Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
and technical college district boards to grant tuition remission to certain students
who were in foster care or other placement out of their parents' homes. This bill also
requires the Department of Children and Families to distribute to University of
Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges within the Technical College
System $120,000 in grants for programs that support former foster youth.
Under current law, if the juvenile court adjudges a child to be in need of
protection or services, the juvenile court may order the child to be removed from the
home of the child's parent and placed in an out-of-home care placement, such as the
home of a foster parent, guardian, relative other than a parent, or nonrelative or a
group home, residential care center for children and youth, or shelter care facility.
Under the bill, a student is eligible for institution or technical college tuition
remission if the student is a state resident to whom any of the following applies: 1)
the individual resided in an out-of-home care placement on his or her 18th birthday;
2) the individual resided in an out-of-home care placement and after his or her 13th
birthday the individual was adopted or appointed a nonagency guardian; or 3) the
individual resided in an out-of-home care placement for at least one year after his

or her 13th birthday and then returned to live in the home of his or her parent after
termination of the order.
The bill requires the Board of Regents to grant an eligible student a tuition
remission for each semester or session that the student completes the federal Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and is enrolled in an associate degree
or bachelor's degree program. A technical college district board must grant an
eligible student a tuition remission for each semester or session that the student
completes the FAFSA and is enrolled in a technical diploma or associate degree
program. The technical college district boards may not grant the tuition remission
after a technical college student is awarded the diploma or degree for the program
in which he or she is enrolled or attains the age of 25 years, whichever occurs first.
The Board of Regents may not grant the tuition remission after a student is awarded
a bachelor's degree or attains the age of 25, whichever occurs first. In addition, the
bill prohibits a student from receiving this tuition remission from either the Board
of Regents or a technical college district board for more than a total of 12 semesters
or sessions. The Board of Regents and technical college district boards must deduct
from a remission any federal scholarship, grant, or aid, other than a loan, awarded
for a student.
The bill also makes an appropriation to the Higher Educational Aids Board to
reimburse the Board of Regents and technical college district boards for remissions
granted under the bill. If the appropriation is not sufficient to make full
reimbursement, HEAB must prorate the reimbursements.
This bill also makes an appropriation to DCF for the purpose of distributing at
least four grants per biennium of up to $30,000 each to University of Wisconsin
institutions or technical colleges for the purpose of supporting programming for
former foster youth who are enrolled in the institution.
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:
SB1046,1 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 - See PDF for table PDF
SB1046,2 1Section 2 . 20.235 (1) (fx) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,3,52 20.235 (1) (fx) Foster care remissions. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule
3to reimburse the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and
4technical college district boards under s. 39.52 for fee remissions made under ss.
536.27 (3g) and 38.24 (5m).
SB1046,3 6Section 3 . 20.437 (1) (ch) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,3,87 20.437 (1) (ch) Grants to support former foster youth in higher education.
8Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants under s. 48.543.
SB1046,4 9Section 4. 36.27 (3g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,3,1010 36.27 (3g) Foster care remissions. (a) In this subsection:
SB1046,3,1211 1. “Eligible individual” means a state resident to whom any of the following
12applies:
SB1046,3,1413 a. He or she resided in an out-of-home care placement on his or her 18th
14birthday.
SB1046,3,1715 b. He or she resided in an out-of-home care placement and subsequently, after
16his or her 13th birthday, he or she was adopted or appointed a nonagency guardian
17under s. 48.977 or 48.9795.
SB1046,3,2018 c. He or she resided in an out-of-home care placement for at least one year after
19his or her 13th birthday and he or she returned to live in the home of his or her parent
20after termination of the order.
SB1046,4,3
12. “Federal assistance” means any federal scholarship, grant, or aid, other than
2a loan, provided to a student or to a student's educational institution on behalf of a
3student.
SB1046,4,64 3. “Out-of-home care placement” means the placement of a child out of his or
5her home, in this state, under a court order under s. 48.355, 48.357, 48.365, 938.355,
6938.357, or 938.365.
SB1046,4,97 (b) Subject to par. (c), the board shall grant full remission of academic fees and
8segregated fees to any eligible individual for a semester or session if the individual
9satisfies each of the following:
SB1046,4,1110 1. The individual completes the federal Free Application for Federal Student
11Aid, as described in 20 USC 1090 (a), for that semester or session.
SB1046,4,1312 2. The individual is enrolled in an associate degree or bachelor's degree
13program in that semester or session.
SB1046,4,1614 (c) 1. The board shall deduct from a remission granted to an eligible individual
15under par. (b) for a semester or session the amount of federal assistance awarded for
16the individual for that semester or session.
SB1046,4,1917 2. The board may not grant a remission under par. (b) to an eligible individual
18after the eligible individual is awarded a bachelor's degree or attains the age of 25
19years, whichever occurs first.
SB1046,4,2220 3. An eligible student may receive a remission under par. (b) or s. 38.24 (5m)
21(b) for no more than a total of 12 semesters. For purposes of this subdivision, a
22session is counted as a semester.
SB1046,5 23Section 5. 38.24 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,4,2424 38.24 (5m) Foster care remissions. (a) In this subsection:
SB1046,4,2525 1. “Eligible individual” has the meaning given in s. 36.27 (3g) (a) 1.
SB1046,5,1
12. “Federal assistance” has the meaning given in s. 36.27 (3g) (a) 2.
SB1046,5,42 (b) Subject to par. (c), a district board shall grant full remission of fees under
3sub. (1m) (a) to (c) to any eligible individual for a semester or session if the individual
4satisfies each of the following:
SB1046,5,65 1. The individual completes the federal Free Application for Federal Student
6Aid, as described in 20 USC 1090 (a), for that semester or session.
SB1046,5,87 2. The individual is enrolled in a technical diploma or associate degree program
8in that semester or session.
SB1046,5,119 (c) 1. A district board shall deduct from a remission granted to an eligible
10individual under par. (b) for a semester or session the amount of federal assistance
11awarded for the individual for that semester or session.
SB1046,5,1412 2. An eligible individual may not receive a remission under par. (b) after the
13eligible individual is awarded a diploma or degree in the program in which he or she
14is enrolled or attains the age of 25 years, whichever occurs first.
SB1046,5,1715 3. An eligible student may receive a remission under par. (b) or s. 36.27 (3g) (b)
16for no more than a total of 12 semesters. For purposes of this subdivision, a session
17is counted as a semester.
SB1046,6 18Section 6 . 39.52 of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,6,3 1939.52 Foster care remissions. (1) University of Wisconsin System. At the
20end of each semester, the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
21shall certify to the board the number of students enrolled in the University of
22Wisconsin System to whom fees have been remitted under s. 36.27 (3g) and the
23amount of fees remitted. Subject to sub. (3), if the board approves the information
24certified under this subsection, the board, from the appropriation account under s.
2520.235 (1) (fx), shall reimburse the Board of Regents for the full amount of fees

1remitted. The Board of Regents shall credit any amounts received under this
2subsection to the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (k) and shall expend those
3amounts received for degree credit instruction.
SB1046,6,10 4(2) Technical colleges. At the end of each semester, each technical college
5district board shall certify to the board the number of students enrolled in the
6technical college governed by the district board to whom fees have been remitted
7under s. 38.24 (5m) and the amount of those fees remitted. Subject to sub. (3), if the
8board approves the information certified under this subsection, the board, from the
9appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fx), shall reimburse the district board for
10the full amount of fees remitted.
SB1046,6,18 11(3) Prorated reimbursement. In June of each fiscal year, the board shall
12determine the total amount of fees remitted by the Board of Regents that are eligible
13for reimbursement under sub. (1) and fees remitted by the district boards that are
14eligible for reimbursement under sub. (2). If the moneys appropriated under s.
1520.235 (1) (fx) are not sufficient to reimburse the Board of Regents and the district
16boards for the full amount of those fees, the board shall prorate the reimbursement
17paid under subs. (1) and (2) in the proportion that the moneys available bears to the
18total amount eligible for reimbursement under subs. (1) and (2).
SB1046,7 19Section 7. 48.543 of the statutes is created to read:
SB1046,6,25 2048.543 Grants to support former foster youth in higher education. The
21department shall award no fewer than 4 grants to University of Wisconsin System
22institutions or technical colleges within the Wisconsin Technical College System for
23the purpose of providing resources, programs, and activities for youth who were
24formerly placed in out-of-home care and who are enrolled in the institution or
25technical college. No grant under this section may exceed $30,000.
SB1046,8
1Section 8. Initial applicability.
SB1046,7,52 (1) This act first applies to eligible individuals, as defined in s. 36.27 (3g) (a)
31., enrolled in a University of Wisconsin System institution or Technical College
4System technical college in the first semester or session following the effective date
5of this subsection.
SB1046,9 6Section 9. Effective date.
SB1046,7,87 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication or on the 2nd day after
8publication of the 2023 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
SB1046,7,99 (End)
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