February 5, 2018 - Introduced by Committee on Senate Organization, by request
of Governor Scott Walker. Referred to Committee on Economic Development,
Commerce and Local Government.
SB769,1,4 1An Act to create 20.192 (1) (bm) and 238.18 of the statutes; relating to: rural
2economic development programs administered by the Wisconsin Economic
3Development Corporation, grants to other authorities and state agencies for
4purposes of rural economic development, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill appropriates $50,000,000 annually to the Wisconsin Economic
Development Corporation for the following purposes:
1. The expenditure of moneys for any economic development program WEDC
is administering as of the date on which the bill becomes law if the expenditure
assists economic development in a rural county.
2. The expenditure of moneys for any economic development program WEDC
begins administering after the date on which the bill becomes law if the expenditure
assists economic development in a rural county. The bill requires passive review by
the Joint Committee on Finance before WEDC first expends moneys appropriated
under the bill on each such program and requires WEDC to adopt policies and
procedures establishing, to the extent feasible, matching requirements for any such
expenditure.
3. Subject to passive review by JCF, awarding grants to other authorities and
state agencies if WEDC determines that an authority's or state agency's expenditure
of the grant moneys will assist economic development in a rural county.
Under the bill, WEDC must submit a report to the Department of
Administration no later than June 30 of each fiscal year that describes in detail

WEDC's use in that fiscal year of the moneys appropriated under the bill and must
repay appropriated amounts to the state that WEDC does not expend or encumber
in that fiscal year.
The program under the bill sunsets after 20 years.
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:
SB769,1 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
SB769,2 3Section 2. 20.192 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
SB769,2,64 20.192 (1) (bm) Rural economic development. The amounts in the schedule for
5rural economic development programs and grants to authorities and state agencies
6under s. 238.18.
SB769,3 7Section 3. 238.18 of the statutes is created to read:
SB769,2,10 8238.18 Rural economic development. (1) Definition. In this section,
9“rural county” means a county with a population density of less than 155 residents
10per square mile.
SB769,2,12 11(2) Economic development programs benefiting rural counties. From the
12appropriation under s. 20.192 (1) (bm), the corporation may do the following:
SB769,3,3
1(a) Expend moneys for any economic development program the corporation is
2administering on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], if that
3expenditure assists economic development in a rural county.
SB769,3,74 (b) Expend moneys for any economic development program the corporation
5begins administering after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date],
6if that expenditure assists economic development in a rural county, subject to all of
7the following:
SB769,3,128 1. Before the corporation first expends moneys on each program under this
9paragraph, the corporation shall notify the joint committee on finance in writing of
10the corporation's intention to expend the moneys on the program. The notice shall
11describe the program and purposes for which the corporation proposes to expend the
12moneys under this paragraph.
SB769,3,2113 2. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's notice under
14subd. 1., the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the
15corporation that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's
16proposal, the corporation may make the expenditures as proposed in the
17corporation's notice. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's
18notice under subd. 1., the cochairpersons of the committee notify the corporation that
19the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's proposal, the
20corporation may make the proposed expenditures only upon approval of the
21committee.
SB769,3,2422 3. The corporation shall adopt policies and procedures establishing, to the
23extent feasible, matching requirements for the corporation's expenditures under this
24paragraph.
SB769,4,3
1(c) Award a grant to another authority or to a state agency if the corporation
2determines the authority's or state agency's expenditure of the grant moneys will
3assist economic development in a rural county, subject to all of the following:
SB769,4,74 1. Before the corporation makes a grant under this paragraph, the corporation
5shall notify the joint committee on finance in writing of the corporation's intention
6to make the grant. The notice shall describe the program and purposes for which the
7corporation proposes to make the grant.
SB769,4,158 2. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's notice under
9subd. 1., the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the
10corporation that the committee has scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's
11proposal, the corporation may make the grant as proposed in the corporation's notice.
12If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's notice under subd. 1.,
13the cochairpersons of the committee notify the corporation that the committee has
14scheduled a meeting to review the corporation's proposal, the corporation may make
15the proposed grant only upon approval of the committee.
SB769,4,19 16(3) Determination of economic impact. Before the corporation expends moneys
17on an economic development program under sub. (2) (a) or (b) or makes a grant under
18sub. (2) (c), the corporation shall consider the economic impact of the program or
19activity for which the moneys will be used.
SB769,4,21 20(4) Reporting and repayment requirements. No later than June 30 of each
21fiscal year, the the corporation shall do all of the following:
SB769,4,2422 (a) Submit a report to the department of administration describing in detail the
23corporation's use in that fiscal year of the moneys appropriated under s. 20.192 (1)
24(bm).
SB769,5,3
1(b) Pay to the secretary of administration for deposit in the general fund all
2moneys the corporation receives under s. 20.192 (1) (bm) but does not expend or
3encumber in that fiscal year.
SB769,5,7 4(5) Cooperation of state agencies and authorities. All other authorities and
5all state agencies shall, to the extend needed, as determined by the corporation,
6cooperate with the corporation concerning the corporation's planning and
7implementation of its expenditures of moneys under sub. (2).
SB769,5,8 8(6) Sunset. This section does not apply after June 30, 2038.
SB769,5,99 (End)
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