to achieve as a result of receiving the grant, the amount and source of the matching funds required under sub. (1) (c), and any other information that the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1.

SB523,3,20 (b) The department, in consultation with the advisory committee appointed under sub. (4) (a), shall review and evaluate a grant application submitted under par. (a) in accordance with procedures and criteria established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 2. After completing that review and evaluation, the department shall notify the school district of the department's decision on the grant application.

SB523,4,4 (3) Reporting requirements. Each school district that receives a grant under this section shall file a report with the department by September 1 of each of the first 3 fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the grant was received. The report shall describe how the grant moneys were expended, describe the outcomes achieved as a result of receiving the grant, share the best practices employed by the school district regarding the training of pupils in the use of the equipment acquired with the grant moneys, include a plan for sustainability of that training, and provide such other information as the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 3.

SB523,4,10 (4) Implementation of grant program. (a) The secretary of workforce development shall appoint an advisory committee under s. 15.04 (1) (c), composed of representatives of the department, representatives of private organizations engaged in advanced manufacturing, and such other persons as the secretary may appoint, to assist the department in reviewing and evaluating grant applications under sub. (2) (b).

SB523,4,12 (b) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section. Those rules shall include all of the following:

SB523,4,15 1. Rules establishing the procedures and requirements for applying for a grant under sub. (2) (a), including the information that must be submitted with a grant application.

SB523,4,17 2. Rules establishing the procedures and criteria for awarding a grant under sub. (2) (b).

SB523,4,19 3. Rules governing the reporting requirements under sub. (3), including the information that must be provided in a report submitted under sub. (3).

SB523,4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB523,5,7 (1) Technical education equipment grants; emergency rules. Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statues, the department of workforce development may promulgate the rules required under section 106.275 of the statutes, as created by this act, for the period before the effective date of the permanent rules promulgated under section 106.275 of the statues, as created by this act, but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) of the statues, subject to extension under section 227.24 (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

SB523,5 Section 5. Fiscal changes.

SB523,5,19 (1) Technical education equipment grants. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under section 20.445 (1) (b) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2015-16 is increased by $1,000,000 to provide funding for technical education equipment grants under section 106.275 of the statutes, as created by this act. In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of workforce development under section 20.445 (1) (b) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2015, the dollar amount for fiscal year 2016-17 is increased by $1,000,000 to provide funding for technical education equipment grants under section 106.275 of the statutes, as created by this act.

SB523,5,20 (End)