AB804: Bill Text

LRB-3990/1

MDK:jld

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Assembly BILL 804

December 28, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives August, Sanfelippo, Anderson, E. Brooks, Petryk, Edming, Felzkowski, Steffen, Rodriguez, Duchow, Tranel, Summerfield, Tauchen, R. Brooks, Quinn, Horlacher, Murphy, Jacque, Hutton and Thiesfeldt, cosponsored by Senators Nass, Craig, Feyen and LeMahieu. Referred to Committee on Government Accountability and Oversight.

AB804,1,3 An Act to amend 20.285 (1) (rm) (title), 36.49 (title) and 36.49 (3); and to create 36.49 (4) of the statutes; relating to: merit scholarships for certain University of Wisconsin System students and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

The bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to award merit-based annual $5,000 scholarships to students enrolled in two-year or four-year UW schools who have graduated from an in-state high school or been granted a high school diploma by the administrator of an in-state home-based private educational program. The scholarships are called “Wisconsin Merit scholarships.” The bill requires the Board of Regents to determine student merit based on performance on standardized college entrance examinations and, if applicable, cumulative high school grade point averages. Under current law, income and interest from the normal school fund is appropriated to the Board of Regents to do the following annually: 1) make need-based grants totaling $100,000 to students at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies who are members of underrepresented groups; 2) provide scholarships totaling $100,000 to students enrolled in the sustainable management degree program through the UW-Extension; and 3) award the balance to the UW-Stevens Point for environmental programs. Under the bill, the Board of Regents must provide $300,000 annually to the UW-Stevens Point for environmental programs and award the balance in the scholarships required under the bill.

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:

AB804,1 Section 1 . 20.285 (1) (rm) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB804,2,3 20.285 (1) (rm) (title) Environmental program grants and scholarships; Wisconsin Merit scholarships.

AB804,2 Section 2. 36.49 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB804,2,6 36.49 (title) Environmental program grants and scholarships; Wisconsin Merit scholarships.

AB804,3 Section 3. 36.49 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB804,2,9 36.49 (3) Award the balance Provide $300,000 to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for environmental programs.

AB804,4 Section 4. 36.49 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB804,2,18 36.49 (4) Award the balance in annual scholarships called “Wisconsin Merit scholarships,” which shall be based only on merit to students who are enrolled in an institution or college campus and who have either graduated from high school in this state or been granted a high school diploma by the administrator of a home-based private educational program, as defined in s. 115.001 (3g), in this state. The board shall determine merit based on a performance on standardized college entrance examinations and, if applicable, cumulative high school grade point averages. An annual scholarship awarded to a student under this subsection shall equal $5,000.

AB804,2,19 (End)